Latin name

Cephalopholis fulva

Other names

French: coné ouatalibi; Spanish: canario, cherna cabrilla, corruncha, guativere.

Identification

The Coney has many color phases, you should not try to identify this fish by color. These phases range from the common, when the fish is reddish-brown, to the bicolor period, when the upper part of the body is dark and the lower part is pale, to the bright yellow phase. The body is covered with small blue to pale spots, although spots are rare in the bright yellow phase. Two black spots are often present at the tip of the jaw and two more at the base of the tail, as well as a white band around the tail and soft dorsal fin. The tail is rounded, and the dorsal fin has nine spines.

Distribution

Coney is common in the western Atlantic Ocean from Bermuda and South Carolina to southern Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and Athol das Rokas. They are often found in the Caribbean, less frequently in southern Florida and the Bahamas.

Habitat

In the Gulf of Mexico they are found on clear deep-water reefs, while in Bermuda and the West Indies they spend the day in caves and under ledges, preferring shallow water at other times. They usually drift just above the bottom or rest there at depths of 10 to 60 feet, staying close to protected areas.

Size

Coney weighs about a pound, sometimes they can weigh as much as 3 pounds. The average length is 6 to 10 inches and the maximum is 16 inches.

Life history and Behavior

Like many other grouper, female ponies turn into males when they reach about 20 centimeters in length. They are gregarious fish, and males are territorial.

Food and feeding habits

Coney feed mainly on small fish and crustaceans.

Reproduction

No information