Fish
Giant Kingfish
Caranx ignobilis
The bruiser of the trevallies, a heavy silver-grey to black predator that tops 50 kg and hits hard from the shallows to offshore reefs.
Also known as reuse malabar
- Typical size
- Attains 165 cm and 53 kg
- Habitat
- Coastal reefs and estuaries
The giant kingfish is mostly silvery-grey to black above and paler below, without a dark spot on the gill cover; fish from turbid coastal water often carry yellow fins. It is common to about 100 cm and attains 165 cm and 53 kg, making it the largest of the region's kingfish.
Abundant in tropical and subtropical waters, it ranges from Algoa Bay northward across the Indo-West Pacific, with juveniles often entering estuaries. A raw-powered ambush and pursuit predator, it is one of the most sought-after gamefish for shore anglers and spearos alike.