Family : Chanidae (Milkfish)
Order : Gonorynchiformes  (milkfish)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Milkfish
Fish Name : Chanos chanos
Max size : 180 cm SL (male/unsexed; Ref. 9710); 124 cm SL (female); max. published weight: 14.0 kg (Ref. 9814); max. reported age: 15 years
Environment : benthopelagic; catadromous ; depth range 1 - 30 m
Climate : tropical; 15 - 43°C; 46°N - 52°S
Global Importance : fisheries: highly commercial; aquaculture: commercial; bait: usually
Resilience: Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (tm=4-8; tmax=15; Fec=200,000)Distribution : 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.
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 2-2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13-17; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 8-10; Vertebrae: 46-46. Body elongate and somewhat compressed; mouth small and toothless; branchiostegal rays 4; one dorsal fin; pectoral fins falcate; body olive green; flanks silvery; fins dark bordered (Ref. 55763). Superficially resembles bonefishes but by evolution more advanced by having 4 branchiostegal rays (Ref. 1602). Jaws toothless (Ref. 12693).
Biology : Found in offshore marine waters and shallow coastal embayments, but also frequently enter estuaries and occasionally penetrate freshwater streams (Ref. 44894). A marine species which enters estuaries and rivers (Ref. 52331). Adults occur in small to large schools near the coasts or around islands where reefs are well developed. Eggs and larvae are pelagic up to 2-3 weeks. Older larvae migrate onshore and settle in coastal wetlands (mangroves, estuaries) during the juvenile stage, or occasionally enter freshwater lakes. Juveniles and sub-adults return to sea where they mature sexually. Spawn only in fully saline water. Larvae eat zooplankton; juveniles and adults eat cyanobacteria, soft algae, small benthic invertebrates, and even pelagic fish eggs and larvae. Larvae are collected from rivers and are grown in culture ponds into juveniles, which are marketed fresh, smoked, canned and frozen. Brood stocks can be raised and spawned in captivity to produce larvae in the hatchery (Ref. 12868). Can thrive and grow in water as hot as 32° C (Ref. 9987)
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : harmless
Coordinator :
Main Ref : Bagarinao, T.. 1994. (Ref. 9814)

India country information
Common Names : Milkfish, துலு, பால் மீன், பாலை மீன், பாளை மீன், துலு கண்டல், பால் கெண்டை, பால் கென்‍டை, துலு காந்துள், துலு கண்டல் , పూలా బొంతా  , పూలా బొంతా   , துள்ளு, పూమీన్, ಹುಮೇನ್, പൂമീന്, பால்மீன், పల్లబొంతా   , பால்மீன்  , ಹುಮೇನ್ , ಹೂಮೇನು  , Hoo-meenu, Hoomeenu, Humeen, Mekkunu, Milk-fish, Pal-kendai, Palai-meen, Pallabontha, Palmeen, Polah-bontah, Poomeen, Thullu, Tulu-candul, White mullet
Status : native
Salinity : freshwater, brackish, marine
Uses : no uses