Leopard Grouper?

[Nevergone815]

I was at my lfs today and saw these cute little fish and was tempted to do an impulse buy and get one. They looked a lot like the panther grouper in this link, but it was leopard colored. They had it labeled as a leopard grouper. I was wondering if this was a brackish species of fish and how big they get. Any other info would be greatly appreciated. All of the links I googled showed these fish getting big with fisherman holding them proudly. Below is the link of the panther grouper to show the body shape. Thank you.

http/www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_di...tid=154&N=0

 

[nmonks]

Definitely not a brackish water fish. While viable in a very high salinity system (SG 1.018) I wouldn't recommend anything below that.

Snappers include many brackish water species (some freshwater ones, too) but I'm not aware of any brackish water groupers. Ironically, some of the cichlids in your signature file would be better suited to a brackish tank. Cichlasoma urophthalmus is a brackish water species and can live and breed in seawater, for example.

Cheers, Neale

 

[GrantyBoy]

chancers are it will grow to be a monster and will need a very large aquarium to house

 

[Nevergone815]

Definitely not a brackish water fish. While viable in a very high salinity system (SG 1.018) I wouldn't recommend anything below that.

Snappers include many brackish water species (some freshwater ones, too) but I'm not aware of any brackish water groupers. Ironically, some of the cichlids in your signature file would be better suited to a brackish tank. Cichlasoma urophthalmus is a brackish water species and can live and breed in seawater, for example.

Cheers, Neale

I don't own a Cichlasoma urophthalmus. I know I have, on the right, a Jack Dempsey and a Red Terror (has been ID as this by many people on multiple forums as such). On the left a green terror and an oscar. n the middle is an unknown hybrid presumed to be a convict and firemouth cross. The picture aren't the the best that was used, so maybe that is what makes it appear that way...

Thank you very much for the input though. I really appreciate the info on the grouper!

chancers are it will grow to be a monster and will need a very large aquarium to house

I thought this much and didn't get it. Aren't I lucky

 

[nmonks]

My mistake. But I'm sure you already know that C. urophthalmus and C. festae are very similar and very closely related. They have identical colour patterns *except* for the shape of the dark spot on the caudal peduncle. On C. urophthalmus this spot is twice the size of the same spot on C. festae. There is an excellent discussion of the similarities and differences between these two species here.

Both species are sold as "red terrors" so that name doesn't mean anything. As ever, use the Latin name wherever possible and only rely on identifications given by people to Latin names, not common names.

While C. urophthalmus prefers brackish water (but for some reason is kept by hobbyists as a freshwater fish) C. festae is a freshwater fish. That said, like other Central Americans I would expect it tol tolerate brackish water extremely well. Certainly SG 1.005 would do it no harm at all. I've kept a variety of Central Americans in brackish water and never had problems.

Cheers, Neale

Definitely not a brackish water fish. While viable Snappers include many brackish water species (some freshwater ones, too) but I'm not aware of any brackish water groupers. Ironically, some of the cichlids in your signature file would be better suited to a brackish tank. Cichlasoma urophthalmus is a brackish water species and can live and breed in seawater, for example.

Cheers, Neale

I don't own a Cichlasoma urophthalmus. I know I have, on the right, a Jack Dempsey and a Red Terror (has been ID as this by many people on multiple forums as such).

 

[andywg]

As ever, use the Latin name wherever possible and only rely on identifications given by people to Latin names, not common names.

Naughty Neale!

Scientific names, not Latin. Remember many words come from Greek and other languages

 

[nmonks]

Andy, yes of course you are quite correct. And not just Greek! People are naming things in Elvish for heaven's sake! (A Cambrian priapulid called Ancalagon for example.)

Cheers, Neale

As ever, use the Latin name wherever possible and only rely on identifications given by people to Latin names, not common names.

Naughty Neale!

Scientific names, not Latin. Remember many words come from Greek and other languages

 

[Nevergone815]

My mistake. But I'm sure you already know that C. urophthalmus and C. festae are very similar and very closely related. They have identical colour patterns *except* for the shape of the dark spot on the caudal peduncle. On C. urophthalmus this spot is twice the size of the same spot on C. festae. There is an excellent discussion of the similarities and differences between these two species here.

Both species are sold as "red terrors" so that name doesn't mean anything. As ever, use the Latin name wherever possible and only rely on identifications given by people to Latin names, not common names.

While C. urophthalmus prefers brackish water (but for some reason is kept by hobbyists as a freshwater fish) C. festae is a freshwater fish. That said, like other Central Americans I would expect it tol tolerate brackish water extremely well. Certainly SG 1.005 would do it no harm at all. I've kept a variety of Central Americans in brackish water and never had problems.

Cheers, Neale

Yea, I knew the whole scientific vs. common thing. I don't know why i didn't use it in this case when there is such a debate over species that look almost identical. The picture is a bad one of when I first got it and it was a bit stressed from the moving around. Now it hides behind decor o I can NEVER get a good picture of it, so I just used my old one for that.

I wasn't aware that you could keep Central American cichlids in brackish waters. I'm learning something new everyday. Maybe I'll change their tank over. Would I need to slowly do it, or wold they be alright if I just raised the SG to 1.005 right away? I think it would be best to slowly get them used to it as they have been in fresh water for a while now. In this case how much should I change it and how long in between adjustments so they can fully adapt? Thanks Neale!

 

[nmonks]

As ever, it depends on the fish. The true brackish water Central Americans I know about are listed here. Any of those could be acclimated to SG 1.005 at once, and with a bit more care to SG 1.010 or more. Some live happily in seawater.

Among the other species, like midas cichlids and jaguar cichlids, those are less salt tolerant. I'm sure they're fine at SG 1.003-1.005, but you might want to verify that with someone more expert than me. Also, they'd want to be acclimated a bit more slowly. You'd probably want to do that for the sake of the filter bacteria as well. Freshwater filter bacteria get stressed at and above 1.005.

Cheers, Neale

I wasn't aware that you could keep Central American cichlids in brackish waters. I'm learning something new everyday. Maybe I'll change their tank over. Would I need to slowly do it, or wold they be alright if I just raised the SG to 1.005 right away? I think it would be best to slowly get them used to it as they have been in fresh water for a while now. In this case how much should I change it and how long in between adjustments so they can fully adapt? Thanks Neale!