Fish
Bigeye Kingfish
Caranx sexfasciatus
The most abundant kingfish on our east coast - a big-eyed, iridescent jack that hunts reefs by day and drifts into estuaries as a youngster.
Also known as grootoog- koningvis
- Typical size
- Attains 85 cm
- Habitat
- Reef-associated; juveniles enter estuaries
The bigeye kingfish is a robust reef jack, iridescent blue-green above and silvery white below, with a small dark spot near the top of the gill cover that youngsters lack. The soft dorsal lobe is tipped white and the tail runs yellowish to black. It reaches around 85 cm.
A reef-associated species, adults hold near structure while juveniles often move into estuaries. It ranges through the tropical Indo-Pacific from Natal northward and is the most common kingfish in South African waters.