Russell's snapper (Lutjanus russellii) is a saltwater, brackish species recorded in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia. It is mainly found over reef, coral, rocky, estuary, mangrove, at depths of 3–80 m. The main season in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia runs all year.
Scientific name: Lutjanus russellii · Water: Saltwater, Brackish · Season: All year
Size: up to 50 cm
Russell's snapper is a lutjanid with a single prominent black blotch above and just behind the lateral line; adults are silvery with a pale yellow tinge and six or seven yellow stripes along the flank. Hong Kong also calls it the fire spot, and Malay names it ikan tanda, tanda meaning sign. Juveniles keep to shallow water and the fish moves deeper with age, usually solitary and wary, feeding on small fish and crustaceans, maturing at about 28 cm fork length and four years. Available all year and reaching about 50 cm fork length, it is listed as Least Concern. Western Taiwan's sandy-mud bottoms, estuaries, mangroves and oyster racks hold the most fish, where it schools, bites hard and is a long-standing top-ten entry in the OCA angling report, fished by front-drop and raft methods. In Malaysia the islands off Terengganu, Tioman, Johor's east coast, Sabah and the Miri area of Sarawak are all reliable grounds, mostly fished at night on the bottom or with a light jig, working a live prawn or small fish slowly along the reef edge. Sold live in Hong Kong markets.
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