The golden trevally is found either as a solitary individual or in small schools as an adult. Juveniles tend to form larger schools which tend to congregate and follow ( or "pilot") larger fish such as groupers, sharks, and even jellyfish. This behaviour mimics that of the related pilot fish, "Naucrates ductor", with their maneuverability protecting them from their hosts, which in turn provides them with protection from predation from other fish. This behaviour extends to scuba divers, with one diver reporting a single young individual obsessively stationing itself in front of his face plate.