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Reef Fish Guide designation and why
Keep it wild
Listed as endangered on 1996 International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List because it is heavily exploited for both the live food fishery and aquarium trade, and because its habitat is being degraded due to destructive collection methods. Although this fish can be bred in captivity, these efforts haven’t yet reached a level of success to supply the marine aquarium trade. The Panther grouper’s low population doubling time (4.5—14 years) and slow growth rate cause it to be vulnerable to overfishing. The Panther grouper is a huge fish at adult size and will outgrow most home aquariums. Finally, this species has been seen in non-native waters (Florida, Hawaii). These sightings pose the threat of this fish becoming an established invasive species in the United States. These sightings are likely the result of releases made by a home aquarist after the fish grew too big.
Distribution
Indo Pacific, Western Pacific: Southern Japan to Palau, Guam, New Caledonia and southern Queensland, Australia. Eastern Ocean: From the Nicobars to Broome, Western Australia. The Panther grouper generally inhabits brackish/saline lagoons and seaward reefs, typically found in dead or silted areas, coral reefs and tide pools.
Maximum Size
The maximum adult length of this fish tends to be about 70 cm (27.6 in) and sexual maturity is usually reached at a length of 39 cm (15.4 in)
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