Description
Also known as African Grunt, Black-spotted Grunt, Black-spotted Sweetlips, Spotted Grunt, Spotted Sweetlips, Sweetlips.
Found in large schools, during the day under ledges and along coral slopes, dispersing at night hunting for food, over sand banks, of estuaries and coastal reefs.
They feed nocturnally on benthic crustaceans and invertebrates.
Length - 50cm
Depth - 3-55m
Widespread Western Indian Ocean
In some areas of the world 'Grunts' are better known as 'Sweetlips' distinguished from other species by their very large rubbery lips.
'Grunts'because they "grunt," the grunting sound is produced by their flat teeth plates rubbing together and this is amplified by their air bladders.
Found either singly or in schools hovering or motionless over the reef during the day, becoming nocturnal predators. Ref: https://www.fishbase.se/summary/7703
1 comment
This is a great photo, and helped me identify my own sighting of this pretty fish off Kenya's southern coast.