Red seabream Coloring Pages

The King of Fish! Red seabream

When people think of a lucky fish, the Red seabream comes to mind first. In Japan, people have called it the King of Fish for a long time. It is a very special and cool fish that you always see at parties and celebrations.

The English Name and Where Its Name Comes From

In English, Red seabream is called Red Sea Bream. It means "a sea bream that is red." The name comes right from its lovely red look. The Japanese word for "real" or "number one" is in its Japanese name, Madai. This shows that this fish is recognized as the "true sea bream," even though many fish in Japan have "tai" (sea bream) in their names.

When You Say "Tai," You Mean "Red seabream"

When people in Japan say "tai," they almost always mean the Red seabream. That shows how famous and special this fish is to people in Japan.

Where Does It Live?

Red seabream live in the wide seas around Japan.

• They like deeper water, about 30 meters to 200 meters deep.

• They swim together in groups near rocky ocean floors or places with small gravel stones.

What Color Is Its Body?

The body of the Red seabream is a very pretty pale pink and red color.

• Why is it red? It is because they eat shrimp and crab shells that have red color inside them!

• Wild Red seabream get an even brighter color as they soak up sunlight in the sea.

Pretty Polka Dots on Its Back

If you look closely at the back of a Red seabream, you can see shiny cobalt blue polka dots.

• People also call these "blue stars." They are super pretty spots that you can only see on a living Red seabream.

• They fade away when the fish is no longer fresh, so they are proof of a healthy, lively fish!

A Little Fish Inside a Fish?!

Inside the bones near its side fins, there is a special bone shaped just like a fish! People call it "Tai no Tai" (the sea bream inside a sea bream).

• For a long time, people have kept this bone as a good luck charm.

• If you ever eat Red seabream at home, try to search for this bone like a fun treasure hunt!

What Does It Eat to Grow Big?

Red seabream love good food and eat many different things.

• Their favorite foods are shrimp, crabs, small fish, and shellfish.

• They are super strong fish! They can crunch hard crab shells and clam shells with their strong teeth and tough jaws.

A Fish That Lives a Very Long Time

They live a very long time for a fish. People think they live for 20 to 40 years!

• When they grow big, they can be over 1 meter long and weigh more than 10 kilograms.

• Because they live so long, they look strong, grand, and impressive.

Why People Eat It at Celebrations

Have you ever wondered why people eat Red seabream at party times?

• The biggest reason is a fun word game! Its Japanese name "Tai" sounds like "Medetai," which means happy and lucky.

• Everyone loves it because red is a happy color, the fish looks lovely, and it tastes amazing!

Let's Try Making Real-Looking Red

When you color Red seabream, the trick is to mix different colors, not just plain red.

• First, try coloring the whole body in light pink.

• Then, layer red and orange little by little toward the back. It will turn into a deep, pretty color.

• If you make the gills and the tips of the fins a bit darker red, it will look sharp and cool.

Let's Draw Sparkly Spots

The small round spots on the back of Red seabream are cobalt blue patterns.

• Try coloring these round spots with light blue or bright blue.

• The contrast with the red around them will make them look like they are glowing in the ocean.

Let's Change the Colors on the Belly and Back

Here is an important secret to make fish look 3D and real.

• Make the back dark red, and gradually change it to white or bright cream toward the belly.

• Keeping the belly bright makes the fish look nice and round, giving it a 3D feel like it might swim away right now.

Let's Color Around the Eyes Carefully

Red seabream have very special eyes.

• Around the eyes, there is actually a faint blue color like eyeshadow sometimes.

• Make the center of the eye deep black and strong. Surrounding it with gold or yellow gives it sharp, king-like eyes that look super cool.

Let's Color the Scales One by One

The scales drawn with fine lines show the power of Red seabream.

• Coloring all of them is hard work, but if you add color carefully one by one, you will get a texture just like real Red seabream.

• Sharpen your colored pencil a bit, and color while thinking about how scales overlap.

• Finally, if you add whitish lights (highlights) here and there, the scales will look shiny, and your picture will look amazingly good.

Called the King of Fish

Red seabream looks so pretty and tastes super yummy! That is why people have called it the "King of All Fish" for a very long time. Its bright red color sounds like the Japanese word for happy events, so it is a must-have fish for special celebrations like New Year's Day and weddings.

Shrimp and Crabs Are Its Favorite Food!

It has a cute face, but it actually has "super hard and strong teeth" inside its mouth! When it finds its favorite food like shrimp or crabs, it uses its amazing power to crunch right through their hard shells.

Does It Have Shining "Blue Stars" on Its Body?

If you look very closely at the pretty pink body of Red seabream, you will see many "tiny spots that glow blue"! Fishermen call these shiny patterns "stars." They help you tell if a Red seabream is fresh and healthy.

Is There "Another Seabream" Inside Its Body?

Near the fin on its chest, there is a mysterious bone called the "Seabream Inside a Seabream" that looks just like a fish! For a long time, people have cherished this bone as a lucky charm. They say if you put it in your wallet, it will bring you money!