What is this fish

[Mercer007]

Any ideas on what this is.

Pete

[On Strike]

Hi Pete,

Looks like a red morwong to me.

On Strike

Paul

Edited May 9, 2011 by On Strike

[Yowie]

Red morwong (cheilodactylus fuscus) normally have a solid red back, and the banded morwong (cheilodactylus spectabilis) have dark red stripes running vertically from the top to almost the bottom of the body. I have caught both on a line and observed both whilst skin diving. The fish in the picture has stripes but only half way down the body. The slight dip in the head just above the eyes, and the deep fork in the tail indicate a red morwong, the stripes do not. The white coloured stripe at the narrow part before the tail is found on banded morwong. It could be the result of both species inter-breeding, which does happen in the fish world. Regardless, both species are good eating.

Yowie.

[Blackfish]

100% Red Morwong.

Red Morwong also display the bands.

Banded have a different head and are darker.

Certainly don't catch many on line though and are really nice steamed. YUM.