For you folks that fish saltwater too; What species is this?

[taxi1]

Yeah I know it's dead fish pic but it's the best I can do. Just mounted this for another taxidermist and he says the customer says it's a grunt. Trouble is it's got 16 dorsal spines and all the grunt species have only 12. It also has some webbing in the soft dorsal and caudal fin I'm not seeing in any grunt pics. I want to identify the species so I can get some good color pics to restore the colors in the mount.

Thanks!

[Barleydog]

Tax1  I'd "GUESS" a Tilapia? 8)

[taxi1]

Sure looks like one to me too. I'm gonna leave a message with the other taxidermist (Amish only has answering machine) and tell him to contact the customer and ask him if he's full of -hit. 

[fishingking]

Mozambique Tilapia (Tilapia mossambica)  heres the low down

Description:
get up to 15" Deep Compressed dark olive to gray above, sides gray-grean to yellowish, Yelowish Below: Dorsal and caudel fins have redish edges, breeding males bluish to black: Mouth small: Lips of breeding males large, blue: single nostril on each side of snoutDorsal fin joined, 15-17 spines, 10-12 rays, anal fin has 3-4 spines, 9-10 rays, dorsal and anal fins pointed posteriorly. Caudal preduncle short, Deep; caudal fin rounded. Lateral line interrupted posteriorly, 29-33 scales in series.

Habitat: Warm sluggish streams ponds and canals with abundant aquatic vegetation, ALSO ENTERS BRACKISH COASTAL WATERS

Range:
South of North Carolina, Missouro and Central California


TILAPIA

[oakorchardfishking]

found these on google.com (images)... hope it helps a bit!
TALAPIA,
http://www.seaburst.com/Tilapia%20in%20Round%20003aLarge.JPG

GRUNT, we used to use these for cutbait in florida!
http://www.offshorehustler.com/fishid/white-grunt.gif

Hope this helps a bit!

[AD]

Tax1  I'd "GUESS" a Tilapia? 8)

It's a tilapia,  as to what sub-species?  Good luck with that, ther eare a bunch of then, although sorta looks like the Nile Tiapia I sued to work with doubtfull though.   

[fishingking]

yeah the nile is the one that is mainly raised here in ny inside at least thats what we raised at Cobleskill

[AD]

yeah the nile is the one that is mainly raised here in ny inside at least thats what we raised at Cobleskill

Thats what we raised at Morrisville also.   

[Reel Wet Ride]

Talapia.....They live in fresh water too. I've seen em' in ponds in FLA. The one's I've seen had brighter blue colored fins, kinda like a big sunfish /w different body color.

[Pasquatch]

Tilapia...not a grunt.