Peacock Grouper
Cephalopholis argus
Dark grouper covered in iridescent blue spots, common on shallow reef.
Family
Serranidae
Avg Size
40-55 cm
Habitat
The peacock grouper is exceptionally widespread, occurring in warm waters from the Red Sea to South Africa and east to French Polynesia and the Pitcairn group, as well as around northern Australia, Lord Howe Island, and Japan; it has also been introduced to the Hawaiian Islands. It uses a range of habitats but prefers exposed reef fronts, at depths of up to 40 m.
Behaviour
The fish usually rests on a coral head and retreats when disturbed. In the Red Sea, males hold harems of two to six females within territories of up to half an acre (0.20 ha), each female defending part of the territory from the others. The male visits each female daily, raising his dorsal fin as he approaches; she emerges, raises her own fin, and pales in colour, and the two swim together and rub flanks before he moves on until the following day. Territorial conflicts may take the form of "colour fights" in which two males face each other at right angles, darken, and repeatedly flip their bars between dark and light.
Where & When to See It
North Gabr El Bint
North Ras Abu Galum
Three Pools
Blue Hole - El Bells
Lighthouse
Bluff Point
Ras Abu Helal
Rosalie Moller
Umm Kharalim
Moray Garden - Golden Blocks
South Ras Abu Galum
Eel Gardens
Daedalus Reef
Ras Disha
Habili Gaffar
The Barge at Bluff Point
Napoleon Reef
The Canyon
The Caves
The Islands
The Ulysses
Erg Sabina
Erg Somaya
Far Garden
Fiddle Garden
Fury Shoals
Giannis D
Gota Abu Ramada
Habili Ali
Jackfish Alley
Jackson Reef
Kimon M
Kormoran
Laguna Reef
Middle Garden
Near Garden
Panorama Reef
Paradise
Pinky Wall
Ras Bob
Ras Burg
Ras Ghamila
Ras Ghozlani
Ras Katy
Ras Um Sid
Ras Zaatar
Rocky Island
Salem Express
Sha'ab Samadai (Dolphin House)
Sha'ab Sharm
Shaab Abu Nugar
Shaab Claudia
Shaab Eissa
Shaab El Erg
Shaab Eshta
Shaab Maksur
Shaab Petra
Shaab Sabina
Shaab Sataya
Shabrur Um Gamar
Shag Rock (Kingston)
Shark & Yolanda Reef
Shark Observatory
Siyul Kebira
Small Crack
Small Giftun
Sodfa
Soma Bay Garden
Temple
The Alternatives
Thistlegorm
Thomas Reef
Tower
Turft El Shahed
Turtle Reef
Umm Gamar North
Umm Gamar South
White Knight
Woodhouse Reef
Zabargad Island
Eel Garden
Hamda
Ras Nasrani
Shark's Bay
Turtle Bay
Abu Dabbab
Gordon Reef
Abu Ghalawa
Abu Hashish
Abu Kifan
Abu Nuhas
Abu Ramada North
Abu Ramada South
Amphoras
Banana Reef
Belina Wreck
Big Giftun
Careless Reef
Carnatic
Chrisoula K
Dunraven (Beacon Rock)
El Erug
El Fanadir
El Fanous West
El Mina Wreck
Elphinstone
Erg Abu Ramada