Fish profile · Carangidae

Giant trevally

Caranx ignobilis

SportSaltwaterNative to MalaysiaLeast Concern (IUCN)

Also called GT

A large predatory trevally of tropical Indo-Pacific reefs and coastal waters. Its steep forehead and heavy tail scutes help distinguish it from other jacks.

Last reviewed 26 October 2026 · 7 sources

Photo of Giant trevally — (c) Ro Hill, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY

Max length: 180 cm
Max weight: 86.6 kg
IUCN: LC; Least Concern
In Malaysia: Native
Family: Carangidae; order Perciformes

Category from the IUCN Red List, via GBIF (CC BY 4.0); it may lag the latest Red List assessment.

How big?

Linear scale · person 170 cm

Up to 180 cm and 86.6 kg.

The person is 170 cm tall.

Where in Malaysia

17 open-licence records · GBIF

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Recorded (open records)

Recorded in Sabah, Kedah, and Melaka. Based on 17 open-licence records on GBIF. Few records can mean few surveys, not few fish.

How to identify

Steep, blunt forehead
Heavy scutes along the straight rear lateral line
No dark spot at the back of the gill cover

Habitat

Reefs Coastal waters

Reef channels, drop-offs and inshore sand flats; young fish may school close to shore.

Diet: Fish, with crustaceans and cephalopods also taken.
Native range: Tropical Indo-Pacific.

Eating

This trevally has been linked to ciguatera. Ciguatera is a natural poison that builds up in reef fish, and cooking and freezing don't destroy it.

More photos

Giant trevally, photo 2 — (c) Ooi Qie, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY

Giant trevally, photo 3 — (c) Ong Jyh Seng, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY

Sources

Last reviewed 26 October 2026