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Panther Grouper

Polka Dot Grouper, Barramundi Cod,
Humpback Grouper

   The Panther Grouper, Polka Dot Grouper, or Barramundi Cod will reach 20 inches in length in the wild! This grouper is suitable for very large aquariums only!

   This is a predatory fish that should be fed meaty foods and live fish. Don't keep the Panther Grouper, Polka Dot Grouper, or Barramundi Cod with smaller fish like damsels and small clowns unless they are intended as a meal!

For more Information on keeping this fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Marine Aquarium

Maintenance difficulty:    The Panther Grouper, Polka Dot Grouper, or Barramundi Cod is easy to keep. They are extremely hardy and have a voracious appetite.

Maintenance:    Feed all kinds of live and frozen protein foods. Try squid, clams, shrimp, chopped fish. Live foods like guppies and goldfish are also appreciated and can be fed occasionally.

Habitat: Natural geographic location:    Panther Grouper, Polka Dot Grouper, or Barramundi Cod are collected in the Indo-Pacific.

Foods:    Like most groupers it is a meat eater that preys on small fish.

Social Behaviors:    This fish is a solitary predator that hangs out among the rocks waiting for prey.

Sex: Sexual differences:    Unknown.

Light: Recommended light levels:    No special requirements.

Breeding/Reproduction:    Unknown.

Temperature:    No special requirements.

Length/Diameter of fish:    Panther Grouper, Polka Dot Grouper, or Barramundi Cod adults can grow to 50 cm (20 inches).

Minimum Tank Length/Size:    A minimum 60 gallon aquarium is recommended.

Water Movement: Weak, Moderate, Strong    No special requirements.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom    No special requirements. Provide rockwork large enough for the fish to hide.

Availability:    This fish is generally available from time to time.

Author: David Brough. CFS.

Lastest Comments on Panther Grouper View all 5 comments on Panther Grouper Add Your Comment

Andrew - 2012-03-16 Had mine for six months in my 120 gal. It grew fast! Bought it around 4 inches and now it's reaching 8inches! However if you want to get one of these beauty, try to get him last. This is a semi-aggressive/territorial fish and it will chase, nip and swallow any fish it can fit in its mouth. Otherwise the panther grouper is a moderately hardy fish and great for FOWLR system! Reply

brandon - 2004-03-21 I have had my panther grouper for about 2 years now. I have him in a 180 gallons and he is huge! They grow really fast. I feed my panther grouper pellets which he loves. I give him feeder gold fish as a treat sometimes and I also give him squid, which he also loves. My panther grouper is my favorite fish in my tank. he has a real personality. hayley - 2011-08-01 i have a 500+ litre tank. I have a large polka dot grouper that has started eating my other fish. It has eaten 2 of my gobys, 2 of my yellow finned damsels and a blue chromis. It has today gone for my very large maroon clown which is the final straw. I'm sadly going to have to sell him :( I feed into the tank lots of food, I feed pellet, flake, brine shrimp, marine mix and small fish but this doesn't seem enough any more. I have a very healthy community tank with large trigger fish, tangs, butterfly fish, damsels, boxer shrimp, manderin goby, marron clown, chromis etc etc. where is my best bet to sell? x Reply

steve - 2009-05-11 Brandon, what kind of pellets are you feeding your grouper? Mine is young and seems to be very picky or sick? Iv'e tried guppies and brine. He got a guppie the first day I got him but he hasn't eaten that I know of since. I just got some feeder shrimp and more guppies, gonna try them this evening. Any help would be appreciated! thanks, Steve Raymond - 2010-07-31 Mine stopped eating pellets and will only eat frozen brine. Hope this helps. Steve - 2011-01-14 Brandon, check your water, and do a water change weekly for a while, Panther Groupers are very hardy fish, it sounds like a water problem to me. You mention pellets for for food, this may be alright for a older and established fish but if you have a young fish I would not try pellets. Not just for Groupers but all marine fish. Try some of the frozen prepared foods. Guppies and goldfish should be your last choice. Good luck Brandon, I've been keeping marine fish for the last 40 years, there is a lot of bad information on the web, it take time and research to keep these fish healthy and beautiful. Good luck and I hope this helps. SJ. Reply

Dian - 2010-10-27 My panther grouper is about 7 years old now. Over the last couple of weeks he kind of stopped eating, he now seems to be in a stuck position of being bend kind of sideways. He can maneuver about and all fins are working fine - other than being stuck in this position he is kind of o.k. - but is probably ill - Parasite? I know he is old, but how long do they live in captivity? He has been a special pet to me - like a dog in a fish tank, does anyone know if there is anything I can do - or do you think it is time? Reply

some fish lover! - 2009-10-24 I have a panther grouper with a pink-tailed triggerfish, a clown triggerfish, a picasso triggerfish, and a yellow tang and they get along fine. I have them in a 30 gallon tank and they hardly ever fight. I love mine so you should to! mike - 2010-06-14 I had a panther grouper with a blue trigger and he has bit all the top fin off and I had to pull it out to die rather than let him eat it as he kept rolling on top of it shame in a 33 gallon tank. Reply

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