Variola louti

The Lyretail coral trout is one of the most elegant hosts of the reef, usually solitary.

It is very recognizable by its mauve color, blue dots and large crescent-shaped tail edged with yellow, which distinguishes him from its very close smaller cousin, V. albimarginata whose fins are edged with white.

It is often seen near reefs but because of its vulnerability, it is often small specimens, the big ones are generally deeper, and very suspicious.

It is more common in archipelagos with well-preserved coral reefs where they will find sufficient hiding places.

The Lyretail coral trout can be caught directly diving on it (be careful, it might gently drag you to a depth you don’t want to reach), and by moving agachon in the shallower areas. It is not easily approached.

Shooting is usually from far and must be accurate, so smaller guns are not really adapted.

Variola louti is excellent to eat grilled or raw. Because of its suspicious behavior and its strange beauty, spearos appreciate it and it is a very noble catch. However, given its relative rarity and although IUCN does not flag it as a threatened species, I advise to catch in moderation.