Booming Grouper

[del_mo]

Ever hear a Goliath Grouper boom? Ever see what the grouper does to make the sound. At the 1:06 mark, the grouper booms. You'll need more than a laptop to hear it, but if you look closely, there is a large dark area of the body just behind pectoral fins that will compress with vigor! Kinda cool.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Blb94QWZ6aw

 

[victor]

Fascinating, looks like some sort of defence mechanism.

 

[Walter]

If a Jewfish thumps you, it's telling you that you're too close. They do it with their swim bladders, some folks believe they do it with their gill plates.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Ever hear a Goliath Grouper boom?

Nope... but I've heard Jewfish do it

If a Jewfish thumps you, it's telling you that you're too close. They do it with their swim bladders, some folks believe they do it with their gill plates.

And they generally mean it. If you get thumped, back off...
Rick

 

[drbill]

Our equivalent, the giant sea bass (Stereolepis gigas) makes a loud noise as well. It generally seems to be used to communicate with other sea bass, including mates. When one thumps, it and the others usually take off.

I've never successfully recorded the sound on my video camera but it is definitely audible.

 

[Mafiaman]

I was under a ledge with a jewfish off of Islamorada one day, When it barked, it was like being in a Matrix movie, felt like the whole world thumped. And I swear I could feel the whole reef move.

 

[ReefGuy]

I had two fighting over a gag I shot once. Sounded like I was driving through the ghetto.