- Although the flesh of the almaco jack is considered quality table fare, the species has been associated with ciguatera poisoning, a seldom fatal stomach irritation.
- The almaco jack is susceptible to tapeworm parasites in the caudal peduncle area, but the meat can be eaten safely if affected portions are cut away.
Southern kingfish (Menticirrhus)
Southern kingfish have an elongated body with an arched back that gives them almost a triangular shape. They are an overall silver-gray or copper in color, often with darker shades on the back. On their sides are a series of dark, vertical bars that help differentiate the southern kingfish from the gulf kingfish. The southern kingfish also has a large head and a single chin barbel. They have two dorsal fins, the first tall and pointed. The pectoral fin is relatively large and the back margin of the tail fin is uneven.
Southern kingfish spawning occurs from April to August, when females scatter their eggs in open offshore waters. Upon hatching, larvae are carried by the current inshore, where the young remain for months to seek food and protection from predators.
Southern kingfish are located in the western Atlantic as far north as New York and as far south as Buenos Aires, Argentina. They are found throughout the Gulf of Mexico.
The southern kingfish is an inshore species that inhabits shallow coastal waters. Typically found in the surf, southern kingfish prefer water over sandy or muddy bottoms. Though they can tolerate water from 46 to 84 F, they will move south and to deeper waters as the water temperature decreases.
- The all-tackle world record for a southern kingfish is 1 pound, 14 ounces.
- Soaking a southern kingfish overnight before cooking can help remove its iodine taste.