Family: Groupers

The tripletail is the tropical equivalent of the Atlantic wreckfish Polyprion americanus, although smaller. It is mainly found in floating bodies and typically FADs, which are very numerous in Indonesia (the famous rumpons).

It is very recognizable by its stocky shape, its olive brown coloring and its symmetrical and rounded anal and dorsal fins giving it its name, tripletail. It does not really look like the species conventionally encountered. Some distinguish (ex: IUSA) the Atlantic variety (Lobotes surinamensis) of the Pacific variety (Lobotes pacificus).

Shooting it is quite easy, and it is not uncommon to take several specimens on the same FAD. It can reach very decent sizes, more than 4-5 kilos…

The tripletail is excellent grilled or raw. A bonus of FAD dives.

The potato cod is after the Queensland grouper the largest species of grouper likely to be encountered in apnea in Indonesia, since it can reach the hundred kilograms.

Underwater, it cannot be confused with any other so its color is specific: This grouper is light gray, or white, covered with large dark patches shaped like potatoes. Once dead, its color becomes a more or less uniform brown.

It can be encountered rather in rocky/ coral bottoms and it likes to seek protection in caves.

In Indonesia it is rather infrequent, I have only seen it once in Lombok, roving at the base of a huge pinnacle.

Given the iconic nature of this fish and its rarity I can only recommend not to disturb it.

The Marbled Grouper is a reef predator living hidden in the crevices of the coral reefs. This is by far the most common variety of grouper in Indonesia.

It is recognizable by its massive form, its globular and somewhat milky eyes, a recess of the skull behind the eyes and a black spot above the base of the caudal fin; It resembles the smaller camouflage grouper Epinephelus polyphekadion.

It is found near the reefs and along the drop-offs, although it often goes unnoticed by its excellent camouflage patterns.

Typically when you land on the sea floor to perform your agachon or when crawling on the reef, frequently the marbled grouper will move in front of your amazed eyes and if you want to catch it, you’ll have to shoot instinctively. It is rarely in caves like the Mediterranean grouper which simplifies its extraction.

It is a recommendation of common sense but it is better to avoid shooting a marbled grouper during a drift with strong current, because a fish stuck in the rocks can cause you to lose your speargun.

This grouper is delicious, raw, cooked or in soup. In highly fished places, like Bali, it is now quite rare and it is reasonable to avoid shooting juveniles (less than 2 kg) or conversely large breeders (more than 10/12kg). It is more abundant in the Moluccas where it will be advantageously consumed in curry, the famous recipe of Ikan kuning.

At international level, this species is considered as Near Threatened (NT) because of its slow growth rate and overfishing of large breeders especially during spawning periods when these groupers gather. All the more a reason to catch in moderation.

The Malabar grouper is a beautiful fish frequent in the Indian Ocean (Madagascar, Mozambique), less common in Indonesia. It can exceed 30-40 kg.

It is covered with small round spots, and its body is streaked with five broad oblique bands, like the white grouper of the Mediterranean E. aeneus. Apart from its size, it is distinguished from the ubiquitous E. fuscoguttatus by a less squat silhouette, a less bulging skull, less globular eyes and the absence of a black blotch above the base of the caudal fin; When it lives in a sandy biotope, its coloration becomes very clear, almost white.

It is mostly found in mixed zones, coral, rock and sand, and it seeks shelter in caves.

Like most large groupers, its skull is protected by thick bone plates so it must be shot from close enough. If you’re unfortunate enough to have a slip-tip, aim for the middle of the body instead. Once shot, this grouper will attempt to get stuck in the rocks, but less effectively than the European grouper E. marginatus.

This grouper is delicious, raw, cooked or in soup.

The barramundi cod is one of the most elegant hosts of the reef, alone or in pairs.

It is very recognizable by its improbable silhouette and patterns, light brown covered with black dots covering body and fins.

The barramundi cod or Grace Kelly grouper, has nothing to do with the barramundi, traditionally served in restaurants, which is a brackish water fish that resembles the brown meager.

It is rarely encountered by free divers because of its great timidity and also because of its dwindling numbers due to overfishing. It is more frequently observed by scuba divers.

Shooting it is in principle easy, but this fish is very scared of humans and always close to hiding places in the rocks, therefore requiring a small speargun which is a rather limiting choice in Indonesia.

The Grace Kelly grouper is excellent grilled or raw. However, given its relative scarcity and modest size, I recommend taking in moderation, if at all.

The estuary cod is a beautiful fish, occasional in some sandy areas near estuaries.

Similar to the Malabar grouper, it is distinguished by larger orange dots covering its entire body.

It is found in mixed, coral, rock and sand areas, and it sometimes seeks shelter in caves.

Its behavior is typical for groupers, it swims away and then turns to face you. The shot must be precise to prevent it from getting stuck in the rocks, given its respectable size of more than 6-7kg.

This grouper is delicious, raw, cooked or in soup.

This grouper is the giant of the Indopacific, as it can reach 3m long for more than 500kg, and it is definitely one of the largest bony fishes in the world! It is a reef predator that usually lives along deep drop offs with caves where it can hide.

It is recognizable by its massive shape, all in roundness, a rather dull marbled brown coloration for adults and yellow fins covered with black spots. Juveniles display brighter patterns.

In Madagascar, this fish was frequent about fifteen years ago. In Indonesia it is no longer encountered frequently. A large specimen was spotted in Nusa Penida near Bali and I have seen it three times in Maluku, individuals of average size, 50 to 100kg. They call it there Roto and is claimed to become huge, “as big as a small car”….

This species is classified as vulnerable and is forbidden to catch throughout Australia since 1994.

So it does not make sense for me to shoot it: One does not chop the old oak tree!

On the other hand, these very voracious fishes, like the potato cod Epinephelus tukula, can attack your fish when it is still thrashing on the shaft or hanging under the buoy. A difficult situation for you to manage, it will be part of your most unforgettable spearfishing memories, especially if you are not ready to let go the shaft …

Just as an information, fish below 1m length taste better than larger ones.