Cephalopholis fulva
A reef grouper (garoupinha) covered with blue spots, common on the rocky shores and corals of the Northeast. It changes color, lives in harems and takes small natural bait.
Also called: jabu, piraúna, catuá, garoupinha, garoupa-pintada-da-bahia, coney
The jabu is a small grouper of the western Atlantic, from South Carolina and Bermuda to southern Brazil. It lives on coral reefs and rocky shores of clear water, usually down to 40 m, and spends the day in holes and under ledges. It eats small fish and crustaceans, and sometimes follows morays to catch the prey they flush out. It is born female and turns male at about 20 cm; each male defends a territory with several females and spawns with them at sunset. On the central coast of Brazil it reaches 43 cm and 24 years of age. It is common in rocky-shore and boat fishing with small natural bait.
Body red, orange or brownish, sometimes bright yellow or two-tone, covered in blue dots with black edges. Two black spots at the top of the tail peduncle and two at the tip of the chin. Tail with a rounded edge and angled tips. The rock hind (garoupa-gato) has red spots on a pale background; the true grouper (garoupa-verdadeira) and the badejo-mira are much larger and lack blue dots.
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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.
In Brazil, from the Northeast to the South, common on reefs and rocky shores of the Northeast and Bahia.
Habitat: Coral reefs and rocky shores of clear water, with holes, ledges and crevices.
coast
states
Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina
Fished year-round on the Northeast reefs.
Dawn and dusk. Most active at dawn and dusk; by day it usually stays in its hole.
A tropical reef fish; cold water reduces its activity.
A churned sea after a cold front makes the rocky shore difficult.
Small effect.
Minor; a storm on the rocky shore is a danger.
Surf muddies the reef water for days.
Wary: footsteps on the rocks and a motor in the shallows make it hide in its hole.
A strong sea wind makes the rocky coast dangerous.
Moving tide brings food to the mouth of the hole.
From the shallows down to about 40 m for most catches.
lures
natural baits
accessories
A small bait right at the mouth of the hole: the jabu bites and goes back in, so hold firm on the first pull.
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 national list (Portaria GM/MMA 1.667/2026). We found no specific federal rule for this species.
In Mexico, catching all grouper species, a group in which the official standard includes the jabu (cherna cabrilla), is prohibited from February 1 to March 31 in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean off Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo, up to the Belize border. Bottom longlines are also prohibited during the period.
In federal waters around Puerto Rico, beyond 9 miles from the coast, the recreational angler may keep a maximum of 5 fish per day from groupers, snappers and parrotfish combined (up to 15 per boat when there are 3 or more people aboard). The limit does not apply to anyone with a commercial license from Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands.
A shallow hole-dwelling fish: remove the hook quickly and release it near the rock. If it came from deeper than 20 m, use a descender.
White, delicate flesh, good fried or in moqueca. Ciguatera has been recorded in the Caribbean.
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01175, b = 3.04; FishBase (estimativa bayesiana, comprimento total)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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The season weights (months), the time of day and the sensitivities (cold, pressure, moon, wind, rain, tide, strong light, murky water and noise) are the app's editorial estimates, based on the literature below and on the field experience of anglers and guides. They are not official data nor a measurement made for this species, and they may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the norm and a link.
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