Epinephelus fuscoguttatus is rare, usually seen at a distance on seaward reefs and lagoon pinnacles. Most often you can glimpse them down the steep seaward slope, and they disappear downward if you try to approach. Sometimes they can be seen in surge channels, but only those with large deep caves they can disappear into. One of our larger groupers, their relatively high body makes them seem even larger. Maximum size reported as 120cm, but a few we have seen appeared to be larger. The photo immediately below was taken by Jay Lord on a large lagoon pinnacle near Gea Pass, a west reef deepwater pass, of a fish at least 76cm in length.
The photo below was captured from video taken at considerable distance on the seaward reef.
Created 5 April 2017
Updated 10 December 2019