BIOLOGY & LIFE
HISTORY OF MILKFISH
• By: Jennifer C. Bolandos
• Training Specialist ll
•
Phylum - Chordata
Subphylum - Vertebrata
Class – Osteichthyes
Subclass – Actinopterygii
Order – Gonorynchiformes
Suborder – Chanoidei
Family – Chanidae
Genus – Chanos
Species – Chanos chanos
DISTRIBUTION
•Milkfish occur near coasts of
tropical Indo-Pacific
• The Philippines, Indonesia
and Taiwan are the center of
the geographic distribution
• The geographic range is
limited to water temperatures
greater than 20°C in the winter
• Stays relatively close to
island and coast of continent
Body elongate, moderately compressed, smooth and streamlined
Body color: silvery on belly, sides grading to olive-green or blue on back
Fins without spines
Has single dorsal fin, about midpoint of body
Anal fin short, close to caudal fin; caudal fin large & deeply forked;
pectoral fin low on body; pelvic fins abdominal in position
Scales small and smooth, 75-91 on lateral line
Transparent adipose tissue covers the eye
Mouth small, terminal without teeth
Intermuscular bones long and numerous (196-209)
Intestine very long and convulated
Dorsal fin
Caudal fin
Lateral line
Eye
Mouth Anal fin
Pectoral fin Pelvic fin
External Morphological structure of Milkfish
Variant forms of milkfish occur but rarely:
• A gold-fish type specimen with distinctly elongated dorsal,
pelvic and anal fins, and a caudal fin as long as the body
was found in Iloilo
• Dwarf or hunchback shad-type specimens have been
reported in Hawaii, Indonesia and Australia
• A milkfish with red head, red fins and brilliant blue dorsal
surface was reported from Darwin Harbor in northern Australia
Advantage of milkfish as a cultured species over
other species
Attain large size, higher growth rate (pond-reared
milkfish 12 years of age reaches 5-6 kg in weight while off-shore
catches shows specimens weighing 10-12 kg.)
They can grow to 1.70 m (5ft 7 in) but are
most often about 1 meter (39 in.) in length
Fry is hardy, easy to collect and can be
transported with minimal mortality
Survival rate in rearing ponds is up to 90%
above
Disease-resistant, not cannibalistic & can be
stocked in relatively high densities
Advantage of milkfish as a cultured species over
other species
Tolerate and adapt to a wide range of
temperature and salinity. Optimum salinity
and temperature ranges are 20-30 ppt and
23-30oC, respectively.
Herbivore/omnivore
Efficient feed converter
Economic/social impacts: important
aquaculture fish in parts of south-east asia
Advantage of Milkfish as a cultured species
over other species
• Optimum salinity and temperature ranges are 20-30
ppt and 23-30oC, respectively.
• They can grow to 1.70 m (5ft 7 in) but are most often
about 1 meter (39 in.) in length
• Economic/social impacts: important aquaculture fish
in parts of south-east asia
Life stages and Development
• Milkfish reach sexual maturity at 1.5 kg
(3.3lb.) which takes 5 years in floating
cage, but 8-10 years in ponds and tanks.
• Once 6 kg. (13.2 lb.)is reached (8 yrs.) an
average of 3-4 million eggs will be
produced each breeding cycle.( mainly
done using natural environmental cues)
4 Major Life Cycle Stages
Summary of life history of milkfish (Chanos chanos)
ADULTS EGGS LARVAE FRY JUVENILES SUB-
ADULTS
SIZE (Total 50-150 cm 1.1-1.3mm 3.5mm at 10-16mm 2-50 cm 50-70 cm
length-TL) diameter hatch to
16 mm
AGE 5-20 yrs 1 day 1-21 days 2-4 wks 1-12 mos 1-5 yrs
HABIT Pelagic, pelagic pelagic Pelagic to Demersal, Pelagic,
schooling demersal, schooling schooling
schooling
HABITAT Open sea, Open sea, Open sea, Shore Shallow Large
coasts, near near reefs near reefs waters, food-rich lagoons,
reefs surf zone, coastal fresh water
coastal wetlands, lakes,
wetlands ponds open sea
FEEDING Fish larvae, Yolk Zooplank- Zooplank- Zooplank- Zooplank-
HABITS/ zooplankton ton, ton, ton, algae, ton, algae,
FOOD algae, diatoms, diatoms, diatoms, diatoms,
diatoms, fine feeds small detritus, detritus,
small benthos, small benthos,
benthos, fine feeds benthos, pellets
pellets pellets
Life Cycle
of Milkfish
LIFE HISTORY
