All fish / Serranidae

Flagtail Grouper

Cephalopholis urodeta

Also known as darkfin hind, flagtail hind, v-tail grouper, v-tail hind, white-lined grouper, flag-tail rockcod, urodeta grouper, ニジハタ, kerapu ekor bendera, 尾纹九刺鮨, 霓虹九间

A small reef grouper, reddish brown with darker head and a distinctive tail marked by two pale diagonal bands forming a V. It is kept for its bold colour, hardy nature and confident, rockwork-hugging habits in fish-only or larger reef systems.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

22 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

400 litres

Keep as

Keep singly

Diet

Carnivore: meaty frozen foods such as shrimp, mysis, krill, silversides and chopped fish

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 15 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-Pacific, from East Africa to French Polynesia

Breeding

A protogynous hermaphrodite that lives in harems on the reef, with females changing to males. Captive breeding in home aquariums is essentially unknown.

Good to know

Will eat any fish or crustacean small enough to swallow, so house only with larger robust tankmates. Needs plenty of caves and a secure lid.