Flathead ID

Was darker in colour when it surfaced, big head for its body size, caught metro this morn. Def not bartail or blue spot, Fringe Eye? Common for metro?

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Ben Derecki's picture

Posts: 1926

Date Joined: 10/10/07

looks like one of these babies?

Mon, 2012-09-24 17:03

 Tassel-Snouted Flathead can vary in colour from pale brown to purple with a number of variable dark saddles and markings, their colours generally camaflouging with the  surroundings.  They have a very large head (approx 40% of their body size) which is depressed with several ridges with strong spines.  There is a dark band along the margin of the first short, spiny dorsal fin and all other fins have markings.  They have large eyes and a large mouth with bands on the lower jaw.  There is occasionally a bushy tentacle on the eye, which causes confusion with the Fringe-eyed Flathead.

Tassel-Snouted Flathead grow to 38cms.

They are considered good eating.

Tassel-Snouted Flathead are found from south-west Western Australia, around the southern temperate waters up to southern Queensland.  They are not in Tasmanian waters.

grantarctic1's picture

Posts: 2546

Date Joined: 03/03/11

Agree with Ben

Mon, 2012-09-24 21:28

Caught a few of them out from mindaries, I'm amazed it was greedy enough to take that size hook.

Glenn Moore's picture

Posts: 228

Date Joined: 13/02/12

correct

Tue, 2012-09-25 09:06

Spot on Ben.

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Glenn Moore

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opsrey's picture

Posts: 1200

Date Joined: 05/10/07

Tasmanian waters...

Mon, 2012-09-24 19:49

I gues the absence of a second head is the visual give away that the Tassel Snouted Flathead is not found in Tassie waters eh?  :)

Posts: 5981

Date Joined: 17/06/10

mean ugly looking

Tue, 2012-09-25 01:33

thats a very ugly looking fish