The coral reef provides the shelter needed for fish. Many of these fish are quite colorful in appearance, including the parrotfishes, damselfishes, butterflyfishes, and angelfishes of the water. There are also exotic-looking inhabitants, such as the scorpion fish. In this article, we will encounter the tales of the eels and snapper that live by coral reefs as well.
Eels:
Sticking close to the coral reef, you will also find the eel, which has a tendency to either swim about shallow waters or run for cover in the depths of the bottom layer of the ocean. They have always been known to burrow themselves in hole at the floor of the ocean. Some eel species are considered to be great swimmers, while others are more connected with lying dormant or hiding. Did you know that there are even a few theories swirling around, hinting that the Loch Ness Monster is actually really a giant eel?
Parrotfish:
Residing in mostly tropical environments, the parrotfish usually lives about the shallow reefs of the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans. Today, there are around 90 different species of the fish. When you hear the name of this type of fish, you may think it is named after its colorful body, which is much similar to the parrot.
In actuality, even though the parrotfish can be blue, red, yellow and green in color, this is not a common trait among the fish species. The name “parrotfish” really makes reference to the way the many teeth of the fish are situated within their jawbone area. The result of this positioning creates a mouth area that is much similar to that of the beak of a parrot. It is with this beak that the fish extracts algae to eat from the coral.
Snapper:
Residing in tropical and subtropical parts of the ocean, there are close to 100 known species of the snapper. They usually grow to be a meter in length, searching the open water for crustaceans and other fish to feed upon. Some have been known to eat a meal of plankton every once in a while. This type of fish can thrive in ocean depths of up to 450 meters.
Scorpion Fish:
There are many different fish in the coral reef that possess striking features. The scorpion fish is one of these critters. Within this group of fish, you will find one of the most poisonous marine fish species in the entire world. While there are hundreds of members attached to this species of fish, you will be able to locate them throughout the tropical and temperate waters throughout the Indo-Pacific part of the globe. In this family, you will find the lionfish, which is pretty cool to look at, but is quite the dangerous fellow.
Spines, dorsal fins, ridges, a compressed body appearance, as well as various rays are some of the characteristics associated with the scorpion fish family. The venom that they possess can be found in their pelvic, anal, and dorsal fins.
When it comes to feeding, most of these fish species gulp their prey, mostly while they lie hidden in the waters. This is a common practice connected to the stonefish, who waits for their pass to unknowingly pass them by. Other types of this fish will use their spines to paralyze their prey. Then, they gulp them down. The most common kinds of food that the scorpion fish will eat include smaller fish species, as well as crustaceans.