Fish Identification: Grouper
In a nutshell: big and ugly---that's what today's fish is. Grouper can
be a familiar dive sighting, depending on where you dive. Even the sea
bass is technically part of the grouper family, but we'll be treating
them separately.
Physical description
Grouper have oblong, stout bodies and a large mouth, probably not unlike some of your relatives. Typical lengths are over a meter, and can get to over 2 meters for the various giant varieties.
Their large mouths resemble a frown, contributing to the grouper's unfriendly appearance. If you catch one with its mouth open, you will get a glimpse of its powerful gill muscles.
The pectoral fins have a fanlike appearance when in use. Combined with
the fanned caudal fin, this is suggestive of the grouper's slow, but
strong swimming abilities.
There are over 60 species of grouper, so coloring varies wildly. Most often, though, grouper are a darkly colored brown, olive, or black with lighter splotches across their body.
Oh yeah, did I say that they're big and ugly?
Geography and habitat
Grouper are found all over the world, with specific species local to
different oceans. Their habitats can be a little more varied than most
coral fish we cover here, including wanderings out to open water, due to
their large size.
Grouper tend to be loner fish, and sometimes plant themselves beneath rocks and coral waiting for unsuspecting prey. At that time, they will use their strong gills to suck water, and the fish, into their mouths. Impressive.
Fishing
Grouper have become a popular sport fishing fish. Due to their size, I imagine they put up a good fight that fishermen find enjoyable.
Grouper are also eaten, although the environmental defense fund recommends caution. As with most larger fish, grouper have high mercury levels that could be dangerous to humans.
Further reading
Wikipedia
Florida Museum of Natural History
Grouper photo by loveā”janine
Dusky grouper photo by Phillipe Guillaume
Potato grouper photo by Tim Sheerman-Chase