Family: Snappers

This snapper is a rather rare host of Indonesian reefs.

It is a shy fish with slow movements, sometimes seen in schools; its square and flat shape makes it an easy target when it approaches during stalking. It is popular with aquarists but its size, up to 60cm requires a very large aquarium.

On the surface, its color is bright yellow striped with blue lines which strongly reminds the coloring of sweetlips. It is recognized, however, by its hunchbacked silhouette, its long dorsal fin and the intense black spot at the base of its tail.

It is a tasty fish. If the opportunity arises, a valid prize.

The humpback snapper is an occasional and locally frequent host of reefs. It is most commonly seen in the eastern Sunda Islands.

It is a very gregarious fish, often mixed with other species of snappers or sweetlips. Constantly moving, it is not an easy target, especially since its size is usually relatively modest.

On the surface its color is bright red but under water, its appearance is rather greenish, or downright gray in depth. It is recognizable by its hunchbacked shape, yellow patterns on the cheek and its tail with very rounded and dark lobes.

It is a tasty fish. If the opportunity arises, a valid prize.

The pinjalo is an occasional and locally frequent host of reefs.

It is a very gregarious fish. constantly in motion, it is not an easy target, despite its sometimes good size, up to 4-5 kilos.

It is mainly encountered during the rainy season, when it rises from the depths;

On the surface its color is bright red but underwater, its appearance is rather greenish, even downright gray. It is mainly recognized by its rather small head relatively to the body.

Where they usually dwell, the pinjalos approach in schools and one must try one’s luck, generally from top to bottom. The shot must be precise but also powerful because of the rather dense scales of the pinjalo protecting a fairly tender flesh.

The pinjalo is excellent for barbecue. A party catch!

The dark-tailed snapper is occasionally encountered at the sand-rock border in the shallows, typically 10 meters.

It is a rather solitary fish which responds well to the agachon. Rather gray in color, it is characterized by its dark tail, which distinguishes it from the mangrove snapper or the red bass; it also resembles the black-tailed snapper, but is distinguished from the latter by the rather red color of its ventral fins, those of the black-tailed snapper being bright yellow;

The shot must be accurate because this snapper is of modest size. But it is excellent to eat: a recommended catch.

The rusty jobfish is a coastal predator reminiscent of the sea bass or the dentex snapper. It is also similar to its cousin the green jobfish, but its size is smaller. It is recognizable by its slit jaw, its pinkish tinge and a dark vertical bar on the gill cover.

It is anatomically very close to the small tooth jobfish, aphareus furca, which is much smaller.

Aphareus rutilans is a beautiful fish that generally lives deeper so it is rarely seen in diving.

In coastal areas, juveniles are more frequently observed hunting in small groups on mixed sand-coral areas. It is also common for them to hide behind the surgeonfish. Curious, they come respond positively to stalking and are entertaining to hunt despite their modest size, barely exceeding a kilo.

In the cooler season, July – October, the big ones come up, solitary or in schools, and it is possible to catch fish weighing several kilos.

Note the spectacular IUSA world record of a. rutilans captured in Indonesia by Justin Allen in 2013, 12.1 kg.

The rusty jobfish is excellent raw or cooked.

The Chinamanfish snapper likes sandy areas  with rocks and coral.

It is easily recognizable thanks to its whip-shaped dorsal fin, its red color and the many lines that adorn it. Similar to Symphorichtys spilurus, its forehead is less square.

It is usually found at depths exceeding 20 meters. It can reach respectable sizes, around 10 kg.

The best fishing technique is aguato.

Symphorus nematophorus is excellent to eat, raw or grilled. In Australia, this fish is often poisoned by Cigüatera. In Indonesia, it can be consumed safely.

The small-toothed jobfish is a coastal predator reminiscent of the sea bass or the dentex snapper. It is also similar to its cousin the green jobfish, but its size is smaller. It is recognizable by its slit jaw, its blue-pinkish tinge and a dark vertical bar on the operculum.

It is anatomically very close to the rusty jobfish, aphareus rutilans, a beautiful fish that is larger. A. furca differs from it by a slightly broader body, a less forked tail, an intense dark/ colored bar on the gill cover, more yellowish fins and a slightly smaller and more transparent pectoral fin.

Aphareus furca is much less common than the green jobfish, and I have rarely observed mostly small individuals on the reef, generally smaller than 1kg.

The small-toothed jobfish is excellent raw or cooked.

The red bass is a reef predator that is strongly reminiscent of dentex snapper. It is often observed in schools, usually of mixed size. However, in some places and times of the year schools of dozens of individuals of the same size can gather.

The red bass is frequently encountered in Indonesia all year round, at any time, even if it is easier to encounter it at dusk. It likes drop offs, especially with a little bit of current. It can also be found on sandy bottoms, near coral heads or in the structure (reef, wreck …). It usually roams around fast looking for preys. It rarely hides in caves.

The red bass is mostly hunted by bomb diving or stalking, depending on whether it has been spotted from the surface, during the descent, or after landing on the bottom. Do not hesitate to extend your apnea, there is a good chance the red bass will eventually come.

Because of its stocky shape and its thick layer of scales, the red bass should not be shot from too far, especially for 6-7 kg and more. The use of a slip tip requires shooting even closer.

With its inquisitive behavior and fierce looks, reminiscent of the dentex snapper, European spearos are very tempted to hunt it. 

But let’s be clear, the red bass is not great to eat. The flesh is very chewy, and I would eat it neither raw nor cooked.  Sean says that smaller fish around 1kg are good fried.

Personally, I do not shoot red bass any more at all. It can be easily confused with the mangrove snapper, which is tasting much better.

The midnight snapper is a frequent host of coral reefs. It is almost always in a group, usually of uniform size, near a shelter such as a large coral head or caves on a drop-off. From this point of view it reminds a lot of the European sea bream.

While the adult have a generally dark complexion, juveniles bear white spots and stripes of the most beautiful aspect. Adults as juveniles are very similar to black and white snapper Macolor niger with which they are often confused but some traits clearly distinguish them: Blue intertwined lines on the operculum and yellow eye for the adult.

The midnight snapper is present all year, at any time.

It is hunted through bomb diving or stalking, depending on whether it has been spotted from the surface or during the dive, or after landing at the bottom, typically near a large coral head. Do not hesitate to extend your apnea, it will come eventually.

Because of its stocky shape and its thick scales, the midnight snapper should not be shot from too far, otherwise it will not be possible to pierce it completely, but as it weighs rarely more than 2-3 kg, it can be hunted with conventional spearguns.

Unfortunately, the midnight snapper has hard flesh and I would eat it neither raw nor cooked. Because of its behavior that reminds of the European sea bream, European spearos love it, but personally I don’t shoot it anymore. Its cousin, the black and white snapper is just as tasteless.

The black and white snapper is a frequent host of coral reefs. It is almost always in a group, usually of uniform size, near a shelter such as a large coral head or caves on a drop-off.

The adult has a generally dull appearance; the young and juveniles bear white spots and annular stripes.

It is very similar to the midnight snapper Macolor macularis with which it coexists and is often confused, but it is distinguished by its pale complexion and black eye. It is also a little bigger.

The black and white snapper is present all year, at any time.

It is hunted through agachon or direct approach, depending on whether it has been spotted from the surface or during the dive, or after stalking at the bottom. Do not hesitate to extend your apnea, it will come eventually.

Because of its stocky shape and its thick scales, the midnight snapper should not be shot from too far, but as its maximum size rarely exceeds 2-3 kg, it can be hunted with conventional spearguns.

Unfortunately, the black and white snapper is just as bad to eat as the midnight snapper, and I would eat it neither raw nor cooked. Because of its behavior that reminds of the European sea bream and its decent size, European spearos love it, but personally I don’t shoot it anymore.

The Maori perch is a reef predator living in small colonies near rock or coral crevices. Isolated individuals are also often observed.

It is very recognizable by its massive shape, and its large lips reminding of a sweetlip, which it happily differs from the point of view of taste.

It is often found near the reefs and at the bottom of the drop-offs, often mixed with other snappers such as the red bass.

The Maori perch can be caught through a direct approach (be careful as it might gently lead you to the depths) but mostly through agachon or crawling on the bottom. In this case it can be approached fairly closely, or even come to you at full speed.

Due to its stocky shape, the Maori perch should not be shot from too far in order to pierce it completely, especially for 6-7 kg fish and more. On the other hand, its scales are less impenetrable than those of the red bass.

The Maori perch is good to consume grilled, raw it is a little hard. Best tasting are fishes about 2kg and under. With its behavior reminiscent of breams or snappers, European hunters appreciate it and in very fished areas it is a deserving catch. Clearly an eligible species.

The mangrove snapper is a generally solitary or paired reef predator, but sometimes grouped into schools of dozens of individuals.

It is occasionally found near the reefs and down the drop-offs, often mixed with other snapper species. It is clearly less common than the red bass.

The mangrove snapper is mainly spearfished by gliding or stalking. It is quite suspicious and therefore responds best late in the afternoon or after a long and deep apnea. It is distinguished in the water of from the red bass by more purple reflections, a little bit like the European dentex snapper.

Due to its stocky shape and its thick layer of scales, the mangrove snapper should not be shot from too far, especially for 6-7 kg fish and more. Using a slip-tip requires shooting even closer.

The mangrove snapper tastes better than the red bass, the texture is less rubbery. Due to its suspicious behavior reminiscent of dentex snapper, European hunters should love it. A good pick and a quality catch, for good hunters.

The one-dot snapper is an occasional host of reefs and sandy areas, usually solitary or in couple, sometimes in schools. It is quite shy and frequently mixed with other species of snappers. Because of its modest size, it is rarely a preferred target.

It is very recognizable by its yellow fins and the black spot that characterizes it.

The one-dot  snapper is present all year round, at any time, but preferentially at dark hours.

It is hunted through static or mobile agachon, and it does not come easily.

As its flesh is pretty tasty, I highly recommend it as soon as it reaches a decent size, typically one kg.

The green jobfish is a coastal predator reminiscent of the European sea bass or the dentex snapper. It is mostly solitary, especially for larger individuals of 3 kg and over, and sometimes in small groups, plus the fish being small plus there are individuals in the school.

The green jobfish is encountered all year round, at any time, but larger specimens approach the coasts rather in September-November. It is found in both clear and murky waters, near the reef but often on a mixed rock, coral and sand bottom, like the sea bass. It is not rare but local fishermen rarely catch it.

The green jobfish is hunted stalking or bomb diving, depending on whether it was spotted from the surface or during the descent. The arrival of the fangs forward green jobfish is always a great moment of emotion. Always let it come and wait for it to pivot before pulling the trigger.

Because it is always in motion and due to its slender shape it is not always easy to adjust well one’s shot but given the elongated shape of the fish it is necessary to shoot accurately to avoid tearing. This fish is quite vigorous but because of a weight generally not exceeding 7-8kg it does not create any particular problems.

The South Africans fish it by chumming with small chunks of fish that they take with them and throw before diving down to the reef.

The green jobfish is an excellent raw fish, as well as cooked. Best to avoid freezing. Because of its behavior tinged with aggressiveness and wariness, it is a cult catch of Indonesian waters. Spare fish under 1.5 kg.