What were they thinking?!?

[velvetelvis]

Nobody is a bigger fan of aquaculture and tank-raised marine livestock than me. That said, I can't imagine why somebody apparently thought it would be a good idea to start tank-raising "bumblebee" groupers, AKA Epinephelus lanceolatus, and offering them for sale to saltwater hobbyists. They get to be at least six feet long!

http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden/itemdisplay.cfm?c=2733+3&ddid=85561

http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=6468&genusname=Epinephelus&speciesname=lanceolatus&lang=English

 

[crvz]

At least they have accurate data in terms of max size. I doubt a 1000 gallon tank would hold that fish at that size, though.

 

[Eric the half-bee]

LFS in my NOTW had one for years in a 12' long holding tank(live rock). He just hung out and up & died 2 mos ago. He was easily 2.5-3' long and had to be 50lbs.

 

[AquaKnight]

Nobody is a bigger fan of aquaculture and tank-raised marine livestock than me. That said, I can't imagine why somebody apparently thought it would be a good idea to start tank-raising "bumblebee" groupers, AKA Epinephelus lanceolatus, and offering them for sale to saltwater hobbyists. They get to be at least six feet long!

http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden/itemdisplay.cfm?c=2733+3&ddid=85561

http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=6468&genusname=Epinephelus&speciesname=lanceolatus&lang=English

It's really not a new concept. It's been somewhat popular to tank-raise these for the freshwater market, yes you read that correctly. They raise juvi Bubblebee's (and other groupers) to adapt to tank-life in freshwater. I guess it's a positive that Liveaquaria has them and is at least suggesting a semi-proper sized saltwater tank, instead of the doomed life they would have had, stuffed in some dumb FW-keeper's "monster tank" .

 

[Vili_Shark]

Nobody is a bigger fan of aquaculture and tank-raised marine livestock than me. That said, I can't imagine why somebody apparently thought it would be a good idea to start tank-raising "bumblebee" groupers, AKA Epinephelus lanceolatus, and offering them for sale to saltwater hobbyists. They get to be at least six feet long!

http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden/itemdisplay.cfm?c=2733+3&ddid=85561

http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=6468&genusname=Epinephelus&speciesname=lanceolatus&lang=English

Nobdy's captive breeding Epinephelus sp. groupers for the hobby.
They are all bred for the food industry, not only the E.lanceolatus but many more Epinphalus sp.
Groupers are very sought after especially in Asia to the point some of them are close to extinction in various locations.

 

[velvetelvis]

That makes sense... So do you figure the groupers for sale at DD are from a program that raises fish for the food market, but is now trying out an additional venue? It just seems counter-intuitive to choose such a huge species to sell to marine aquarists...most hobbyists wouldn't be able to accommodate a comparatively modest-sized grouper that got a couple of feet long, let alone the size of an adult human.

 

[Vili_Shark]

So do you figure these are from a program that raises fish for the food market, but is now trying out an additional venue? It just seems counter-intuitive to choose such a huge species for sale to marine aquarists...most hobbyists wouldn't be able to accommodate a comparatively modest-sized grouper that got a couple of feet long, let alone the size of an adult human.

If we really think of what is optimal for the fish so most of the groupers sold in the hobby are being placed in dwarf tanks.

Yes these fish must be captive bred for the food industry and then few taken for the hobby, the only reason is that they are attractive when young.

Same , and even more common is the Cromileptes altivelis , which is more commonly seen in the hobby with captive bred young fish of 1-2", they as well were captive bred for the food industry, this is actually a grouper that commend higher price per Kg. , in asia, than most other Grouper as food .