Common name: rockcod
General information
The White-lined Grouper, scientifically known as Epinephelus multinotatus, is a striking species appreciated by aquarists for its unique appearance. It is characterized by its light tan to yellowish body adorned with multiple thin white lines running both horizontally and vertically, creating a grid-like pattern. This species is part of the family Serranidae, which includes groupers and sea basses known for their robust bodies and predatory nature.
Details
- Recommended minimum volume
- 500 liter (130 gallons)
- Salinity
- S.G. 1.020 to 1.025
- Temperature
- 22 to 28 °C (72 to 82 °F)
- Acidity
- pH 8.1 to 8.4
- Average size
- 70 cm (2′4″)
- Care level
- Moderate to difficult Sensitive to water quality.
- Diet
- Carnivore Prefers live or frozen food.
- Social
- Solo Territorial, best kept alone.
- Reefsafe
- No May eat smaller fish/inverts.
- Aggression
- Semi aggresive Aggressive, especially when mature.
- Captive bred
- No
Taxonomy
- KingdomAnimalsAnimalia
- PhylumChordatesChordata
- ClassRay-finned FishesActinopterygii
- OrderPerch-like FishesPerciformes
- FamilyGroupersSerranidae
- GenusGrouperEpinephelus
- SpeciesrockcodEpinephelus multinotatus (Peters, 1876)
- SynonymsEpinephelus jayakari (Boulenger, 1889)Epinephelus leprosus Smith, 1955Epinephelus rankini Whitley, 1945Epinephilus multinotatus (Peters, 1876)Serranus jayakari Boulenger, 1889Serranus multinotatus Peters, 1876
Care
White-lined Groupers require a spacious aquarium due to their potential size, reaching up to 60 cm in length. They are carnivorous and need a diet consisting of meaty foods such as fish, squid, and crustaceans. It's important to provide a varied diet to ensure proper nutrition. These groupers are territorial and may show aggression towards other tank mates, especially smaller fish, so careful selection of compatible species is crucial.
Reproduction
In the wild, groupers are protogynous hermaphrodites, meaning they start life as females and can change to males as they mature. This change is often triggered by social factors such as the absence of a dominant male. In the aquarium setting, breeding White-lined Groupers is challenging and rarely achieved by hobbyists.
Habitat
The White-lined Grouper is found in the Indo-Pacific region, from the Red Sea and East Africa to the central Pacific. They prefer reef environments and are often seen in lagoons and on outer reef slopes. They can be found at depths ranging from 4 to 60 meters, where they utilize the complex reef structure for shelter and hunting grounds.
Geographical distribution includes areas such as the Red Sea, East Africa, the Maldives, Indonesia, northern Australia, and the central Pacific islands.