Which fish spits water to knock insects into the water?

The fish that spits water to knock insects into the water is the archerfish. It aims a narrow jet of water at insects and other small prey on overhanging leaves or branches, knocking them down so they can be eaten.

Archerfish use specialized mouth movements to form and accelerate the jet. They are also able to compensate for refraction, the way light bends as it passes between water and air. That visual adjustment helps them aim at prey above the surface, where the apparent position is different from the true one.

Many archerfish can strike prey up to roughly 1.5 metres away, and some can reach targets around 3 metres above the water. Young fish may learn by observing or practicing alongside others.

The archerfish is not the same as a needlefish, which may leap from the water, or a mudskipper, which can move on land. Its signature hunting method is the water jet.