Milkfishes

Chiefly marine and brackish; occasionally freshwater. Distribution: Indian and tropical Pacific Oceans. Body fusiform and compressed. Mouth terminal. Upper jaw nonprotrusible. Scales cycloid. Pelvic fin with 11 or 12 rays. Dorsal fin with 13-17 rays. Anal fin with 9-11 rays. Branchiostegal rays 4. Swim bladder present. Attains a maximum length of 1.7 m, but usually to a length of 1 m. Valued as food fish in Southeast Asia, where it is being cultured extensively in ponds. The supply of young chanids for ponds are being caught inshore. No breeding takes place in ponds.