ID me Plz

[janneke85]

Hi guys,

Im a chick and dont know too much about fishing except that I love it! I went fishing today with a mate down near Akuna Bay and we hired out a tinny and went for a fish, I used prawns and caught some weird looking orange fish with fins that look like butterfly wings .. It should be fairly easy to identify for you .. but I dont have a clue!!! And I threw it back anyway cos it had spikes and it had bright colours so I was a little scared, oh and it was a bout 30cms long .. What was it??
please help!!

[janneke85]

Sorry Forgot 2 attach the pic 0 bad quality camera phone shot

[banshee]

Red Gurnard for mine.

[Gummtree]

Spot on Banshee, #good old Red Gurnard.

[janneke85]

Yer!!

Cheers
I can sleep now,

[Braddles]

Wow... What a little cutey....

I am sure that would have a market in a marine aquarium shop!

Where did you catch it??

Brad.

[Grand_Marlin]

We always knew them as a butterfly Gurnard.

The red gurnard doesnt have the colourful pectorals / wings.

The spines on any gurnard will give you a very nasty sting.

Cheers

Pete

[split-shot]

Grant's guide to fishes, identifies it as a Red Gurnard. Reported to be excellent eating when skinned and can reach 600mm in length.

[dinga1]

Cheilidonichthys kumu is its scientific name

[Grand_Marlin]

Ok.... too many fish, too many names

We are all correct.

It is called the Red Gurnard ... aka Red Butterfly Gurnard.

There is another one very similar called a sharp beaked gurnard or a latchet (this is the one we used to catch in Tassie) which as the name suggests has a sharp point on its nose.

The Red Gurnard I was referring to is actually called a Red Gurnard Perch

The reference book I use and find very good is Sea Fishes of Southern Australia by Barry Hutchins & Roger Swainston.

Cheers

Pete

[dinga1]

there is only one scientific name for this species using that will avoid the confusion of common names

Chelidonichthys kumu, red gurnard or red butterfly gurnard

[Smailesy]

never hurd of them or seen 1

[freshdes]

Definetly a gurnard, hey!! We catch heaps of em down here, watch out for the spikes, inflict a pretty painful wound, nice eating if you could be bothered preparing em.

[RogueFisher]

Hey janneke, have to agree with the other lads!!! Red Butterfly Gurnard.

To Save ya the price of hiring a boat again you and ur mates are more then welcome to be deckies anytime on the old Happy Hooker . Send us an e-mail, let us know

hope to see ya soon
-RogueFisher