The dusky grouper is a solitary fish. It can usually be observed at depths between 10 and 30 meters, in rocky bottoms. This large fish has a big mouth and is quite voracious, and one of the major predators in the Mediterranean Sea.

In the marine protected areas of the Mediterranean it is possible to find big dusky groupers of up to 1m length. In this area it is considered a delicacy. Due to overfishing, it is now considered an endangered species. The best time to observe them is during the summer, when mature individuals form spawning aggregations.