creole-fish
Paranthias furcifer
A small reef grouper that feeds on zooplankton in midwater. It occasionally shows up on the line and is also used as bait.
Also called: garoupa-crioula, rabirrubia, creolefish
- maximum
- 30 cm
- depth
- 10–66 m
who is the creole-fish
A fish of the family Epinephelidae, the family of groupers and sea basses. It reaches 30 cm and lives on coral reefs and rocky bottoms, between 10 and 66 m, often forming groups above the reef. It feeds mainly on zooplankton, such as copepods, tunicates and shrimp, which it catches in midwater. It occurs in the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico and the South American Atlantic coast as far as São Paulo, and also on Atlantic islands to the east, such as Ascension and those in the Gulf of Guinea. In fishing it sometimes appears on the line, is caught in subsistence fishing and serves as bait.
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 creole-fish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- It retreats immediately when it feels threatened.
identification
Short head and reddish brown body, paler below. It has a strong reddish orange spot at the base of the pectoral fin and three well-spaced white spots between the lateral line and the base of the dorsal fin. Two blue lines cross the face. It looks like the coney (jabu, Cephalopholis fulva), which lives in the same region, so check these spots and blue lines before deciding.
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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
In Latin America it occurs in the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas and Brazil, as far as São Paulo.
Habitat: Coral reefs and rocky bottoms, 10 to 66 m, with hunting groups above the reef.
coast
rules for the creole-fish
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).
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.
It poses no danger to people. If it is used as live bait, keep it in clean water.
in the kitchen
It is caught in subsistence fishing, for local consumption.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01122, b = 3.04; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa)). 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: Paranthias furcifer (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Paranthias furciferNames by country and language.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.
