Australia’s favourite fish

THE WATERS IN AND AROUND AUSTRALIA PLAY HOST TO MORE THAN 5000 FISH SPECIES, SHOWCASING REMARKABLE AND OFTEN SURPRISING DIVERSITY. WHO WILL BE CROWNED AUSTRALIA’S FAVOURITE?

Albacore
~

Thunnus alalunga

A highly migratory, commercially important tuna species that is heavily fished throughout its range.

Australian bass
~

Macquaria novemaculeata

Living up to 40 years, this migratory river species has in recent decades undergone drastic declines across its eastern Australian range.

Australian lungfish

Neoceratodus forsteri

This air-breathing Australian endemic is the most primitive of the six lungfish species that survive in the world today.

Baldchin groper
~

Choerodon rubescens

Endemic to Western Australia and iconic to the Abrohlos Islands, baldchin groper are arguably the state’s tastiest fish, and a favourite amongst recreational fishers and divers.

Banded rainbowfish

Melanotaenia trifasciata

The banded rainbowfish is endemic to Queensland and Northern Territory, but has achieved popularity as an aquarium fish thanks to its brilliant and varied colouration.

Barramundi
~

Lates calcarifer

Barramundi are celebrated for their fighting ability on the fishing line. They are also sequential hermaphrodites, with most fish maturing as males and becoming female at 3-5 years old.

Barrier reef anenomefish

Amphiprion akindynos

Like other members of its genus, the Barrier Reef anenomefish enjoys a mutualistic relationship with sea anenomes.

Black bream
~

Acanthopagrus butcheri

Black bream are estuary specialists: They can tolerate high levels of salinity, and usually spend their entire life cycle in estuaries and coastal lakes.

Black cod
~

Epinephelus daemelii

A shy cod species that became a protected species in 1983, after spear and line fishing caused large population declines.

Blind cave eel

Ophisternon candidum

This enigmatic, faceless fish lives its entire life in complete darkness, in subterranean aquifers on Western Australia's Cape Range Peninsula.

Blue groper

Achoerodus viridis

New South Wales’ marine emblem is a curious, charismatic wrasse renowned for approaching and interacting with divers as they enter the water.

Blue tang

Paracanthurus hepatus

A striking coral reef surgeonfish, popular in the aquarium trade, and known to many younger viewers as the forgetful Dory from Finding Nemo and its sequel.

Common coral trout

Plectropomus leopardus

A large, fish-eating reef predator that has been observed hunting cooperatively with moray eels, Napoleon wrasses and octopuses.

Crimsonspotted rainbowfish

Melanotaenia duboulayi

The original “Australian rainbowfish”, popular with aquarium hobbyists since the early 20th century and first exported internationally in 1927.

Desert gobY
~

Chlamydogobius eremius

Colourful males attract females using a distinctive courtship display that involves jerky body movements and raising their dorsal and anal fins.

Dusky flathead
~

Platycephalus fuscus

This oddly-shaped estuarine fish is popular with anglers along Australia’s east coast, but beware those venomous spines.

Eastern blue devil fish

Paraplesiops bleekeri

This unmistakable electric-blue reef fish is found in caves and under ledges. It was once a target for the aquarium trade but is now protected across much of its range.

Eastern clown anenomefish

Amphiprion percula

One of the reef’s most recognisable fish, with a suite of fascinating behaviours. When the breeding female in a group dies, the largest male undergoes a rapid sex transformation.

Empire gudgeon
~

Hypseleotris compressa

A popular aquarium fish, males become especially vibrant during the breeding season in order to attract a mate.

Freshwater moray

Gymnothorax polyuranodon

A shy but stunning moray that occupies tropical Pacific rainforest streams and is the only confirmed freshwater species of the moray family.

Golden perch
~

Macquaria ambigua

A favourite catch amongst anglers in the Murray-Darling River system, and subject to widespread stocking efforts.

Great white shark

Carcharodon carcharias

A powerful marine predator that feeds largely on seals, penguins, fish and seabirds. Although a highly migratory fish, Australia’s eastern and western populations remain quite distinct.

Gummy shark
~

Mustelus antarcticus

The humble, bottom-dwelling gummy shark provides much of the ‘flake’ served in your local fish-and-chip shop.

Hoodwinker sunfish

Mola tecta

This new species, which can weigh several hundred kilograms, was hiding in plain sight for over a century, before it was formally described last year by PhD student Marianne Nyegaard.

King George whiting

Sillaginodes punctatus

South Australia’s most popular recreational fish, and great eating by most accounts.

Largetooth sawfish

Pristis pristis

Northern Australia is one of the few remaining strongholds for the largetooth sawfish, which is rapidly disappearing across its global range and is considered critically endangered.

Leafy seadragon
~

Phycodurus eques

Elaborate leaf-like protrusions help this fish camouflage itself amongst the kelp and seagrass. The leafy seadragon has been South Australia’s marine emblem since 2001.

Macquarie perch

Macquaria australasica

A combination of factors — among them overfishing, habitat destruction, infectious disease and introduced species — caused massive declines in Macquarie perch from the 1980s.

Mahi mahi

Coryphaena hippurus

The mahi mahi can reach 1-2 metres in length, has brilliant colouration, and is considered excellent eating. A prized gamefish.

Manta ray

Mobula alfredi

Although the smaller of the two manta ray species, this fish is no slouch in the size department — boasting a disc width of up to 5 metres.

Murray cod
~

Maccullochella peelii

Australia’s largest freshwater bony fish. Once widespread through the Murray-Darling River system, the Murray cod is now rare in many places and large individuals are seldom caught.

Northern river shark

Glyphis garricki

The northern river shark is exceedingly rare, and we know next to nothing about it. It has been sporadically recorded in northern Australia and Papua New Guinea.

Orange roughy
~

Hoplostethus atlanticus

This distinctive deep-sea fish has been historically overfished due to its slow life history and low fecundity, with major harvest restrictions now in place in Australia.

Port Jackson shark

Heterodontus portusjacksoni

These small, friendly sharks have been described as the “puppy dogs of the ocean”. Some individuals undertake annual migrations of up to 600km along Australia’s eastern coast.

Purple spotted gudgeon

Mogurnda adspersa

Although still common in central Queensland, this species is threatened in other parts of its range. The South Australian population was almost extinct prior to a successful captive breeding program.

Queensland groper

Epinephelus lanceolatus

One of Australia’s largest fish, the Queensland groper can grow up to 2.7 m and over 400kg. Juveniles have beautiful black and yellow colouration and are found on inshore reefs.

Red-finned blue eye

Scaturiginichthys vermeilipinnis

Australia’s smallest freshwater fish is critically endangered and found only in Central Queensland in a few artesian springs on Edgbaston Reserve.

Running River rainbowfish

Melanotaenia sp.

This undescribed rainbowfish, confined to a 7km stretch of river near Townsville, Queensland, was recently rescued from extinction by an eleventh hour captive breeding program.

Sevenspot archerfish

Toxotes chatareus

Found in the northern parts of Australia, this archerfish spits water at insect prey to knock them within reach.

SNAPPER
~

Chrysophrys auratus

One of Australia’s most popular recreationally-caught fish. If they avoid the hooks, snapper can live up to 40 years in the wild.

Sooty grunter
~

Hephaestus fuliginosus

The sooty grunter can be found in fast-flowing freshwater streams in northern Queensland and the Northern Territory.

Southern bluefin tuna

Thunnus maccoyii

These large, commercially-prized fish are also physiologically fascinating — unlike most fish, they can maintain their body temperature well above that of the surrounding water.

Southern shortfin eel

Anguilla australis

The southern shortfin eel was subject to the world’s earliest known aquacultural operation, 7000 years ago at the Budj Bim eel traps in southwest Victoria.

Spotted handfish
~

Brachionichthys hirsutus

The spotted handfish, confined to a few small sites in Tasmania’s Derwent River Estuary, is one of the world’s rarest marine species. A captive breeding program is helping to secure its long-term survival.

Tasselled wobbegong

Eucrossorhinus dasypogon

One of 10 wobbegong species found in Australian waters. These carpet sharks are known for their excellent camouflage and shaggy, beard-like growths around the mouth.

Tiger shark

Galeocerdo cuvier

Tiger sharks are solitary, nocturnal hunters, capturing their prey with brutal efficiency. They have a reputation for eating almost anything that gets within biting distance.

Trout galaxias

Galaxias truttaceus

This galaxias is endemic to southern parts of the continent, including Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia, with a genetically distinct (and endangered) population in Western Australia.

Weedy seadragon

Phyllopteryx taeniolatus

Victoria’s marine emblem is a carnivore, sucking up small crustaceans and other invertebrates through its tubular snout.

Whale shark
~

Rhincodon typus

The ocean's largest fish is a slow-moving filter-feeder, providing divers at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia, with some of their most memorable close encounters.

White’s seahorse
~

Hippocampus whitei

Recent population declines in Port Stephens, New South Wales, have been partly addressed by installing simple ‘seahorse hotels’ to replace lost habitat.

Yellowtail kingfish

Seriola lalandi

The yellowtail kingfish supports important commercial and recreational fisheries in Australia, and has also been successfully aquacultured.