récifs extérieurs - Discover fishes living in these biotopes

The eye of this fish is masked by a black band that disrupts the visual perception of it body by predators. It has venomous spines on the dorsal and pectoral fins. It is easy to maintain in captivity but they need hiding places for shelter.

During the day it feeds on plankton near the surface. It descends to the bottom before dark to capture small invertebrates. The male is more colorful than the female. It is a protogynous hermaphrodite species: females become males. Its flesh is not appreciated.

The sailfin snapper frequents sandy bottoms in the immediate vicinity of coral reefs. This usually solitary fish preys on other fish, crustaceans, and various mollusk species. It is a tropical fish occasionally targeted by fishermen.

Its shape and color helps it hide perfectly among the underwater plants. There are similarities in the way it reproduces compared to seahorses. The male has no pocket, but it carries egg rows glued to a ventral furrow.

The twotone tang, like its counterparts, possesses scalpels at the base of the caudal fin. In times of danger, it can extend two small blades for protection against predators. Adults of these fish typically live in groups of around twenty individuals. They gather in large schools to spawn during the breeding season. They are exclusively herbivorous and graze on algae in coral-rich areas.