Species Type:
Fishes
Common Name(s):
Red grouper
Size:
On average, red groupers grow to 1.7 feet (.5 meter) and 15 pounds (6.8 kilograms).
Diet:
Red grouper eat invertebrates such as crabs, shrimp, and octopuses, as well as fish such as snappers and parrotfish. They are known to be very susceptible to red tide.
Range & Habitat:
Red grouper are a bottom dwelling species found over hard and muddy bottoms. Juveniles live in seagrass beds, and move to rocky habitats as they get larger. They can be found from North Carolina to southern Brazil, including the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico.
Details:
Red grouper are reddish-brown fish with white splotches and sometimes small black dots near their eyes. Known for their stout bodies, they are ambush predators, waiting to strike prey. Red groupers also dig and maintain underwater shelters, clearing sand and debris to create habitats for other reef creatures.