Consumption of this species is considered unsustainable because no accurate stock assessment is available. Think before consuming this species, and always respect sustainable sizes and breeding seasons.

Non toxic.

Head and body beige-brownish, fins darker; two dark head lines — one from under the eye to the interopercle, another from the maxillary streak to the preopercle; adults brown or greyish brown with a distinct yellow blotch below the spinous dorsal fin. Body depth less than head length (depth fits 3.0–3.4 times in SL); head length 2.5–2.7 times in SL; interorbital area convex; angular preopercle with 2–3 enlarged serrae; flat but visible middle and lower opercular spines. Looks like: Dusky Grouper (Epinephelus marginatus): Both have a similar body shape, and the dusky grouper often has yellowish blotches on its body, which can be mistaken for the gold blotches of E. costae.

Golden groupers live in nests or holes!