Brown-marbled grouper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tiger grouper |
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The brown-marbled grouper, also called the tiger grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus), is a type of marine fish. It lives near the bottom of the ocean. This fish belongs to a group of fish known as groupers.
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What Does It Look Like?
The tiger grouper is a medium-sized fish. It can grow up to 120 cm (about 4 feet) long. However, most of them are around 50 cm (about 1.5 feet). It has a strong, thick body that is a bit flat on the sides. Its head has a sharp shape.
The mouth of the tiger grouper is large. It points upwards and has many small teeth. It also has some bigger teeth in the front. Its body is usually pale yellowish-brown. It has many dark brown or grey blotches. These blotches are different sizes and shapes. The fish also has many small dark brown spots all over its body. All its fins are big and round.
It can be a bit tricky to tell the tiger grouper apart from its close relative, Epinephelus polyphekadion. Adult tiger groupers have a small black spot on their tail stem. They also have a small dip above their eyes. Their body is quite thick from their top fin down to their belly.
Where Does It Live?
The tiger grouper lives in warm, tropical waters. You can find it across the Indo-Pacific region. This includes the eastern coasts of Africa and islands in the central Pacific Ocean. It also lives in the Red Sea. However, it is not found in the Persian Gulf, Hawaii, or French Polynesia.
Like many groupers, the tiger grouper prefers clear, rich waters. It lives near coral reefs or rocky areas. You can find it in lagoons and on the outer slopes of reefs. They live from the water's surface down to about 60 m (200 feet) deep.
What Does It Eat?
The tiger grouper is a carnivore, which means it eats meat. Its main foods are other fishes, crustaceans (like crabs), and cephalopods (like squid). It is an "ambush predator." This means it hides and waits for its prey. Then it quickly attacks.
How Does It Behave?
This grouper usually lives alone. It stays in one area and defends its territory. It lives near the bottom of the ocean. The tiger grouper is also nocturnal. This means it is most active at sunrise or sunset.
Tiger groupers can live for a long time for a fish. They can live to be at least 40 years old. They are also "protogynous hermaphrodites." This means that a female fish can change into a male fish later in its life.
Why Is It Protected?
The tiger grouper is listed as "Vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This happened in 2004. Because of its size and strength, people like to catch this fish. It is very popular for the live food fish trade.
However, some of its natural traits make it easy to overfish. During mating periods, many tiger groupers gather together. These groups are easy targets for fishermen.
This grouper lives a long time. It also does not have many babies often. This means its population grows back very slowly. Fishermen often prefer to catch large fish. This includes the bigger male tiger groupers. If too many males are caught, it can affect how many new fish are born. Catching too many fertile female fish also harms the population.
Tiger groupers can be raised in special farms called hatcheries. But these farms often get their first fish from the wild. Catching wild fish for farms also hurts the total population. This is because all sizes of groupers are caught and raised.
Sometimes, the flesh of tiger groupers can have a toxin called ciguatera. This toxin can make people sick. Because of this, fishing for them is limited in some areas.
In recent years, many countries have started protecting the tiger grouper. They have introduced rules for fishing. These rules help protect the fish during mating times. Countries like Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Australia, Malaysia, Solomon Islands, and Palau are working on this.
