All fish / Serranidae

Coral Hind

Cephalopholis miniata

Also known as miniatus grouper, coral grouper, blue spotted grouper, vermilion grouper, red coral grouper, miniata grouper, coral rock cod, miniatus hind, ปลากะรังจุดฟ้า, kerapu bara, ユカタハタ, kerapu merah

A striking grouper with a deep orange to red body covered in small bright blue spots. It is kept as a bold, showy centrepiece predator for large fish-only or rock-heavy marine systems.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

35 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

700 litres

Keep as

Singly; one per tank

Diet

Carnivore: meaty foods such as fish, shrimp, squid and krill

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 15 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea and East Africa to the Line Islands

Breeding

A protogynous hermaphrodite that lives in harems on the reef, with females able to change into males. It has not been bred in home aquariums with any regularity.

Good to know

It will eat any fish or crustacean small enough to swallow, so it is not reef safe for small fish or shrimps. It grows well past 30 cm and needs a very large tank with strong filtration.