Tropical Eastern Pacific - List of fishes

The convict surgeonfish are common inhabitants of the lagoons and seagrass beds of the Indo-Pacific region. Fond of filamentous algae, these herbivorous fish are often found in mangroves and estuaries, at the edge of freshwater. They are easily recognizable by their vertical black stripes.

With an adult size that can exceed 70 cm, the yellowfin surgeonfish is one of the largest fish in its family. This species is found from the coasts of East Africa to the Galápagos Islands. It mainly feeds on diatoms, algae that make up plankton.

The tete sea catfish is listed from Mexico to Peru in the coastal waters of the Pacific coast. It is characterized by large eyes useful for hunting its prey (crustaceans, fish) and escaping from its predators. These territorial fish are among the few species of catfish adapted to marine life.

The body of this fish is almost completely covered with small spines. It can swell with water and triple in size to impress predators. Its flesh is toxic. In the aquarium, it is very voracious and grows rapidly. It can damage, with a bite, the decors, pipes, diffusers ...

Carcharhinus falciformis, known as the silky shark, is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical seas. However, this species is threatened due to overfishing, and is classified as vulnerable by the IUCN. Recognizable by its elongated and slender body, gray back, and white belly, this fast and aggressive predator feeds on fish, mollusks, and crustaceans.

The bull shark is listed in most tropical and subtropical seas. It is feared due to its propensity to attack humans, being responsible for most recorded fatal attacks to date. This active predator primarily hunts in murky waters. It is capable of swimming long distances and adapts to changes in salinity, frequenting estuaries, coves along the coasts, and waters with high turbidity.

The Coral Hawkfish most often rests in or under the corals to ambush its prey, mainly crustaceans and small fish. In this species, territorial males form a harem of females. Reproduction occurs in the water column, with eggs and larvae developing in ocean currents and becoming part of the zooplankton.

The long-spine porcupinefish is a pufferfish found in the majority of tropical and subtropical marine areas around the globe. Juveniles can be found in small groups. As they age, this species becomes more solitary. Specialized in hunting mollusks and small crustaceans, this fish exhibits a seemingly clumsy swimming behavior.

The dorsal fin of the fish, turned into suction cup allows it to cling to other animals. It sticks mostly to the body of the animal, but also in the mouth or near the gills of some "hosts" (mantas, sharks ...). it often eats its host food leftovers.

This butterflyfish is easily recognized by its elongated snout, which is useful for capturing aquatic microorganisms among corals. It also uses it to peck at the feet of echinoderms, the pedicellariae of sea urchins, and the tentacles of marine worms.

The tiger shark is the third largest shark in the world. It is recognizable by its distinctive stripes along its sides, and by its short, flat snout. Tiger sharks are opportunistic hunters, known for their "bite-and-see" exploratory behavior to assess the nutritional value of their prey. These sharks generally prefer shallow waters, but can sometimes be found at greater depths.

The barred flagtail gets its name from the pattern on its caudal fin. In the wild, it is found in large schools not far from the shore. At nightfall, these fish go hunting for crustaceans and small fish.

The blue shark, also known as the "blue skin shark," is a pelagic predator found in temperate and tropical marine waters, with occasional sightings near the coast. Its wide distribution, however, is threatened by overfishing. Recognizable by its blue back and white belly, this sleek-bodied shark mainly feeds on small fish, mollusks, cephalopods, and sometimes birds.