Lyretail Grouper

The Lyretail Grouper is a large, spectacularly colored predatory fish named for its distinctive crescent-shaped or lyre-shaped tail fin. Adults display a vivid red to orange-red body liberally sprinkled with small blue or purple spots, while the trailing edges of the caudal fin are elongated into graceful, sweeping points that give the species its common name. Juveniles tend to be more orange-yellow and develop their brilliant adult coloration as they grow. At a potential size of 32 inches, this is among the largest grouper species available to aquarists.

In the wild, Variola louti is widely distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea and East Africa to the Western Pacific and Australia. It is a reef-associated species found along steep outer reef slopes and drop-offs, typically at depths of 3 to 250 meters. It is a powerful, fast-swimming predator that actively hunts smaller fish, unlike the more sedentary ambush style of many other grouper species. Its speed and agility make it one of the more active members of the grouper family.

In the aquarium, the Lyretail Grouper is a commanding presence that requires a very large system of at least 300 gallons to accommodate its substantial adult size. Despite its predatory nature, it is generally less aggressive toward tankmates than many other large groupers, provided companions are too large to be eaten. It acclimates well to captivity, readily accepting frozen and prepared foods. However, its rapid growth rate and eventual massive size mean that most home aquariums are ultimately too small, and this species is best suited for public aquaria or exceptionally large custom installations.