 |
The milkfish (Chanos chanos) is the sole living species in
the family Chanidae. The milkfish is an unofficial national symbol of the
Philippines, where it is called by the Tagalog name bangus. |
|
Left: Grilled
milkfish in Jakarta, Indonesia. |
Milkfish have a generally symmetrical and streamlined appearance, with a sizable
forked caudal fin. They can grow to 1.7 meters but are most often about 1 meter
in length. They have no teeth and generally feed on algae and invertebrates.
 |
They occur in the Indian Ocean and across the Pacific Ocean, tending to school
around coasts and islands with reefs. The young fry live at sea for two to three
weeks and then migrate to mangrove swamps, estuaries, and sometimes lakes and
return to sea to mature sexually and reproduce. |
|
Left: Milkfish. |
The milkfish is an important seafood in Southeast Asia. The fry are collected
from rivers and raised in ponds where they grow very quickly and are then sold
either fresh, frozen, canned, or smoked.
Because milkfish is notorious for being
much bonier than other food fish, deboned milkfish, or "boneless bangus," has
become popular in stores and markets.
