Article on Groupers creating their own mini ecosystems

[emartin]

Cool article on Groupers making miniature eco systems to provide constant food for themselves.

http://www.livescience.com/animals/red-grouper-fish-100120.html

Here's an excerpt from the article:

Fish Are Remarkable Architects

Red groupers were known to excavate structures in the sand in the Gulf of Mexico and along the Southeast U.S. coast, but until now scientists had no idea just how talented and resourceful the fish are.

The groupers excavate and maintain complex holes and, in the process, remove sand from the sea floor, exposing rocks. The fish restructure the flat seafloor into a 3-D matrix, with the newly bared rocks encouraging the settlement and growth of corals and sponges, scientists discovered.

The whole setup provides shelter to spiny lobsters and other fish, including dinner for the grouper, which kicks back and enjoys the fruits of its labor.

You can read the rest here: http://www.livescience.com/animals/red-grouper-fish-100120.html

[AMBUSHPREDATOR]

Ed the groupers are interesting as is the fish with the see through head link lower on the page did yu see it? Thanks

[emartin]

Ed the groupers are interesting as is the fish with the see through head link lower on the page did yu see it? Thanks

What this one? http://forums.eastcoastcichlids.org/showthread.php?t=1022

That wasn't lower on the page...that was almost a year ago LOL I had to search for it.

[twisted fisher]

amazing almost like the ants in africa growing fungus to harvest

[Longstocking]

I love groups and groups love me ;)

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b240/Longstocking/Scuba/SarahandGrouper.jpg

This grouper followed me around for 15 min on a dive in the Bahama's. I could get so close to him with out him swimming away. Amazingly smart fish.... and very personal. Most divers think of groupers as very dumb since they are easy targets for divers that like to find their dinner under water.

[emartin]

A panther grouper at a local Petco by me was soooo sociable I almost converted to marine and adopted the guy.

Petco eventually killed it though from being so stupid...

This grouper was about 8" long and would play 'peek a boo' with you. It would also follow you when you walked past the tank and watched what you did on the outside, etc.

If I ever do a big-fish marine tank, a panther grouper (or another grouper) would be one fish I'd keep.

[AlishanAS]

I went to LFS store yesterday to check out the SW section. They were unbagging fish and some knucklehead placed a cleaner wrasse in a tank with a snowy grouper. Needless to say what happened next.

All I saw was the wrasse's blue tail protruding from the grouper's mouth.

[AMBUSHPREDATOR]

Goupers are my favorite marine cichlid. Have you ever watched them in a large tank hanging out while the other [ brainless ] inhabitants swim around and actually seem to believe theyre in the ocean. They sit there staring at you like " THIS AINT RIGHT" and hover around watching the other fish swim in circles. They are certainly not stupid.

[emartin]

Goupers are my favorite marine cichlid. Have you ever watched them in a large tank hanging out while the other [ brainless ] inhabitants swim around and actually seem to believe theyre in the ocean. They sit there staring at you like " THIS AINT RIGHT" and hover around watching the other fish swim in circles. They are certainly not stupid.
Couldn't have said it better...

That's another reason why I don't really want to do a marine tank. The REAL fascinating marine animals are the invertebrates.... the corals (especially the soft corals), clams, snails, crabs, shrimp, mantis shrimp, cephalopods, etc... The majority of the fish just seem to be like the guppies of the ocean.... Pretty, but stupid...

Two marine fish I want to keep at some point:
A Grouper
A SeaRobin (or close relative)

I'd love to keep cuttlefish or nautilus at some point....especially flamboyant cuttlefish (despite their lethal venom)