Chaetodipterus faber
Size: to 36" and 20 lbs.
Habitat: shallow coastal waters
Notes: Spadefishes are not quite as tropical as the others on this page, and typically range to New England. They may form large schools. Babies are uniformly black without stripes.
This Rustic Ferry is Getting Dismantled in Queens to Become an Artificial Reef
The Prudence Ferry has been abandoned for years, but will get a second life in the waters off Fire Island this summer.
The City, News Partner
Mon, Apr 20, 2026
By Lilly Sabella, The City
Behind the gate of a waterfront restaurant, a rusted ferry wobbles on the waves of the East River. It’s become a familiar eyesore for residents of Long Island City, Queens since it was first moored to the Anable Basin in 2012 and has floated there since, a forgotten lump of metal - until now. The abandoned ferry, named Prudence, is getting a second life as an artificial reef. Each Saturday morning this spring, residents in masks and safety goggles leap from stable ground onto the ferry to remove any hazardous materials and make it fit for sea creatures to move in.
More: Very Soon Artificial Reef ...
