lautnusantara.com - Red emperor fish is a type of carnivorous fish which means their diet consist of smaller fishes, crustacean and cephalopods. They are usually a solitary fish but it is also common to see them in a group with similar sized individuals. Red emperor fish size when they reach sexual maturity is 61 – 63 cm measured by their fork length. This fish will reach sex maturity at the age of 9 years old. This is quite a long process compared to the other fish species. Females growth rate will decreases compared to the males as they sexually mature. The sized of the adult males usually is larger that the females. 

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Red emperor snapper is a fish that belong to Lutjanus family like most of the red snapper. This fish has a very deep body, its length being just over twice its depth. The forehead is steeply sloped. The dorsal fin on this fish has total 11 spines and 15 or 16 soft rays. On the anal fin there are 3 spines and 10 soft rays, the spine on the rear of the dorsal and anal fins is very pointed. Red emperor can growth to a maximum range at 60 – 116 cm and the maximum weight that has been caught is 32.7 kg. this fish has reddish color and sometimes pink with red fins. Red emperor distribution is spread in the Indo-Pacific. They can be found from Eastern Africa to Southern Africa into the Pacific Ocean. This fish inhabit a rocky coral reef area, preferring flat area with sand or gravel substrate.

Red emperor season to spawn is happen from October until April. They can live up to 40 years. Their juvenile is commonly seen around sea urchins, while the larger adults is move to deeper waters but sometimes return to shallow waters. Their juvenile is less than 20 cm in length and commonly will be found in the shore, turbid waters, and mangrove area. 

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This fish is a commercially important fish, because of their high demand in the market aside from the wild catch Red emperor is also farmed. Red emperor has a white flesh and is very popular among the fish lovers. Its meat is similar to the snapper but it has large and tender flake. Red emperor fish fillet can be cook with various methods like steamed, pan-fried, or barbecued. The whole fish also can be grilled or steamed.