Anatomy: elongated and almost compressed body, with a generally symmetrical and streamlined appearance; one dorsal fin; forked tail; small mouth; most have no teeth
Diet: plankton, small invertebrates, fish
Habitat/Range: in marine and freshwater habitats worldwide
Evolved in: Early Cretaceous
(source)
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Gonorynchiformes produce a substance from their skin when injured that dissolves into the water and acts an alarm signal to other fish
The Milkfish (Chanos chanos) (image 1 and gif above) is the most well-known Gonorynchiform, as it is an important seafood in Southeast Asia and some Pacific Islands. In the Philippines, it is prohibited to fish for adult Milkfish, also known as Bangus, over 60 cm (2 ft). The government enacted this law in 1975, and reinforced it in 1998, in an effort to protect spawning stocks of fish. However, Milkfish are still accidentally caught as bycatch in fisheries. By the 1970s, fish farmers first successfully spawned breeding Milkfish. Today, Milkfish aquaculture accounts for 14% of all aquaculture production worldwide, and most Milkfish come from fish farms.
In the city of Dagupan in Pangasinan, Philippines, locals host an annual Bangus Festival. The festival has become an extravagant event including street dance competitions. The street dance competition named, Gilon-gilon ed Dalan, was established to celebrate the Milkfish harvest. The festival also honors the city’s patron Saint John, who was originally a fisherman and a main player in the biblical account of a miraculously bountiful harvest.
Milkfish can grow up to 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) long, but are most often no more than 1 m (3.3 ft) in length. They can reach a weight of about 14 kg (31 lb), and an age of 15 years.
Today, the Milkfish is the only member of the family Chanidae. While the Milkfish is known from the Early Paleocene, the family dates back to the Early Cretaceous, known from genera such as Dastilbe, Aethalionopsis, and Tharrhias.
Similarly, the beaked salmon (genus Gonorynchus) (image 4) is the last surviving genera of the Early Cretaceous Gonorynchids. They are nocturnal fish, feeding on planktonic and buried invertebrates at night and burrowing into sand or mud during the day.
The Cameroon Shellear (Parakneria cameronensis) has a projectile upper jaw.
The Hingemouth (Phractolaemus ansorgii) (image 3) is named for its mouth which can extend like a small trunk. The mouth can extend up to 30% of the Hingemouth's head length, and is mainly supported by cartilage and other connective tissues. Unlike the other, toothless Gonorynchiformes, it has just two teeth, both on the lower jaw.
The Hingemouth’s swim bladder has two compartments, and can function as a lung, allowing the fish to survive in oxygen-poor environments.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has denied the occurrence of a fish kill in Sual Bay here early this week, saying it was the result of overstocking of Milkfish fingerlings by operators.
By Leonardo Micua, 7th October 2017;
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has denied the occurrence of a fish kill in Sual Bay here early this week, saying it was the result of overstocking of Milkfish (Chanos chanos) fingerlings by operators.
BFAR Region 1 (Ilocos) Director Nestor Domenden said Friday two operators overstocked their cages, each one measuring 85 square meters, with 85,000 fingerlings, although it can only accommodate 45,000.
There are estimated 750 fish cages in the Sual Bay area, Domenden said.
Up to 30 metric tons of fish reportedly died from this episode, which was the result of the thinning of dissolved oxygen needed by the fish in the water, the BFAR official said.
Fish kill is commonly caused by pollution or by other contaminants.
Domenden said when an operator overstocks his cage twice the allowable number, some of the fish would naturally die as they compete for the only available dissolved oxygen in the water.
It was fortunate that the affected operators were able to harvest half of their fish before the incident, he said.
Domenden called on the local government of Sual, Pangasinan to strictly monitor the operations of fish cages to avoid a repeat of overstocking of fingerlings.
He noted that Sual had a standing municipal ordinance recommending the proper stocking of fish cages, yet it was disregarded by the two affected operators.
According to a report, the fish cages of Sual, located in a mariculture area designated by BFAR, are owned by local and foreign corporations.
All of these have a combined production of some 300,000 metric tons of fish yearly, being sold in North and Central Luzon and Manila.
Sual Mayor Roberto Arcinue has confirmed the findings of BFAR that no fish kill happened in his town.
Philippines: Fish kills reported in Pangasinan and Negros Occidental; bangus prices fall
By John Ted Cordero, 25th May 2016;
Changes in weather pattern have caused fish kills in two municipalities of Pangasinan.
According to a report on News To Go on Wednesday, the fish kills occurred in the municipalities of Anda and Bolinao.
Fish trade in two barangays of Bolinao and Anda were affected by the said fish kill.
Thirty percent of bangus (Milkfish) (Chanos chanos) have died causing the prices to fall at P10 per kilo, the report said.
The municipal agriculturist explained that the fish kills were caused by changing weather.
He added the weather is very hot during morning but rain will fall suddenly in the afternoon.
Meanwhile, a fish kill was also reported in Binalbagan River in the municipality of Isabela, Negros Occidental.
According to the Municipal Agriculture Office of Isabela, various fishes like Tilapia (Oreochromis sp.) and haluan (Common Snakehead) (Channa striata) died after rainfall.
Authorities are looking into sulfur contamination as the cause of the fish kill, the report said.
Ashes and pyroclastic materials from Mt. Kanloan were possibly washed through Binalbagan River.
Authorities advised residents not to eat the dead fishes as these might poison them.
They also took mud and water samples from the river to find out the real cause of the fish kill.
Milkfish (Chanos chanos)
Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, 2nd February 2016
This photo of the carcass of a Milkfish was shared by Yap Xinli. I also came across it later that same day and took some photos of my own.
The location of this dead fish, on one of the wooden bridges within Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, suggests that it had been picked up and then dropped by another animal, possibly a Bird of Prey or a Feral Dog (Canis lupus familiaris).
Given that Milkfish are raised in some of the fish farms in the waters of the western Straits of Johor, it is difficult to determine whether the Milkfishes found in these waters are of captive or wild origin.
Find out how you can contribute to Monday Morgue too.
A Guide to Common Marine Fishes of Singapore
FishBase
Fishes of Australia
Australian Museum Fact Sheets
Animal Diversity Web
FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department Cultured Aquatic Species Information Programme
The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific Volume 3
Systematics, distribution, genetics and life history of Milkfish, Chanos chanos
Geographic Variation in the Milkfish Chanos chanos. I. Biochemical Evidence
Geographic Variation in the Milkfish Chanos chanos II. Multivariate Morphological Evidence
Milkfish (Chanos chanos) Culture: Situations and Trends
Aquaculture of Milkfish (Chanos chanos): state of the art
