Spotlight on the grouper

You have probably never heard about the fish, but once you meet the grouper, rest assured you will never forget about it! Each year, tiger groupers give a unique performance in French Polynesia, the show cannot be seen anywhere else on the planet! Every serious diver has this on their bucket list!

The mystery

The grouper, also called “camouflage grouper”, because of its military pattern is often seen as a with great speed and agility; fish, crustaceans and octopuses won’t even notice they have been caught… it is already too late.

Solitary, yes, but not when the breeding season starts… of course! Spawning time is the one moment you should not miss! We don’t know much about the grouper species, but one thing is certain, they will only breed once a year, precisely at the end of June through to the first two weeks of July. This is exactly when scientists and dedicated divers from around the globe gather to admire thousands of individuals perform in the Tuamotu islands, especially, in the South pass of Fakarava.

A rare encounter

Watch for the full moon and wish for the best! In fact, you could miss the event by a few hours! Lucky (or really patient) divers, will be greatly rewarded. Hundreds of females will lay the precious eggs, fertilized by devoted males, while taking part in a sacred love parade and, which of course will attract predators, eager grab a taste of the fresh eggs.

The Tuamotu passes are known for their amazing fauna, but this effervescence is the greatest natural performance every diver should witness.

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