Dispatch Method:

Beware of the sharp teeth of all tuskfish when handling them. The eating qualities of these fish can be improved by killing them humanely by iki jime or a firm knock to the head before placing them in an ice slurry after bleeding.

Fish Description:

• A bluish-green tuskfish with a distinctive black spot on the body at the base of last dorsal-fin spine. Juveniles have a large white saddle behind the black spot.
  
• This species is a protogynous hermaphrodite, which matures first as female before transitioning to males.
  
• The absence of large males in a population probably initiates the size at which sex reversal occurs.

Fish Distribution:

• This species occurs throughout the tropical Indo- Pacific region from Indonesia to Japan, south to papua New Guinea, New Caledonia and tropical Australia.
  
• This species frequents inshore reefs, weedy seagrass areas and coral rubble patches at depths between 5 and 60 meters.

Fish Size Common Length:

Common between 30 and 60 cm, maximum size around 100 cm and 15 kg.