All fish / Serranidae

Blacktip Grouper

Epinephelus fasciatus

Also known as blacktip grouper, black-tipped grouper, red-banded grouper, barred rock cod, blacktip rockcod, banded grouper, red grouper, ปลากะรัง, kerapu, アカハタ, kerapu merah, 横带石斑鱼

A pale salmon to red grouper with dark reddish vertical bars and distinctive black tips on the spines of the dorsal fin. It is hardy, bold and becomes very tame, so it suits keepers of large predatory fish-only systems.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

30 cm

Temperature

22 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

500 litres

Keep as

Keep singly

Diet

Carnivore: fish, shrimp, squid, mussel and other meaty frozen foods

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 central Pacific

Breeding

Like many groupers it is a protogynous hermaphrodite, starting life as a female and later changing to male, and it spawns pelagic eggs. It has not been bred in home aquariums, although it is studied in aquaculture.

Good to know

It will swallow any fish or crustacean that fits in its mouth, so it is not reef safe for shrimps or small fish. It needs plenty of rockwork caves and strong filtration because it is a messy eater.