Saltwater Aquarium Grouper (Serranidae)

There are more than 400 species of Serranids in the world (including the groupers found in European seas) and some are easy to keep in a large aquarium (at least 400 liters). Serranids are robust and live alone once they become adults. The mouth of these voracious carnivores allows them to swallow small fish or large pieces of fresh food.

Black Grouper (Cephalopholis Argus)
You can train the black groupe to eat out of your hand. It can be recognized by its brown coloring speckled with white dots. Size: 20-30 cm.

grouper-black

Red-Spotted Grouper (Cephalopholis Miniatus)
The solitary red-spotted grouper lives somewhat hidden in corals. It can live for over 5 years in an aquarium. The coloring grows darker in adults. Size: 20-30 cm.

White Line Grouper (Cephalopholis Urodelus)
The white line grouper can be recognized by the two oblique white bars on the caudal fin. It is placid by nature and likes to have hideaways. Size: 20-25 cm.

Panther Snapper Grouper (Cromileptes Altivelis)
The patches on the young grow less pronounced in adults. The panther snapper can grow up to 65 cm in the wild, and in an aquarium it can reach 30-40 cm. It stalks its small, live prey and suddenly pounces on them. This species does not succumb easily to common parasitic diseases. Several specimens can live together in a large tank.

Scalefin Grouper
(Pseudanthias Squamipinnis)
The scalefin anthias lives in a group or shoal, dominated by a few males. This pretty little fish can live in a fairly small tank (minimum of 200 liters) furnished with hiding places. It feeds on plankton in the wild and prefers small items of food, particularly live prey. This fish is sometimes classified in the Anthiid family. Size: 12 cm.

Hamlets
The Serranid family includes the species belonging to the Hydroplectiis genus, native to the tropical Atlantic, that are small in size and therefore much appreciated by aquarists who have only a 200 liter tank. These fish live alone and hide in crevices in the decor. They feed on crustaceans, worms, and small fish.

Blue Hamlet (Hypoplectrus Gemma)
Like the other species in this genus, the blue hamlet is aggressive and can only be kept if there is no other fish of the same species. Size: 10-11 cm.

Shy Hamlet
(Hypoplectrus Guttavarius)
The coloring of the shy hamlet varies from one specimen to the next. Size: 12 cm.

Golden Hamlet
(Hypoplectrus Gummigutta)
The golden hamlet is characterized by a black triangular patch in front of the eye. All hamlets are hermaphrodite, i.e. they are endowed with both ova and spermatozoa, but they can only use one or the other. In other words, they cannot fertilize themselves. Size: 13-14 cm.

Indigo Hamlet (Hypoplectrus Indigo)
The indigo hamlet, bigger than the blue hamlet, is distinguished by its vertical bands, which are paler than its background color. Size: 15 cm.