New 🐟 Mercury Safety Guide & Omega-3 Rankings Updated for 2026. View Omega-3 Rankings →

🌊 Marine 🌡️ Tropical

Golden spadefish

Platax boersii Bleeker, 1853
Max Length
40 cm
Max Weight
-
Lifespan
-
Trophic Level
3.5
Depth
1–50 m
Climate
Tropical
Resilience
Medium
Vulnerability
36.00/100
Typical Length
-
Depth Zone
reef

📖 Overview

Adults occur mostly in large schools along drop-offs, including outer reefs; singly in coastal waters. Juveniles are on deep slopes among tall coral formation . Benthopelagic .

Scientific Name
Platax boersii
Authority
Bleeker, 1853
Habitat
Marine
Climate
Tropical
Body Shape
Short and / or deep
Max Length
40 cm
Depth Range
1–50 m
Trophic Level
3.5
Resilience
Medium
Vulnerability
36.00/100
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 5; Dorsal soft rays (total): 31 - 34; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 24 - 28. Juveniles have extremely elongate vertical fins and closely resemble juvenile P. teira, but tend to be lighter with a silvery hue. Adults have smoothly rounded head profile like P. orbicularis, but usually have golden hue and lack small black spots . Adults (above 18 cm) yellowish silvery, usually with small, scattered black spots on body, dark bar through eye, and another bar just behind head. Median fins yellowish green. Anal-fin margin and rear margin of caudal fin black. Pelvic fins black. Small juveniles yellowish brown or silvery, with 2 black bars as in adults. Rear third of body blackish, the black colour continued onto dorsal and anal fins, and the front of the black zone on body often closely precede by a narrow faint dark bar. Caudal fin transparent except for black base. Jaws with bands of slender, flattened, tricuspid teeth, the middle cusp barely longer than lateral cups (Ref 43039).: short and / or deep.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Golden spadefish is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

Diet information for Golden spadefish is currently being compiled.

🥚 Reproduction

Reproduction data for Golden spadefish is currently being compiled.

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 50 m . Tropical West Pacific: Indonesia (including Mentawai Islands), New Guinea, and Philippines.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine 🪸 Reef Associated
Trophic Level
3.5±0.3
🐠 Schooling

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.02818 × L2.94 (TL)
Max TL
40cm
Dorsal Spines
5
Dorsal Rays
33
Anal Spines
3
Anal Rays
26

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Salinity Range
30–40ppt

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
Medium
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
36.00/100
Moderate vulnerability
Trophic Level
3.5
Predator
Body Shape
Short and / or deep
Climate Zone
Tropical
Described By
Bleeker, 1853

👥 Community & Contribute

Aquareap Community Observations
0 Observations logged on Aquareap

No observations yet - be the first to log one!

View all observations for Golden spadefish ↗
Suggest an Edit

Spotted incorrect or outdated data? Submit a correction and our editorial team will review it. Approved edits go live within 48 hours.

Link to a scientific paper, FishBase, or other authoritative source
Report an Issue

Found a factual error, broken data, or inappropriate content? Let us know and we will investigate promptly.