More About the Fish
This is where you can learn more about the fish size, habitat, shape, color, and distinguishing features. All information taken from personally collected data.
Surgeonfish
Ocean Surgeon
Size Range: 5 - 40 cm
Average Size: 11 - 20 cm
Shape: Oval
Color: Blue Gray to Dark Brown
Distinguishing Features: Yellow pectoral fin and contrast between caudal fin (tail) and body.
Habitat type: 69% of sightings on coral
Blue Tang
Size Range: 5 - 30 cm
Average Size: 11 - 20 cm
Shape: Oval
Color: Light to dark blue
Distinguishing Features: Bright to pale yellow oval on caudal peduncle (skinny part where tail meets body)
Habitat type: 65% of sightings on coral
Grunts
French Grunt
Size Range: 5 - 40 cm
Average Size: 11 - 20 cm
Shape: Oblong
Color: Yellow with blue stripes
Distinguishing Features: Angled blue stripes from snout up and yellow caudal fin (differs from bluestripe grunt)
Habitat type: 40% of sightings under ledges, and 47% of sightings on coral
Bluestriped Grunt
Size Range: 5 - > 40 cm
Average Size: 11 - 20 cm
Shape: Oblong
Color: Yellow with blue horizontal stripes
Distinguishing Features: Dark brown and yellow caudal fin and dorsal fin (differs from the French Grunt)
Habitat type: 44% of sightings on coral, and 33% of sightings under ledges
Porkfish
Size Range: 5 - 30 cm
Average Size: 11 - 20 cm
Shape: Tall, flat; tapering from head to caudal peduncle
Color: Yellow, silver/white, and black
Distinguishing Features: Two strips of "Bacon" down side of face.
Habitat type: 43% of sightings on coral, and 36% of sightings on sand
Groupers
Goliath Grouper
Size Range: > 40 cm
Average Size: > 40 cm
Shape: Robust, elongated
Color: Tan, brown, and black
Distinguishing Features: Huge!
Habitat type: 72% of sightings in the water column
Black Grouper
Size Range: 11 - > 40 cm
Average Size: 21 - 30 cm
Shape: Robust, elongated
Color: Black, gray, or light gray splotches on tan body
Distinguishing Features: Usually dark. Large standard grouper mouth
Habitat type: 44% of sightings under ledges, 44% of sightings on coral
Harlequinn Bass
Size Range: < 5 cm - 10 cm
Average Size: < 5 cm
Shape: Cylindrical with pointed nose
Color: white with brown or black stripes
Distinguishing Features: Small with plaid-like pattern
Habitat type: 75% of sightings on coral
Angelfish
Queen Angelfish
Size Range: 5 - > 40 cm
Average Size: 11 - 20 cm
Shape: Oval
Color: Blue and yellow
Distinguishing Features: Crown- like coloring on head
Habitat type: 50% of sightings on coral, 30% of sightings under ledges
French Angelfish
Size Range: 11 - >40 cm
Average Size: 21-30 cm
Shape: Flat, oval shaped
Color: Grey, yellow, and dark grey.
Distinguishing Features: Yellow "French tip" scales.
Habitat type: 64% of sightings on coral
Rock Beauty
Size Range: < 5 - 40 cm
Average Size: 11 - 20 cm
Shape: Oval, flat
Color: Black and yellow
Distinguishing Features: three sections of color, head, body, and tail
Habitat type: 70% of sightings on coral
Gray Angelfish
Size Range: 11 - > 40 cm
Average Size: 21 - 30 cm
Shape: Flat, oval
Color: Gray and yellow
Distinguishing Features: Gray with the only yellow located on pectoral fins
Habitat type: 64% of sightings on coral
Gobys
Neon Goby
Size Range: < 5 - 10 cm
Average Size: < 5 cm
Shape: Cylindrical
Color: Black, blue, and white
Distinguishing Features: Neon blue stripe horizontal on each side.
Habitat type: 91% of sightings on coral
Bridled Goby
Size Range: < 5 - 10 cm
Average Size: < 5 cm
Shape: Cylindrical
Color: Light white and brown
Distinguishing Features: Blend into sand and sit on bottom near holes and crevasses
Habitat type: 67% of sightings on sand
Parrotfish
Blue Parrotfish
Size Range: 11 - >40 cm
Average Size: 11 - 20 cm
Shape: Oval
Color: Blue
Distinguishing Features: Protruding head, and beak like mouth
Habitat type: 86% of sightings on coral
Princess Parrotfish
Size Range: 11 - > 40 cm
Average Size: 21 - 30 cm
Shape: Oval
Color: Red, blue, white, and yellow
Distinguishing Features: Blue "makeup" around eyes and mouth
Habitat type: 67% of sightings on coral
Midnight Parrotfish
Size Range: 5 - > 40 cm
Average Size: 21 - 30 cm
Shape: Oval
Color: Dark and Light blue
Distinguishing Features: Light blue mixed with dark blue on face
Habitat type: 50% of sightings on coral
Rainbow Parrotfish
Size Range: 11 - > 40 cm
Average Size: 31- 40 cm
Shape: Oval
Color: Red, orange, green, and blue
Distinguishing Features: Beak-like mouth, and array of colors on scales
Habitat type: 69% of sightings on coral
Redband Parrotfish
Size Range: 11 - 40 cm
Average Size: 21 - 30 cm
Shape: Oval
Color: Red, light blue, green, and tan
Distinguishing Features: Red dorsal and anal fins with green on top of head
Habitat type: 75% of sighting on coral
Stoplight Parrotfish
Size Range: 11 - > 40 cm
Average Size: 11 - 20 cm
Shape: Oval
Color: Yellow, blue, and light green
Distinguishing Features: Yellow "stoplight" on tail fin
Habitat type: 76% of sighting on coral
Wrasse
Spanish Hogfish
Size Range: 5 - 40 cm
Average Size: 11 - 20 cm
Shape: Elongated
Color: Yellow and purple/blue/gray
Distinguishing Features: Hog-like snout, and dark blotch from eye to mid-back
Habitat type: 50% of sightings on coral
Hogfish
Size Range: 5 - > 40 cm
Average Size: 21 - 30 cm
Shape: Laterally compressed
Color: Sandy with black spot
Distinguishing Features: Three streamers in front of dorsal fin
Habitat type: 69% of sightings on sand
Yellowhead Wrasse
Size Range: < 5 - 40 cm
Average Size: 5 - 10 cm
Shape: Thin and lengthened
Color: Yellow, green, and pale green
Distinguishing Features: Yellow head
Habitat type: 70% of sightings on coral
Bluehead Wrasse
Size Range: < 5 - 20 cm
Average Size: 5 - 10 cm
Shape: Thin and lengthened
Color: Blue, black, white, and yellow
Distinguishing Features: blue head with two black bars separated with white
Habitat type: 78% of sightings on coral
Damselfish
Brown Chromis
Size Range: 5 - 30 cm
Average Size: 5 - 10 cm
Shape: Oval
Color: Brown
Distinguishing Features: Deeply forked tail with white spot on caudal peduncle
Habitat type: 90% of sightings on coral
Bicolor Damselfish
Size Range: < 5 - 10 cm
Average Size: < 5 cm
Shape: Oval
Color: Brown, white, and yellow
Distinguishing Features: Actually has three colors with yellow between the white and brown
Habitat type: 83% of sightings on coral
Cocoa Damselfish
Size Range: 5 - 20 cm
Average Size: 5 - 10 cm
Shape: Oval
Color: Yellow and blue
Distinguishing Features: Black "cocoa bean" spot on top of caudal fin
Habitat type: 90% on coral
Blue Chromis
Size Range: < 5 - 20 cm
Average Size: 5 - 10 cm
Shape: Oval
Color: Blue
Distinguishing Features: Deeply forked tail, and Neon blue appearance
Habitat type: 87% of sightings on coral
Beaugregory
Size Range: No Data
Average Size: No Data
Shape: Oval
Color: Blue and yellow
Distinguishing Features: Neon Blue stripes on top of head
Habitat type: No Data
Yellowtail Damselfish
Size Range: < 5 - 20 cm
Average Size: 11 - 20 cm
Shape: Elongated oval
Color: Blue and yellow
Distinguishing Features: Yellow tail and neon spots over body
Habitat type: 71% of sightings on coral
Sergeant Major
Size Range: < 5 - 30 cm
Average Size: 5 - 10 cm
Shape: Oval
Color: Black, yellow, and gray
Distinguishing Features: Black bars across body
Habitat type: 43% of sightings in water column, and 38% of sightings on coral
Butterflyfish
Banded Butterflyfish
Size Range: 5 - 20 cm
Average Size: 5 - 10 cm
Shape: Circle
Color: Black and gray
Distinguishing Features: Vertical bands on body, and a tapered nose
Habitat type: 73% of sightings on coral
Spotfin Butterflyfish
Size Range: < 5 - 20 cm
Average Size: 5 - 10 cm
Shape: Circle
Color: Yellow, black, and white
Distinguishing Features: Spot on the tip of the second dorsal fin
Habitat type: 89% of sightings on coral
Foureye Butterflyfish
Size Range: < 5 - 20 cm
Average Size: 5- 10 cm
Shape: circle
Color: Yellow, black, and white
Distinguishing Features: Eye imitation on each side
Habitat type: 92% of sightings on coral
Snappers
Mahogany Snapper
Size Range: 5 - 20 cm
Average Size: 11 - 20 cm
Shape: Elongated oval
Color: Gray and red
Distinguishing Features: Redish-brown on tips of all fins
Habitat type: 50% of sightings on sand, 50% of sightings in the water column
Schoolmaster
Size Range: 11 - > 40 cm
Average Size: 31 - 40 cm
Shape: Elongated oval
Color: Gray and yellow
Distinguishing Features: Faded bars on back, and yellow fins
Habitat type: Coral, sand, and under ledges each 33%
Yellowtail Snapper
Size Range: 5 - 30 cm
Average Size: 11 - 20 cm
Shape: Elongated oval
Color: Yellow and silver
Distinguishing Features: Yellow tail, dots and horizontal stripe
Habitat type: 71% of sightings in the water column
Goatfish
Spotted Goatfish
Size Range: 5 - 30 cm
Average Size: 11 - 20 cm
Shape: Elongated
Color: White and brown
Distinguishing Features: Dark spots horizontally lined up with eyes, goat-beard-like barbs on chin
Habitat type: 60% of sightings on coral
Yellow Goatfish
Size Range: < 5 - 30 cm
Average Size: 11 - 20 cm
Shape:
Color:
Distinguishing Features: Yellow tail and horizontal stripe down body, and goat-beard-like barbs on chin
Habitat type: Coral, sand, and in water column each 29%
Other
Sharpnose Puffer
Size Range: < 5 cm
Average Size: < 5 cm
Shape: Oval
Color: Green and white
Distinguishing Features: Dark green top, large eyes, and prominent snout
Habitat type: 100% of sightings on coral
Smooth Trunkfish
Size Range: 5 - 30 cm
Average Size: 11 - 20 cm
Shape: Triangular
Color: Brown and white
Distinguishing Features: Speckled with white, large snout, and triangular crossection
Habitat type: 67% of sightings on coral
Trumpetfish
Size Range: 11 - 40 cm
Average Size: 21 - 30 cm
Shape: Long and cylindrical
Color: Yellow, brown, and green
Distinguishing Features: Long body with flared nose
Habitat type: 75% of sightings on coral
Scrawled Filefish
Size Range: 5 - 20 cm
Average Size: 11 - 20 cm
Shape: Oval, flat
Color: Green and blue
Distinguishing Features: Neon blue "scribbles", pronounced snout
Habitat type: 100% of sightings on coral
Blacktip Reef Shark
Size Range: 31 - > 40 cm
Average Size: > 40 cm
Shape: Fusiform
Color: Gray-brown
Distinguishing Features: Black tips on pectoral and dorsal fins
Habitat type: Sand and water column each 50%
Bermuda Chub
Size Range: 5 - > 40 cm
Average Size: 21 -30 cm
Shape: Oval
Color: Gray
Distinguishing Features: Fat (chubby) with slight silver horizontal lines across body
Habitat type: 50% of sightings in the water column
Barracuda
Size Range: 11 - > 40 cm
Average Size: 21 - 30 cm
Shape: Elongated
Color: Gray and black
Distinguishing Features: mouth faces up, long body, large tail
Habitat type: 60% of sightings in the water column