Coral reefs are among the most biologically diverse and valuable ecosystems on Earth. An estimated 25 percent of all marine life, including over 4,000 species of fish, are dependent on coral reefs at some point in their life cycle.
What is the most common reef fish?
Anemonefish (or clownfish) are certainly the most popular of reef fish. They are known for their ability to live among the tentacles of sea anemones.
What is the rarest fish in the coral reef?
The red handfish (Thymichthys politus) is a surpassingly rare reef fish that makes its way around the Tasman Sea not by swimming but by walking on its distinctively hand-like fins. It is considered among the rarest fish in the world, with only 20 to 40 individuals known in a single population.
Do tropical fish live in coral reef?
The
warm waters
around tropical coral reefs are home to a huge variety of fish and other sea animals Most of the fish are colorful and have interesting markings. Their bright colors help them to find each other or scare away predators (attackers).
What kind of fish is Nemo?
Best known for being featured in the movies “Finding Nemo” and “Finding Dory,” the clownfish has become a popular aquarium pet. Nemo and his dad, Marlin, are ocellaris clownfish, also called false clownfish or clown anemonefish Anemonefish are so-named for the sea anemones in which they make their homes.
Are clownfish in coral reefs?
The common clownfish is one of the most iconic coral reef species and the star of an extremely popular children’s cartoon. Like all clownfishes (also called anemonefishes), common clownfish live within the tentacles of a variety of venomous anemones.
What kind of fish is dory?
On coral reefs, “Dory,” the small vibrant blue fish with
black stripes
and a yellow tail , is known by several other names:
hippo tang
, Royal Blue Tang, Regal Tang, Palette Surgeonfish and by the scientific name Paracanthurus hepatus.
What is considered a reef fish?
Reef fish means any species of fish that predominantly inhabits inland waters, lagoons at whatever depth, and reef areas, inclusive of outer and submerged reefs to a depth of 50 fathoms.
Is salmon a reef fish?
Salmon are anadromous fish, this means that they hatch in freshwater, live the majority of their lives in the
saltwater ocean
and migrate back to the freshwater to spawn.
What is the most popular fish in the Great Barrier Reef?
From stunning bright colours to drab, muted hues, Damselfish are one of the most common species found in the Great Barrier Reef and can be seen virtually everywhere. Damselfish are surprisingly territorial for their size and diverse coloration.
What is the biggest fish in the Great Barrier Reef?
The
whale shark
is biggest of all Great Barrier Reef fish, growing up to 12m long. All Great Barrier Reef fish have ears: their ear bone is the only way for scientists to tell their age.
Can you eat coral reef fish?
Avoid eating the head, viscera, skin, and roe of coral reef fish which usually have higher concentration of toxin. When eating coral reef fish, avoid consuming alcohol, peanuts or beans as they may aggravate ciguatera poisoning.
Do puffer fish live in coral reefs?
Pufferfish live in warm waters. They can be found in most tropical oceans and usually prefer to live near coral reefs.
Do tuna live in coral reefs?
“While tuna spend their time in open water, tuna species as well as tuna fisheries depend on healthy coastal ecosystems such as coral reefs ,” says UN Environment corals expert Jerker Tamelander.
What do coral reef fish eat?
They are large herbivores that graze on the algae that grows on hard dead corals Equipped with two pairs of crushing jaws and their beaks, they pulverize chunks of algae-coated coral, digesting the algae and excreting the coral as fine sand.
Are corals fish?
Corals are in fact animals The branch or mound that we often call “a coral” is actually made up of thousands of tiny animals called polyps. A coral polyp is an invertebrate that can be no bigger than a pinhead to up to a foot in diameter.
Do seahorses live in coral reefs?
Seahorses occupy coral reefs and estuaries in the coastal waters of most oceans There, they use their prehensile tails to anchor themselves on coral or sea grass to hide from predators and avoid being washed away in the turbulence of currents and storms that frequent coastal areas.
What eats clown fish?
Clownfish are eaten by a group called Piscivores (Sheppard 2009). This group is made up of many organisms that live in the ocean, including groupers, sharks, and barracudas. Great White Sharks and Great Barracudas are two of the predators that prey on clownfish.
What type of fish live in saltwater?
Many kinds of fish live in the salty water of the oceans. A fish’s kidney keeps the proper balance of salt in its body. Popular saltwater fish are bluefish, cod, flounder, striped bass (also found in freshwater), sea trout, tarpon, tuna, halibut, rockfish, sea perch, lingcod, and yellowtail.
What is the most colorful saltwater fish?
- Blue Tang.
- Pajama Cardinalfish.
- Ocellaris Clownfish.
- Purple Firefish.
- Flame Angelfish.
- Mandarinfish.
- Lyretail Anthias.
- Longnose Hawkfish.
What is the most Colourful fish in the Great Barrier Reef?
Parrotfish : This fish gets its name not only from its brightly coloured patterns, but also its beak-shaped mouth. Try and spot them if you’re snorkelling because they’re often found not far from the surface of the reef’s waters. Surgeonfish: A school of these vivid fish is an incredible sight.
What are rare fish in the Great Barrier Reef?
Researchers exploring the depths of the northern Great Barrier Reef have found a rare species of “walking” fish never before recorded in Australian waters. This type of scorpion fish is called the Rhinopias agriloba , is normally found in waters around Hawaii, in the central Pacific.
Do fish know who you are?
A species of tropical fish has been shown to be able to distinguish between human faces. It is the first time fish have demonstrated this ability.
Sources
https://www.epa.gov/coral-reefs/basic-information-about-coral-reefs
https://newheavenreefconservation.org/learning-resources/explore-topics/coral-reef-fish
http://www.seasky.org/coral-reef-life/coral-reef-fishes.html