AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums About Belize Culture Food, Drinks & Recipes hog fish?

forgot about that one - margate grunt - silver snapper - ha!

I assume this local name theme is the case when I see Red Snapper on a menu, as I have never seen Red Snapper in the sea a deep water species I think. So are these Reds really Mutton Snapper and Yellow Tail and others that do turn red when dead? Also from earlier isn't a Mangrove Snapper and A Grey Snapper the same thing?

Casa,
Red snappers do prefer deeper water but have been overfished in Belize for years because of the taste. That would be my second favorite fish (hogfish would be first).
However, a mutton snapper is nothing to scoff at...it has exquisite texture and flavor. Yellow tail, well, we ate them when we had to but not highly considered. Oh, and a mangrove snapper and grey snapper, I do believe, are one in the same.

Mutton snapper is one of the best commonly availabe local fishes. Very tasty!

Not positive but grey and mangrove may be different fish - body shape seems identical but mangrove has a distinct diagonal dark bar running through their"face" could be male/female or just a color variation not sure.
genuine red and silk snappers almost identical but silk has a yellow eye, both deep water, and great eating
Mutton Snapper is my favorite to eat and catch and dive with - they seem to have a particular "personality" all their own when you try to get close to larger ones and/or feed them

I've never heard of mangrove snapper and it is definately not in my Fish ID book. Grey snappers change coloring and can display a black line on their face.

Get another fish ID book. I use Paul Humann's Reef Fish book. Good one for Belize. I grew up in Belize and we called them mangrove snappers - it wasn't until I studied Ichthyology that I learned they were Grey Snappers.

I use the same book. I just read the part under Grey Snapper "aka Mangrove Snapper." (Too many margaritas last night )

GailM: While on topic, kind of, do you have the newest version? Is it worth upgrading from the second edition?

OK I'll buy that!

JZB,
I do have the second edition and it is worth the upgrade.