ciguaterra problems i pacific?

[uvjagt]

I am going to sail in the western pacific with a sail boat this summer.
We are all divers and will offcause shoot fish for eating.
I am aware of ciguatera poisining and that there are no way you can test a fish for it. Also barracuda and very big predatory reef fish should be avoided.

We will offcause ask the locals wich I suppose know best for their area but:

Are there any fish that you know wich never get cigautoxi (parrot fish?) or always get ciguatoxi?? (groupers??)

I would like to shoot dog tooth tuna, but as a big predatory fish that might be stupid?


best regards johan nielsen from denmark

 

[fishon]

You're definitely right that asking the locals would be best. There is a small grouper-like fish called a roi here in Hawaii that is notoriously ciguatoxic. A guy that did a study here said like 1 or 2% of them have ciguatoxin levels high enough to make you sick. Thats still a pretty big risk if you ask me. Also, the toxin can build up in you, so eventually eating many fish with moderate levels of toxicity could result in you getting sick.
Pelagic fish rarely have ciguatera, because it is caused by algae on the reef.
Also, you can test for it! I have never used one, but I think the kits cost $20-30 (US) and have several tests. It might be worth it if you want to shoot some big, potentially ciguatoxic fish.

 

[island_sands]

I am going to sail in the western pacific with a sail boat this summer.
We are all divers and will offcause shoot fish for eating.
I am aware of ciguatera poisining and that there are no way you can test a fish for it. Also barracuda and very big predatory reef fish should be avoided.

We will offcause ask the locals wich I suppose know best for their area but:

Are there any fish that you know wich never get cigautoxi (parrot fish?) or always get ciguatoxi?? (groupers??)

I would like to shoot dog tooth tuna, but as a big predatory fish that might be stupid?

best regards johan nielsen from denmark

hi Johan
I have eaten barracuda in the Caribbean - it was yummy! If the locals eat it, then you can eat it, that's my general rule. Check out more details on ciguatera here.
http://www.spc.org.nc/coastfish/News/lrf/7/LRF7-04.htm

The Caymanians told me that they used to put the barracuda on the ground, if the ants eat it, then its good... :yack

we ate dog tooth tuna all the time in Maldives... its practically their staple diet, along with giant trevally yum

 

[uvjagt]

that test with the ants dos not work.

where can I buy one of these tests? I read that you could not test for it. but that might be old knowledge

 

[fishon]

In Hawaii I know you can buy them at fishing shops or the drug store. In Denmark, I don't know where you can buy one, but I bet if you search they are available on-line.

 

[uvjagt]

I have done several search for ciguaterra but found no tests. What are the name?

 

[element410]

the ciguatera test kits i have heard of in hawaii are called cigua-check. the website http://cigua.oceanit.com/ has more information and ordering instructions. Generally in hawaii there are notorious fish here in hawaii that is known to have ciguatera. These fish include large predators like g. trevally and smaller fish that feed on algae (like surgeonfish). I have never heard of anyone getting sick from parrotfish before so I believe they are safe, groupers are a known "hot" fish here (roi). Have fun on your trip.
btw barracudas and giant trevally are delicious.

 

[GilbertG.]

Both my mother and mother in-law have gotten cig poisoning from reef fish taken on the Big Island of Hawaii. My mother getting the worst of it when she ate some Maiko (surgeonfish). It’s a very debilitating sickness. She lost weight and had the shakes for a few months as it adversely affected her nervous system. She was told to stay away from eating any type of fish for at least a year.

I’ve used the cigua-check test and in my opinion, it is way overpriced for what you are getting. I think you only get 3 or so tests in the box for about $30. That’s okay if you take 3 large fish. But if you take 30 small fish, then what? It’s also somewhat cumbersome to do. You take a pair of tweezers, rip a piece of flesh from the fish and stick it in a test tube with some of the solution that they provide with the kit. Then, if I remember correctly, you take a test strip and stick it in the liquid and wait a few minutes for the color to change. No color change is good and pink means pregnant. rofl

You can talk to the locals like you said or just take a trip to the local fish market and see what’s out on display. Then you’ll have a basic idea of what’s safe for eating. Well, second thought, maybe talking to the locals isn’t such a good idea, they may mislead you just because you are a tourist.