fish
Giant trevally.
Caranx ignobilis · also: GT, Giant kingfish
The "GT" is the muscular apex predator of Indo-Pacific reefs and channels — a silver torpedo that hunts in fast, coordinated bursts. It shadows reef sharks to snatch fleeing prey and even leaps clear of the water to grab seabirds. On Maldivian channel dives it often appears as a sudden, high-speed flash.
Size
~170 cm, up to ~80 kg
Weight
Up to ~80 kg (length ~170 cm).
Diet
Over 90% fish, plus crustaceans, cephalopods and molluscs; even catches birds.
Lifespan
Roughly two decades (max ~24 years).
Depth
Surface to ~80–100+ m; adults on deeper reefs and atoll channels.
Reproduction
Matures at ~3.5 yrs; spawns in lunar-timed aggregations, peak ~May–August.
Snorkel or dive
Dive
Best season
Year-round; surface action best NE Nov–Apr
Conservation
Least Concern
How to recognise it
Deep powerful silver body with a steep head profile; males darken to near-black.
Behaviour
Fast apex reef predator; hunts at dawn/dusk in channels, often in small groups.
Where to see it in the Maldives
Channels and current-swept sites atoll-wide, e.g. Vaavu's channels; wherever currents funnel baitfish.
Recorded at
Atolls
Conservation
Heavy fishing/spearfishing on aggregations; locally depleted; ciguatera risk in large fish.
IUCN · Least Concern
Watch them responsibly
Don't chase or corner hunting fish; let them pass, and avoid spearfishing on aggregation sites.
Documented leaping clear of the water to snatch low-flying terns.
One of the few fish documented deliberately hunting birds, timing leaps to pluck terns from the air.
Collective noun: a school of trevally
Want to dive with giant trevally?
Our Maldives specialists match you to the right atoll, season and resort.
Sightings are typical, not guaranteed — encounters vary with season and conditions.