Identification and Range
The pale brown body carries six or seven yellow stripes and an oval black spot beneath the soft part of the dorsal fin. This combination matters because several other snappers have yellow stripes or a dark blotch. The species inhabits tropical Indo-Pacific coastal waters.
Size and Weight
The reported maximum total length is 50 cm, about 19.7 inches, while 30 cm is a published common length. A study of 447 fish from the northern Persian Gulf recorded a largest body weight of 348.6 g, approximately 12.3 ounces. That weight describes the study sample; it is not a demonstrated worldwide maximum or the weight of a 50 cm fish.
Habitat and Natural Food
Adults school around reefs and lagoons, sometimes joining other snapper species. Juveniles also enter mangrove estuaries and lower stream reaches. Crustaceans are especially important to smaller fish, while larger individuals consume more fish.
Bait and Fishing Methods
Handlines, traps and gill nets are documented capture methods. These records describe fisheries that catch the species; they do not establish a universal best hook bait or artificial lure. Local habitat and the size of fish present affect what an angler is likely to encounter.
The Spot Within the Stripes
Look below the rear portion of the dorsal fin for the oval blotch, then follow the thin yellow lines along the body. Checking both features helps separate Blackspot Snapper from other yellow-striped snappers swimming in the same aggregation.
All Lakes With Blackspot Snapper
Browse all lakes and reservoirs with confirmed Blackspot Snapper records in our database, listed alphabetically.
No published lakes are currently linked to this species in our confirmed records.