The French grunt drifts in large groups in sheltered reef areas during the day. It forages nearby for other fish at night. The fish produces a grunt-like sound by grinding teeth located in the throat. The sound is amplified by the adjacent swim bladder. During territorial skirmishes, male grunts will face and push each other with open mouths.
Edibility is excellent.
Range is Bermuda, South Carolina to Brazil, and the Gulf of Mexico.