Common Name: Goldspotted Rockcod

Distribution: Common in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Known from the Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea south to at least Durban, South Africa and eastward to Palau and Fiji, north to the Ryukyu Islands, south to the Arafura Sea and Australia. Recently reported from the Mediterranean coast of Israel. In Australia it is known from the central coast of Western Australia, around the tropical north, and south to northern New South Wales.

Ecological Notes: Frequents turbid coastal reefs and often found in brackish water over mud and rubble. Depth from shallow to at least 100 m.

Additional Notes: Overall tan colour with five alternating pairs of broken light and dark bars. Small orange/brown spots scattered over body. Juveniles are common in shallow waters of estuaries over sand, mud and gravel and among mangroves. Probably spawns during restricted periods and forms aggregations when doing so. Has been tested in several countries as a potential species for mariculture. Feeds on small fishes, shrimps, and crabs. Juvenile (15 cm) pictured at top. Grows to at least 100 cm and 15 kg in weight.

References: R. Stuart-Smith, G. Edgar, A. Green, I. Shaw, Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland Publishers, 2015. p.92.

FishBase. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. World Wide Web electronic publication. https://fishbase.ca/summary/Epinephelus-coioides.html. Accessed 25/05/18.