Broomtail Grouper: The Reef's Big Frayed-Tail

Most fish have a smooth tail; the broomtail grouper looks like it swam through a hedge. That ragged, broom-like tail makes this big grouper easy to recognize. Here's how to spot it near Jacó, plus five fun facts.

Broomtail Grouper · Mycteroperca xenarcha

How to spot the broomtail grouper near Jacó

Look near large rocks, ledges and deeper reef, where broomtail grouper hold station. They're big and heavy-bodied, mottled gray-brown, and the giveaway is the tail — its edge looks frayed into little points, like the end of a broom. Big ones keep a wary distance.

5 fun facts about the broomtail grouper

• Named for that ragged tail. The trailing edge of the tail is broken into stiff little points, giving the 'broom' look that names the fish.
• A reef heavyweight. Broomtail grouper can grow several feet long and weigh well over a hundred pounds.
• Estuary kids. Young ones often grow up in mangroves and river mouths before moving out to the open reef.
• Suction-powered gulp. Like other groupers, it feeds by flaring its mouth to vacuum prey in whole.
• An Eastern Pacific giant. It ranges along the Pacific coast of the Americas, one of the region's largest reef groupers.

The broomtail grouper is just one of many characters down there. See the whole cast in our Snorkel Jaco fish directory, or read real guest photos and reviews on the Snorkel Jaco reviews.