fish ID...

[sharky60]

Aloha all,

A buddy of mine just returned from Oahu and said he ran accross a local guy with his spearfishing catch on the North Shore.

The guy had a fish that my friend described as having very long teeth and a rough feel to the skin. (I know, they're all rough if you go against the scales )

the fisherman told him you couldn't eat it because it was poisonous, but he speared it because it wasn't a natural fish to Hawaii and it would eat EVERYTHING!

Anybody got a clue to what that critter is?

Mahalo in advance!

 

[smellzlikefish]

Maybe a Roi (Cephalopholis argus). Roi is an introduced species of small grouper that has populated many of the main Hawaiian islands.

 

[DiveWestOahu]

roi isn't poisonous tho,,,, maybe scorpion fish,,, but it's good eating as long as you clean it right (and carefully)

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

According to Save Our Seas, ciguatera poisoning has been documented back to ~600 BC.

Keoki Stender's web sit contains this warning;

Groupers are carnivorous fishes that are typically large and slow moving, found under ledges and caverns. They feed primarily upon fishes and large crustaceans. Due to the high fish diet, many shallow water reef species can contain enough ciguatoxin to cause illness and caution should be exercised when eating fish in areas where ciguatera poisoning is common, including Hawaii.

They change color when they want/need to.

​

The only grouper divers are likely to see in Hawaii(sic) is the blue-spotted Peacock Grouper that was intentionally introduced in 1956 (that was dumb)