Key West Coral Reef & Fish Information

Most people are familiar with the gracefully symmetrical Angelfish because the freshwater Cichlidae species from South America are very popular aquarium fish. Marine Angelfish are actually from a different family of fish, the Pomacanthidae, and are found on shallow reefs in the tropical Atlantic, Indian, and mostly western Pacific Oceans. Bright colors and deep, laterally […]

Blacktip Sharks are related to the Blue Shark, Bull Shark, and Tiger Shark. They are common in coastal tropical waters around the world, and may be found around river mouths, bays, mangrove swamps, and in other estuaries. The Blacktip Shark has a stout body, a pointed snout, relatively small eyes, and 5 pairs of long […]

Many people were introduced to the Blue Tang as Dory in the 2003 Disney/Pixar animated film Finding Nemo. One of 75 species of Acanthuridae, or Surgeon Fish, like other members of this family the Blue Tang possesses a scalpel-sharp mobile spine on either side at the base of its tail. This spine lays flat in […]

There are many species of Butterfly Fish found in coral reef environments throughout Indo-Pacific and Caribbean waters. The Banded Butterfly Fish, so named for its three bold black vertical stripes on a cream background, is common on the Florida Reef. Another easily recognizable species is the Foureye Butterfly Fish that has a large black spot […]

Conch are fast-growing marine snails that feed on algae. The name is generally applied to several types of large sea snails, but true conchs belong to the family Strombidae, genus Strombus. The larger types of Conch found in the Carribean, such as the Queen Conch, grow from tiny larvae into adult snails weighing about 4.5 […]

Coral is formed by colonies of tiny marine organisms called polyps that extract minerals from seawater to create hard carbonate exoskeletons. Accumulations of various types of living and dead coral are what make up coral reefs. Coral reefs form in warm, clear, sunny, agitated waters like those found along coastlines in tropical regions. The Florida […]

A great number of species of Damselfish inhabit tropical rocky and coral reefs around the world. A few species live in fresh or brackish waters and some live in warm temperate climates. Damselfish are generally small (4-8in) but a few species can reach lengths of 14 inches. They are oval-shaped fish with large, rear-oriented dorsal […]

Not to be confused with the Mahi-Mahi, a gamefish commonly called Dolphin, true Dolphins are warm-blooded, air-breathing marine mammals closely related to whales and porpoises. Dolphins are carnivores that eat mostly fish and squid. About forty species of Dolphin live in the shallow continental shelf waters of oceans worldwide. The Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin is the […]

Marine Sponges are multicellular animals but they lack true tissues, organs, and nervous, digestive and circulatory systems. There are between five to ten thousand known species of Sponge living in oceans worldwide from the polar regions to the tropics. Sponges take on many forms and colors depending on their species, location, and growth conditions, but […]

The giant Goliath Grouper is arguably one the most dramatic fish spotted on Key West scuba diving trips. Large mature specimens are kings of the reef, with no natural predators. Goliath Groupers range the shallow tropical waters of the western Atlantic Ocean from Florida, through the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, and south along […]

The Great Barracuda is a big, aggressive, dangerous-looking apex predator that is capable of speeds up to 27 miles per hour. They are long, slim fish with silvery torpedo-shaped bodies, pointed heads, and mouths full of sharp, canine-like teeth. Large specimens have irregular dark blotches along their sides, while juveniles may have a tiger-striped appearance. […]

Grunts are a very wide-spread family of fish with about 133 species found in tropical fresh, brackish, and salt waters around the world. Grunts get their name from the sound they produce by grinding their teeth. They are bottom-feeding predators that are distinguishable from Snappers by their thick, prominent lips. The Grunts most commonly seen […]

Hogfish are large members of the Wrasse family of reef fishes. Like other Wrasses species, Hogfish undergo changes in coloring and body structure as they mature. The common Hogfish Lachnolaimus maximus seen around Key West are usually between 1-2 feet in length. They are pinkish-white in the juvenile stage, with the first three rays of […]

The Lemon Shark is named for its pale yellow-brown coloring and rough skin that suggests the color and texture of a lemon. In the western Atlantic Ocean, Lemon Sharks range through the coastal inshore waters from New Jersey to the tropical waters of southern Brazil, including into the Gulf of Mexico. The Lemon Shark is […]

The Lionfish is a dramatic-looking fish with bold red-brown or orange stripes alternating with a cream color and long, ornate spiny fins that deliver a venomous sting and also serve as camouflage when the Lionfish is lying in wait for prey. Also known as Turkeyfish or Zebrafish, Lionfish are aggressive predators and can strike very […]

The various species of Nurse Shark are typically inshore tropical and subtropical bottom-dwelling Sharks. Nurse Sharks are brownish colored, quite sedentary, and commonly spotted lying on the bottom near shallow coral reefs, on sea grass flats, and around mangrove islands. They have tough skin that is well-suited to lying and hunting among sharp corals. Nurse […]

There are many varieties of Parrotfish found on the coral reefs of the Florida Keys and almost all of them are big (1-2ft), colorful, and unusual-looking fish. Parrotfish are named for their many colors and hard, beak-like mouths made for grazing on coral. Specialized teeth in the fish’s throat crush the coral so that the […]

The Porcupinefish, sometimes called the Spot-Fin Porcupine Puffer, is a medium-sized fish (12-15in) found in tropical and subtropical waters around the world. Its habitat includes holes and caves in reefs at depths from about 7 to 170 feet. The Porcupinefish has an elongated body with a distinctive large head and big, round protruding eyes. Coloration […]

The Red Grouper is restricted to the coastal waters of the western Atlantic Ocean, where it is a dominant predator of the coral reef environment. Red Groupers are non-migratory fish that are most abundant in water from 50 to 300 feet deep. They seek out shelters among rocks or in holes and are often seen […]

Sea Turtles are ancient creatures with a family history going back 150 million years to the Late Jurassic period. The seven existing species of Sea Turtles are the Flatback Sea Turtle, Green Sea Turtle, Hawksbill Sea Turtle, Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle, Leatherback Sea Turtle, Loggerhead Sea Turtle, and Olive Ridley Sea Turtle. Of these species, […]