All fish / Serranidae

Blue and Yellow Grouper

Epinephelus flavocaeruleus

Also known as blue and yellow grouper, yellow fin grouper, purple rockcod, blue yellow grouper, yellowfin grouper, blue grouper, 黄鳍石斑鱼, 蓝黄石斑

A large grouper with a deep blue body and bright yellow fins and tail, colours that are strongest in juveniles. Adults often fade to a duller blue grey. It is kept by public aquaria and owners of very large systems for its striking colour and bold, tame personality.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

60 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

1500 litres

Keep as

Keep singly

Diet

Carnivore: fish, prawns, squid, mussel and quality frozen marine foods

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

15 to 20 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Indian Ocean: East Africa, Red Sea fringe, Arabian Sea to Andaman Sea

Breeding

Like other groupers it is a protogynous hermaphrodite that spawns pelagic eggs in open water. It has not been bred in home aquariums.

Good to know

Grows to around 80 to 90 cm in the wild and will swallow any fish or crustacean that fits in its mouth, so cute juveniles quickly outgrow ordinary tanks. Needs heavy filtration and very sturdy rockwork.