Original story by Megan Mackander, Queensland Times
WHAT A CATCH! Eight-year-old Erica Bickers (front) and sister Emily, 10, of Toogoolawah, check out the more than 100kg groper at the Shark Shipwreck exhibition at UnderWater World yesterday. Photo: Darryn Smith
WITH bulging eyes, a blubbing big mouth and a hearty mid section, the groper cruises through the water as a piece of the ocean’s prehistoric past.
Now an enormous 1.8-metre groper weighing more than 100kg calls UnderWater World home.
The fish, which overshadows his counterpart in the Ocean Tank, was relocated from an aquaculture farm to the Mooloolaba aquarium yesterday.
UnderWater World curator of fishes Kate Willson said the groper was the largest she has ever seen.
“It’s a lot bigger than any Sydney or Melbourne aquarium has so it is all very exciting for us,” Ms Wilson said.
The mighty fish is typically known for its stout body and large mouth, which forms a powerful sucking system to suck in and swallow its prey, including fish, octopus and crustaceans.
Catch of the day
179kg giant groper caught March 4, 2012 off Latham Island, Tanzania
197kg warsaw groper caught December 22, 1985 off Florida
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