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Atlantic Spadefish
Chaetodipterus faber Also called White Angelfish, Threetailed Porgy, Ocean Cobbler or Moonfish Weigh between 3-10 lbs but 20lbs has been recorded Grow up to 36 inches long |
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Balloonfish (Spiny Pufferfish)
Diodon holocanthus 8-14 inches Has enough poison to kill a human Spikes are actually modified scales |
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Barracuda (Great)
Sphyraena barracuda The only genus in the family of Sphyraenidae Their teeth are similar to paranhas Can grow to over 6 feet in length Many are carriers of ciguatera |
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Bicolour Damselfish
Stegastes partitus 4 inches Feeds on plankton, unlike most members of it's genus Form schools of up to twenty Live near rocky reefs |
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Black Grouper
Mycteroperca bonaci Also known as the Black Rockfish or Marble Rockfish Can weigh up to 55 lbs Protogynous hermaphrodite, young are typically female and transform into males as they grow larger |
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Blue Angelfish
Holacanthus bermudensis Although it looks very similar to the Queen Angelfish, they are two separate species Can grow up to 18 inches in length Originally has blue vertical bars on its body, but as it ages the bars fade and the body colour becomes lighter and brown and green colouring appears |
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Blue Tang
Acanthurus coeruleus 5-15 inches in length Also known as a blue doctor because of the scapels on either side of it's tail Juveniles are yellow, then intermediately change to blue with a yellow tail, and terminally to a blue adult They engage in cleaning behaviour as both cleaners and clients. |
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Bluestriped Grunt
Haemulon sciurus 8-10 inches Travels in schools Grunts by grinding it's pharyngeal teeth, while it's swim bladder amplifies this sound |
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Brown Chromis
Chromis multilineata 14 inches Also known as Pullers or Yellow Edge Chromis Varies in colours: brown-grey, olive green, black tips with yellow, with or without white tail spot Perform mating dance to attract partner Males turn darker and white spots appear during mating |
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Butter Hamlet
Hypoplectrus unicolour 5 inches Have both male and female sex organs as adults They take turns during mating fertilizing each other |
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Creole Wrasse
Clepticus parrae Males grow up to 1 foot (females are smaller) Change colours during lifespan, starting off purple, and ending with yellow spot near tail They are hermaphrodites when the dominant male dies, the largest female changes into a male |
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Doctorfish (Tang)
Acanthurus chirurgus Can grow up to 15 inches and weigh up to 11lbs Gets it’s name from scalpels on either side of the tail |
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Dusky Damselfish
Stegastes fuscus 4-6 inches Brown-olive to grey coloured, darker coloured vertical stripes on the body Fins are large and occasionally have a blue rim around edge of dorsal and anal fins (as pictured) Extremely territorial of food source, which they guard |
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Foureyed Butterflyfish
Chaetodon capistratus Found as far north as Massachusetts Spot on the back fools other fish into thinking it's the eye, while the real eye is disguised by a strip running through it They mate for life Can swim upside-down |
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French Angelfish (Adult)
Pomacanthus paru 41 inches Mate for life Return to the same hiding place every night |
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French Angelfish (Juvenile)Pomacanthus paru
Stripes fade over time |
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French Grunt
Haemulon flavolineatum 6-7 inches Travel in schools Grunts by grinding it's pharyngeal teeth, while it's swim bladder amplifies this sound |
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Goldentail Moray Eel
Gymnothorax miliaris Can grow up to 28 inches in length Feed nocturnally on fish, octopus and crustaceans They open their mo0uths to move water through their gills for respiration |
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Harlequin Bass
Serranus tigrinus Can grow up to 14 inches in length |
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High Hat (Juvenile)
Pareques acuminatus 6-9 inches Also known as Striped Drum Known as "Intermediate Stage" |
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High Hat (Adult)Pareques acuminatus
Stripes widen "Hat" shrinks Known as "Terminal Stage" |
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Hog Fish
Lachnolaimus maximus 36 inches (up to 24lb) Only true member of it's genus Sequential hermaphrodite - female first, matures into male Males can be identified by dark band from snout to dorsal spine One male will protect many females |
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Honeycomb Cowfish
Acanthostracion polygonius Can grow up to 20 inches Body is covered with toxic mucus that can be released when stressed |
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Graysby Grouper
Mycteroperca rosacea 6-16 inches Smaller species of grouper Only growing to a few pounds Sometimes referred to as Leopard Grouper for it's spotted skin |
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Lionfish
Pterois miles 14 inches Invasive species in the Caribbean (but grouper are feeding on it) Fin spines secrete venom that can kill humans Coloured red to tan or grey and has dark stripes on it's body |
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Midnight Parrotfish
Scarus coelestinus 3 feet Largest of all parrotfish Spend 80% of life searching for food No other species has as uniformly solid blue colouring |
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Nassau Grouper
Epinephelus striatus The most popular grouper for commercial fisheries in the Caribbean, although it is now endangered and at high risk for extinction Can weigh up to 55lbs and reach over three feet in length |
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Night Sergeant
Abudefduf Taurus Between 5-8 inches in length The largest of all Caribbean damselfish They have the same bars as sergeant majors, but are brownish-green to blue in colour |
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Porkfish
Anisotremus virginicus Can reach a length of 16 inches, but most are under 10 inches Reported as a ciguatera toxin carrier |
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Redband Parrotfish
Sparisoma aurofrenatum Travel solo or in small groups Sequential hermaphrodite (from male to female) Male "Intermediate Stage" |
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Redband Parrotfish
Sparisoma aurofrenatum Female "Terminal Stage" |
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Reef Butterflyfish
Chaetodon sedentarius Can grow up to 6 inches Black bar on head running through the eye, and a broad vertical black bar before the tail Prefers to feed on the eggs of sergeant majors |
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Scrawled Filefish
Aluterus scriptus Large specimens can grow up to 43 inches in length Juveniles have yellow bodies with black spots |
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Sergeant Major
Abudefduf saxatillis Also known as “Píntano” Gets it’s name from the bold stripes on their sides, as they are reminiscent of insignia of a military sergeant major During breeding, males will turn blue They are territorially aggressive |
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Sharpnose Puffer
Canthigaster rostarna 4.5 inches Coexist with other Sharpnose Puffers in complex social structure Behaviour changes during the day: dawn they spawn, daytime they forage and defend, at dusk they seek shelter, at night they sleep Their flesh is filled with tetrodotoxin, a poison They inflate themselves with water to appear larger to predators |
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Smooth Trunkfish
Rhinesomus triqueter The only member of it’s genus Can grow as large as 19 inches, but average around 8 inches Juveniles have dark coloured bodies with large yellow spots, they then fade to become pale and slowly the honeycomb pattern appears |
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Spanish Grunt
Haemulon macrostomum 10-15 inches in length During they day they linger over reefs, and at night they head to open ocean to feed Travel in schools |
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Spanish Hogfish
Bodianus rufus 11-16 inches Juveniles are cleaner fish, adults prey on crustaceans and echinoderms Type of wrasse |
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Spotted Drumfish
Equetus punctatus Swims in repetative patterns at opening of small caves Feeds at night |
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Spotted Goatfish
Pseudupeneus maculatus Grows up to 5-8 inches Use two barbels under their chin to sense food udner the sand Capable of changing colour patterns in less than a minute Change colour from red to white |
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Spotted Moray Eel
Gymnothorax mooring 23 inches (average) - (up to) 7 feet Solitary animal that lives in holes Bite can be dangerous to humans |
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Snook (Common)
Centropomus undecimalis1.6 - 4.5 feet One of the largest types of snook During spawning pelvic and caudal fin turn yellow |
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Spotfin Butterflyfish
Chaetodon ocellatus 6-9 inches Black bar through eye confuses predators Black bar through eye disappears as it matures, and more bars appear Extremely territorial and will kill each other |
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Stoplight Parrotfish
Sparisoma viride 1-2 feet In initial phase it could be male or female In initial phase it can change colour of scales on underside from red to white In terminal phase (pictured) it is male |
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Tiger Grouper
Mycteroperca tigris Can weigh up to 10lbs and reach 35 inches in length Groupers draw in prey by sucking it into their mouths Live in 5-20 feet of water |
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Tomtate
Haemulon aurolineatum 5-8 inches in length Specific to parts of Florida and The Bahamas |
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Trumpet Fish
Aulostomus maculatus 15-31 inches, but can grow up to 3 feet Often swims vertically to blend into coral environment Spawning habits are unknown |
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Yellowhead Wrasse
Halichoeres garnoti Can grow up to 7.5 inches in length Juveniles are yellow with a lateral bright blue stripe The next phase they are female, with dark backs, blue shading and yellow undersides As adults, they are male and the head and front part of the body are yellow, the back half is silvery cray with a vertical black bar and broad black stripes along the back |
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