Hobbies And Interests
Schooling Fish
The bulk of the blacktip shark's diet is schooling fish. The schooling fish that a blacktip shark commonly preys upon include many smaller fish such as threadfin, mullet and sardines.
Other Prey
The blacktip shark also preys on non-schooling fish in the reef ecosystem. Bottom feeders, such as catfish, may be prey to the blacktip shark. The shark will also feed on non-schooling fish such as triggerfish, groupers, croakers, snook, grunts and porgies. The shark hunts other aquatic animals as well, such as the stingray. The blacktip shark also preys on other sharks, such as young dusky sharks and sharpnose sharks.
Hunting Habits
Though the sharks can dive to depths of 200 feet, they tend to stay in shallower water. To hunt, blacktip sharks will wait for schools of fish at a sharp drop or cliff in the reef or ocean floor, or where there is a change in the water current --- those are areas where the schools of fish are more easily trapped and eaten. Like other sharks, blacktip sharks hunt a diverse number of species, are less numerous than their prey and commonly aren't preyed upon themselves, making them apex predators.
Consumption
The blacktip shark is abundant enough in the Gulf of Mexico that there is no bag limit on the number you may fish. The shark meat may be filleted --- when cooked, it has a fishy taste and flaky texture. However, the Environmental Defense Fund recommends that adult men limit their consumption of blacktip sharks to one meal per month or less, and adult women and children should not eat the shark at all, because of the high levels of mercury likely present in the meat.