The Panther Grouper is a very attractive fish that can be found in the Indian Ocean and will often in habit coral reefs and can be a tempting fish for fish hobbyists. This is a detriment to the Panther Grouper as they grow very larger and outgrow their tanks leaving many put up for donation or rehomed to aquariums like Tynemouth as their owners can no longer care for them.
The Panther Grouper can easily be identified by their polka dots as their white body and fins are all covered with black spots. In Juvenile fish these spots are very large in proportion to the rest of their body but as they grow larger the spots break out into smaller spots. What makes these fish really stand out is the way that they move through the water as they swim very similarly to clownfish and it is rare to see such large fish move so delicately.
Reefs provide the perfect hunting ground for these fish as they are ambush predators who hide within the rocks and feed on small fish. They are not fast swimmers so rely heavily on catching their prey off guard. Hiding within the rocks also allows them to stay safe from larger predators such as reef sharks. They live most of their life as a solitary fish and can be quite aggressive to other fish.
Type
Fish: ambush reef predators
What do they eat?
crustaceans and smaller fish
Size
Max 70cm
Water Type
Salt Water
Where are we?
Indian Ocean and Pacific