The Barracuda With its sleek, torpedo-like body, dagger-like teeth, and ferocious appetite, the barracuda is built to hunt in the ocean. And that's exactly what it has been doing for the last 50 million years. Any diver who's seen a barracuda attack another fish can tell you that it happens faster than you can say "anchovy." One moment, a barracuda will be drifting lazily among the coral reefs. The next, it's rocketing toward a fish and snapping it up in its jaws. Smaller Great Barracudas can be found in shallow inshore waters over sandy bottoms, frequently in schools. Larger individuals are more often found offshore and are usually solitary. Great Barracudas feed chiefly on fishes and occasionally on squids and shrimps. They are curious fish, and often follow snorkelers or divers.