Members of the Nemipteridae family are found mainly in tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific. They are distinguished by having a single continuous dorsal fin, with 10 spines and 9 soft rays, and anal fin with 3 spines and 7 to 8 soft rays. Their colours are extremely variable, but often pinkish or reddish with red, yellow or blue markings.
Nemipterids are carnivorous bottom-living fishes feeding mainly on other small fishes, cephalopods, crustaceans, and polychaetes. They can be solitary or schooling and do not appear to be territorial.Worldwide, there are 5 genera and about 66 species. The 5 genera are Nemipterus (Threadfin Breams), Parascolopsis (Dwarf Monocle Breams), Pentapodus (Whiptails), Scaevius (Coral Breams) and Scolopsis (Monocle Breams).
Threadfin Breams or Nemipterus are distinguished by not having suborbital spine and 3 transverse scale rows on preopercle. There are approximately 19 species of Threadfin Breams found in Malaysian waters.
Main Identification Features: Upper lobe of caudal fin slightly longer than lower lobe and produced into a short or moderately long yellow filament. A prominent red-suffused yellow blotch below origin of lateral line. Eleven or twelve pale golden yellow stripes along body from behind head to base of caudal fin.
Size: Maximum standard length 25 cm, commonly to 15 cm.
Habitat and Ecology: Sand and mud bottoms, 5 to 80 m depth. Usually found in schools. Feeds mainly on small fishes, crustaceans, molluscs, polychaetes, and echinoderms.
Consist of the family Nemipteridae within the order Perciformes. Nemipterids are carnivorous bottom-living fishes feeding mainly on other small fishes, cephalopods, crustaceans, and polychaetes. Used highly in the production of Surimi in factories across the world. Literally “ground meat” – refers to a paste made from fish or other meat, as well as multiple Asian foods that use surimi as its primary ingredient. It is available in many shapes, forms, and textures, and often used to mimic the texture and color of the meat of lobster, crab, and other shellfish.
The most common surimi product in the Western market is imitation crab meat. Such a product often is sold as krab, imitation crab and mock crab in the United States, and as seafood sticks, crab sticks, fish sticks or seafood extender inCommonwealth nations. In Britain the product is sometimes known as Ocean sticks, to avoid trading standards issues regarding mis-advertisement.
Main Diagnostic Features: Upper lobe of caudal fin slightly longer than lower lobe and produced into a short or moderately long yellow filament. A prominent red-suffused yellow blotch below origin of lateral line. Eleven or twelve pale golden yellow stripes along body from behind head to base of caudal fin.
Cooking Tips: Threadfin bream has fine-textured flesh and a sweet, delicate flavour. The best methods of cookery for whole fish are steaming, baking or barbecuing – wrapped in foil or banana leaves.
