Tiger groupers live in depths of 10 to 40 meters and prefer coral and rocky reef habitats. They are ambush feeders, hiding in corals, rocks, and sponges until prey approaches, which they then swallow whole. Tiger groupers spawn in large aggregations between December and March. Many populations of tiger groupers are declining due to overfishing, though more research needs to be conducted on their population size, distribution, and abundance. Because so little is known about its population, generation length and the major threats from overfishing, tiger grouper is listed as Data Deficient by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
