
Also known as:
Hawaiian Salmon
Rainbow Yellowtail
Rainbow-runner
Runner
Common Group Name:
Trevallies
Family Name:
Carangidae
Genus Name:
Elagatis
Species Name:
Elagatis bipinnulata
Dispatch Method:
The eating qualities of these fish can be greatly improved if they are killed immediately by iki jime or a firm knock to the head before placing them in an ice slurry after bleeding.
Fish Description:
- Rainbow runner are an elongated, torpedo shaped carangid. They are dark blue or green dorsally, grading to white ventrally with 2 thin blue or yellowish stripes longitudinally along the sides with a yellowish stripe between them.
- This species is very fast growing, maturing at around 60-65 cm (2 feet) long in their second year, with a maximum reported age of 6 years.
- They feed mostly on invertebrates, especially planktonic crustaceans, but adult fish also consume small fishes and squid.
Fish Distribution:
- Rainbow runner occur in offshore waters worldwide throughout tropical and warmer subtropical regions of the Indo-Pacific, as well as both eastern and western sides of the Atlantic Ocean. They also occur in the Caribbean, Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea.
- In Australia they occur from around Shark Bay in WA north across northern Australia to as far south as Montague island in NSW during the summer months.
- Adult fish are most common in oceanic waters, generally near the surface over coral and rocky reefs. They are also found in mid ocean around logs or other floating debris, often in large schools.
Fish Size Common Length:
60-90 cm (24-36 inches), maximum size around 1.8 meters (6 feet) and 17 kg (38 lb).