harlequin bass
Serranus tigrinus
A small grouper of the Caribbean reefs, with black bands in irregular rectangles along the body. No danger to anglers.
Also called: garoupa-arlequim, serrano arlequín, harlequin bass
- maximum
- 29 cm
- depth
- 0–40 m
who is the harlequin bass
The harlequin grouper is a fish of the family Serranidae and reaches 29 cm. It lives on reefs with scattered rocks or coral, from 0 to 40 m, alone or in fixed pairs that do not defend a territory. It is the most common member of its genus. It occurs from Bermuda and southern Florida to northern South America, including the whole Caribbean. It feeds mainly on crustaceans. It is caught commercially and also sold for aquariums. In Cuba it is called serrano tigre, and in Mexico, serrano arlequín.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the harlequin bass; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- It forms fixed pairs that do not defend an exclusive territory.
identification
A long, pointed snout, and a body with black bands and stripes that form irregular rectangles. This combination is the easiest mark to notice. It differs from the tobacco grouper, which has yellow spots on the back and lacks these black bands. Since it lives in pairs over shallow reefs, it is found where there is rock or scattered coral.
Loading the next 7 days…
Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
It ranges from Bermuda and southern Florida to northern South America, throughout the Caribbean, with records in Belize, Cuba, Colombia, Venezuela, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and Mexico.
Habitat: Rocky reefs or scattered coral, 0 to 40 m.
rules for the harlequin bass
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
No danger to anglers. Being small, it can be released quickly.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01023, b = 3.04; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Serranus tigrinus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Serranus tigrinusNames by country and language.
