We examined the patterns of habitat-specific mortality for newly settled reddrum using an experimental mesocosm approach. Experiments were designed to analyze prey vulnerability and fish rearing-type wild-caught or hatchery-reared. in estuarine habitats of varying structural complexity including marsh oyster reef seagrass and non vegetated sand bottom. We used two different predators, pinfish. and spotted seatrout. For both predators, vulnerability of wild-caught red drum was significantly lower in structurally complex habitats such as seagrass and oyster reef; the highest vulnerability was associated with the non vegetated bottom. This habitat effect was not apparent for hatchery-reared prey. In trials using a combination of both rearing-types, there was no significant habitat effect on prey selection, but hatchery-reared red drum suffered higher overall mortality than wild-caught fish from pinfish predators. In these trials, spotted seatrout did not select for either prey type. Differences we observed in prey vulnerability were likely caused by behavioral differences between wild-caught and hatchery-reared red drum. Our results reinforce the conclu- sion that structural complexity in estuarine habitats increases survival of newly settled fishes. Our data also suggest that hatchery-reared red drum may be more vulnerable to predation than natural fishes, and that survival of stocked fish may be enhanced through habitat-related behavior modification. Published by Elsevier Science B.V.