Golden grouper (Mycteroperca rosacea) care guide

Group
Marine fish
Other names
Leopard grouper
Family
Serranidae (groupers and sea basses)
Origin
Eastern Pacific, endemic to Mexico: south-western Baja California to Jalisco, including the Gulf of California; rocky areas, 1–100 m.
Water
saltwater
Maximum size
86 cm
Temperature
24–27°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Hardness
Salinity SG 1.020–1.025
Care level
expert
Temperament
aggressive
Reef safe
no
Lifespan
Up to 17 years years

Care

Tank: This fish outgrows home aquaria and is only suitable for public-aquarium-sized systems; no home tank size is given. It reaches 86 cm and nearly 10 kg, and needs a very large volume with heavy filtration. Water: the sources give no species-specific figures, so the values here are general marine aquarium guidance: 24–27 °C, pH 8.1–8.4 and specific gravity 1.020–1.025. Keep nitrate low and the water well oxygenated. Behaviour: a large predator that feeds most around dawn and dusk; juveniles are more active by day. Identification: usually mottled grey-brown with pale spots. A golden-yellow (xanthic) colour form also occurs, and normally coloured fish have been seen turning golden in captivity, which is where the trade name comes from. Trade and status: only occasionally seen in the aquarium trade. IUCN: Least Concern. Selling: our policies require the adult size and long-term tank needs to be stated clearly in the listing. Large fish must travel by a specialist live-animal courier (see the Livestock shipping guide). Sources: Wikipedia, List of marine aquarium fish species (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Listofmarineaquariumfishspecies); Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycteropercarosacea). Checked October 2026.

Diet

Adults mainly eat schooling fish such as herring and anchovy; juveniles take bottom-living fish and crustaceans. In captivity feed large pieces of fish, squid and prawn. It feeds mostly around dawn and dusk.

Breeding

Thought to be a protogynous hermaphrodite (females later become males). It spawns in pairs within seasonal aggregations from April to June, and young fish settle in Sargassum seaweed beds. Not bred in home aquaria.

Compatibility and tank mates

Not reef safe and not a community fish. It will swallow any fish or invertebrate that fits in its mouth. Only suitable with other very large fish in public-aquarium systems.

Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.

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