Milkfish

Chanos chanos is the scientific name for milkfish, but this fish was named for milky whitish silver scales, even their rib thorns colored milk. The repeating scientific name (tautonym) is from Ancient Greek khanos (χάνος ‘mouth’). The white, flaky flesh of these fish cooks to a soft texture. Meat that has been seared, pan-fried, or steam-fried has a hue that is almost exactly like milk. Locals started referring to these animals as milkfish as a result.

The milkfish is distinguished by its elongated, rather compressed body, short, toothless mouth, single dorsal fin located about mid-level of the body, falcate pectoral fins, huge, deeply forked caudal fin, lack of belly scutes, and branchiostegal rays 4. The body is olive green on the dorsal side, with silvery flanks and dark-margined unpaired fins.

The ancient family Chanidae, which dates back to the Early Cretaceous, has only one surviving genus: Chanos. The common milkfish is the only species that has survived. The oldest fossil species in the genus Chanos date back to the earliest Paleocene, about 63 million years ago, in Mexico. The genus Chanos originated in North America. The discovery of the first fossil Chanos in freshwater Eocene strata in North America and Europe suggests that the species first lived in freshwater habitats 40–50 million years ago. 

Golden Milkfish

The "golden bangus" was a yellowish milkfish that was submitted to the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources by a Filipino fisherman on April 21, 2012. According to Westly Rosario, the fish's golden scales, head, fins, and tail differ from the silver bangus and may be the result of albinism or an irregular pigmentation pattern.

Milkfish are euryhaline, stenothermic fish. They occur and can be cultured in freshwater, brackishwater, and marine waters, but only in the tropical and subtropical Indian and Pacific oceans (rare in the eastern Pacific, from southern California to Peru), where temperatures are >20°C.

Milkfish swim in large schools. When hurt, their body produces an alarm substance that alerts their companions to predators or other dangers. Milkfish have a forked tail. As fish use the caudal fin for propulsion, a forked shape can minimize the drag from water and therefore allow the fish to be fast swimmers. These are part of the fish's sensory system, allowing it to detect tiny changes in the water column. Fortunately, the pin bones are in bundles, so you don't have to deal with each one individually. Unlike the milkfish's distant relative, the carp, these pin bones can be removed before cooking.

These fishes generally feed on algae and small invertebrates. They tend to school around coasts and islands with coral reefs. The young fry live at sea for two to three weeks and then migrate during the juvenile stage to mangrove swamps, estuaries, and sometimes lakes, and return to sea to mature sexually and reproduce. Females spawn at night up to 5 million eggs in saline shallow waters. Females spawn up to 5 million eggs which hatch in about 24 hr. The larvae seek out clear coastal and estuarine waters warmer than 23°C with 10-32 salinity and abundant phytoplankton. Spawning and fertilization take place at night.

Its most common predator is the tarpon, a large carnivorous fish species also common in Indo-Pacific waters. Ladyfish, also known as tenpounders, are another species known to prey on young banding.

Milkfishes are generic fish, plain and simple. Harmless, they will lazily swim around until provoked. At that point, they will attempt to swim away.

Milkfish was found elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific: along continental shelves and around islands, where temperatures are greater than 20°C. Red Sea and South Africa to Hawaii and the Marquesas, north to Japan, south to Victoria, Australia. Eastern Pacific: San Pedro, California to the Galapagos. Chanos chanos occurs in the Indo-West Pacific from South Africa, East Africa, Madagascar, the Mascarene Basin, Seychelles, north to the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, northeast to southern Japan, south to Western Australia, New South Wales, and Norfolk Island, east to the Marquesas Islands, north to the Hawaiian Islands and Panama. It is a Mediterranean Sea immigrant.

No information is available for more than very local stocks. While there is a massive body of research results on this species, this is strongly concentrated on domestic stocks, while wild subpopulations, their trends and threats remain unstudied in most parts of its range. On the other hand, there seem to be also no indication of a strong decline of the wild subpopulations, which might be vulnerable to over fishing. This is a marine species entering estuaries and rivers like bull shark.

It is possible that their invasion into the ocean happened during high sea-level or flooding events after the Eocene. Global cooling during the Mid-Eocene likely wiped out the population of milkfish in the Atlantic, but the species persisted in the Indo-Pacific.

• Movement Pattern: Full Migrant

• Individual Type: Solo/Shoaling and schooling

• Population Trend: Increasing

• Population: ???

• Locomotion: Aquatic

• Habitat: Warm River; Cold River; Lukewarm River; Subterranean River; Warm Pond; Cold Pond; Aquifer; Warm Littoral; Cold Littoral; Warm Intertidal; Cold Intertidal; Kelp Forest; Coral Reef; Barrier Reef; Guyot; Neritic Zone (Warm); Neritic Zone (Cold); Pelagic Zone (Warm); Pelagic Zone (Cold).

• Earth: 

  • Extant (Resident): American Samoa; Australia; Bahrain; Cambodia; China; Cocos (Keeling) Islands; Comoros; Costa Rica; Djibouti; Ecuador; El Salvador; Fiji; French Polynesia; Guam; Guatemala; Honduras; Hong Kong; India; Indonesia; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Iraq; Japan; Kenya; Kiribati; Kuwait; Madagascar; Malaysia; Maldives; Marshall Islands; Mauritius; Mexico; Micronesia, Federated States of ; Mozambique; Myanmar; New Caledonia; New Zealand; Nicaragua; Norfolk Island; Northern Mariana Islands; Oman; Pakistan; Palau; Panama; Papua New Guinea; Peru; Philippines; Qatar; Réunion; Samoa; Saudi Arabia; Seychelles; Solomon Islands; Somalia; South Africa; Sri Lanka; Sudan; Taiwan, Province of China; Tanzania, United Republic of; Thailand; Tonga; Tuvalu; United Arab Emirates; United States; United States (Hawaiian Is., California); United States Minor Outlying Islands; Vanuatu; Viet Nam

• Berbania: 

  • Extant & Introduced (Resident): Albangkor, Ahlaria, Arahangaria, Ashailaju, Aharva, Awavokia, Bahrdnihamia, Barcelonia, Borva, Bretonia, Chiosathira, Devhorjasho, Dhokorakha, Dinojerulla, Dzhemoblash, Elengora, Eshima, Froyadghu, Frostland, Ghesario, Gorrajeria, Hiershofia, Hirohito Islands, Hudhirenia, Ifuangiria, Inorthia, Izhorgia, Janiothewa, Jelyplaskogoria, Jermainia, Jonilarghia, Kampufora, Kataqira, Kheilia, Kicharhonia, Korikoiliu, Lakatharho, Luzhoria, Meridia, Nakarenia, Narvanicia, Nueva California, Nueva San Thomas, Ostrelliria, Paaskekhadia, Pengarria, Qafaria, Qezhonia, Rasitarolia, Registazlia, Rozzunia, Santa Maria Islands, Serfothaqia, Svathogoblash, Sysherio-ivaf, Thieravio, Thirenha, Tseriangistia, Vielgatborria, Vinohia, Vithorsia, Wotarsia, Xorethajio, Xorethanio, Ylossanu, Zhanguimia, Zhidhekia, Zhovirdhia, Zowhrinnge

• Reinachos: 

  • Extant & Introduced: Abazorgia, Abirosa, Aghallarba, Ahjaru, Alfonsia, Angussia, Ascunsia, Asgardia, Bacuitogia, Barriville, Bergastadia, Bernardia, Cabarazhonia, Carlotania, Chanarth, Chinilia, Coilatha, Dengzharia, Dhalria, Dheria, Dominconia, Doquebetia, Duldoria, Dunpandia, Ehuecatlia, Falkbergia, Fharewalovia, Fortynidia, Galapagosia, Gherasen, Grenalandia, Gurrumia, Haayihardio, Hieppathia, Hishatofia, Huancoria, Illircia, Inu Vienna, Kakvia, Koppia, Lothlonaghia, Maghrebia, Marseillia, Matamurigakia, Maungayapapa, Mosikeyia, Mourystia, Nakhelia, New Tenochtitlan, Ngetanyeho, Nu Fuyan, Nuaria, Nueva Granada, Nueva Joaquin, Nueva Tocharia, Oaxilantia, Paliosa, Phuiswaqia, Prairiville, Qirodennu, Qunasalia, Rahonatia, Raberangia, Rythania, Saeloun Jeju, Sanchagia, Sanhodosia, Sanhosatoseu, San Vicente, Shilliteria, Tasmanrisia, Terlimay, Thyrim Islands, Tianmingia, Tirania, Tirhomesa, Tseghahuyania, Uhoykoria, Unimoder, Verdanamo, Vizcania, Warepitia, Xatlos, Xhorashqipia, Xizhgotia, Yimakinzia, Zhongheu, Zotilia

Milkfish can be 'tamed' using Fish Trapper. While they can level, they do eat from the feeder.

The milkfish occurs in the Indian Ocean and across the Pacific Ocean, from South Africa to Hawaii and the Marquesas, from California to the Galapagos, north to Japan, and south to Australia during the Early Cretaceous. However, there are at least five extinct genera from the Early Cretaceous.

On April 21, 2012, a Filipino fisherman donated a milkfish with yellowish coloring to the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, which was later called the "golden bangus." A 700-gram golden bangus (milkfish) has brought excitement to fishery stakeholders in La Union province when it was finally caught in a fish cage in Sto. Tomas town on Thursday. However, the fish soon died, allegedly because of a lower level of oxygen in the pond to which it was transferred.

Earth

• Banton: Bangyos

• Tagalog: Bangus

• Waray: Bangrus, Bangus

• Malagasy: Sandry, Vango

• Malay: Bandeng

• Fijian: Pa' a pa' a, Yawa

• Hawaiian: Awa, Awa 'aua, Awa kalamoho

• Maori: Awa

• Tamil: பால் மீன், துள்ளுக்கெண்டை,குழக்கெண்டை

• Thai: ปลาชะลิน, ปลาทูน้ำจืด, ปลานวลจันทร์ทะเล

• Korean: 갯농어

• Dutch: Bandeng

• Afrikaans: Melkvis

• American English: Milkfish, Bangos, Bangus, Bony salmon, Giant herring

• Philippine English: Milkfish, Bangos, Bangus

• British English: Milkfish, Salmon herring, Bangos, Bangus, Bony salmon

• Australian English: Milkfish, Salmon herring, Moreton Bay salmon

• Norwegian: Melkfisk

• Coming soon

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milkfish

• https://www.fishbase.us/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?ID=80

• https://www.fishbase.us/ComNames/CommonNamesList.php?ID=80&GenusName=Chanos&SpeciesName=chanos&StockCode=95

• https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Chanos_chanos

• https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q465261

• https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/60324/151598011

• https://a-z-animals.com/animals/milkfish/

• https://www.fao.org/fishery/affris/species-profiles/milkfish/milkfish-home/en/#:~:text=Milkfish%20are%20euryhaline%2C%20stenothermic%20fish,temperature%20is%20%3E20%C2%B0C

• https://www.oceanpark.com.hk/en/education-conservation/conservation/animal-and-plant-guide/milkfish#:~:text=Milkfish%20swim%20in%20large%20schools,fish%20to%20be%20fast%20swimmers.

• https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1543395/rare-golden-bangus-caught-in-la-union-thrills-local-folk

• https://www.gbif.org/species/2406374

• https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Chanos_chanos/

• https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/55533-Chanos-chanos

• https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/Chanos_chanos

• https://www.deviantart.com/ognimdo2002/art/Milkfish-888453426