Grassy Sweetlip vs Spangled Emperor

[Back In Black]

Guys,
Can someone give me a simple, bulletproof method of distinguishing between these 2 fish. My wife caught what I believe was a grassy sweetlip, 40cm, so I bled it straight away & put it on ice. A friend who was with us then questioned whether it was a spangled emperor. Looking at the fish ID chart, we struggled a bit. Did some research & I think the grassy has the blue lines radiating from around the eye, but not going too far, vs the spangled which has the blue lines heading down to its throat & mouth. Am I right on this?? All I needed was fisheries sitting in the Noosa river mouth, pulling me over & telling me I got it wrong.
Thanks,
Tony

[thelump]

One is brown and one is yellow.

[tunaticer]

http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/28_14881.htm good image
http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/28_8964.htm not the best pic though washed out for colour
http://www.arkive.org/spangled-emperor/lethrinus-nebulosus/ good colouration image

[jtpython]

http://i371.photobucket.com/albums/oo159/jtpython/fishingjan030.jpg Spangled
http://i371.photobucket.com/albums/oo159/jtpython/DSC02710.jpg Grassy
http://i371.photobucket.com/albums/oo159/jtpython/DSC02717.jpgSpangled Grassy

[Back In Black]

Thanks guys. Makes it simple, brown vs yellow. When you see them side by side, it really stands out. Slight problem though, I'm colour blind.
Tony

[Lucky_Phill]

Spangles don't cook up as well as Grassies.

IMO.



LP

[Back In Black]

Hi Phil,
I've been told they are as rubbery as a thong.
Tony

[Lucky_Phill]

The big models can get like that. yes, a thong is an apt description. :)


LP

[Daintreeboy]

Yes but it's a tasty thong!!

[ifishcq1]

It is all in the cooking if you know how then big yellows can be quite okay and not tough
they lend themselves to baking, stuffed with fried rice and a few cuts on each flank a little herb butter rubbed in and a glass of average white wine, wrapped in foil 200c for around 45 minutes (when a skewer passes through with no resistance it's done) and then try and tell me that they are rubbery

cheers

[Funchy]

Rubbery -

Chinese for luvely? (As in "This flied lice is rubbery?")

[randell]

Hi
I ID'd this fish as a grassy emperor.
It was caught 500mtrs off Pt Cartright.

randell

[vertico]

looks grassy to me

[sharkymark2]

Looks fishy to me!

[flatzie]

Yeah there is no doubt the Grassies taste better than Spangles. On top of some shallow reefs like up top of Batt Reef off Pt Douglas the Spangles got a fairly iodine taste about them. They are in the same taste range as Slatey Bream I reckon, others may differ but if you have ever tasted many of the reef species you will have no doubt!
Cheers
Flatzie

[Bubsy]

Spangles don't cook up as well as Grassies.

IMO.



LP

Not wrong. I'll happily fill the esky with a heap of grassies. Spangleds get a photo and then get chucked back.