Bahamas Snorkeling Reef Fish

Reef Fish in the Bahamas

Snorkeling in the Bahamas is an experience present on many bucket lists, as well as to-do lists of both tourists and natives. It can be an experience similar to no other--and quite different every time depending on where you're snorkeling. Once under the water there are a number of things one can encounter--including reef fish.

There are quite a number of Angelfish that can be found in the reefs of the Bahamas. In fact, there are around one hundred different species of Angelfish that live in the waters of Southern Hemisphere. There are the Queen Angelfish, which dwell anywhere between twenty and eighty feet below the water. Their colorful blue and yellow colors are sure to catch some eyes. The Gray Angelfish are also a common site, though their gray bodies blends in easy to the reefs around them. While Angelfish are a fairly common site, the species is actually a threatened one.

It's quite possible to catch a glimpse of some Butterflyfish while Bahamas snorkeling. Butterflyfish are known for their large oval-shaped bodies, though they're typically small, averaging out around four inches. One species of Butterflyfish in the Bahamas is the Foureye Butterflyfish. Exactly as it sounds, with two extra black spots this fish looks like it has four eyes. Also common are the Spotfin Butterflyfish and the Longsnout Butterflyfish. Longsnout Butterflyfish tend to stay on the smaller side, with their pointed noses accounting for almost a third of their size.

One of the more colorful fish to be seen during Bahamas snorkeling are Parrotfish. Interestingly enough, the first thing snorkelers notice isn't usually their bright colors--it's the cloud of waste they leave behind them. Seventy-five percent of that waste is only reef rock that got ingested while searching for algae. One type of Parrotfish found in the Caribbean is the Spotlight Parrotfish, which can two feet in size. Some other species of Parrotfish found in the Caribbean are the Blue Parrotfish, Rainbow Parrotfish, and the Princess Parrotfish. The excrement of Parrotfish, after washing ashore, dries and hardens--many people happen to mistake this as sand.

The Hogfish gets its name from their pig-like snout and protruding mouth. They also happen to be common fish to see when Bahamas snorkeling. Hogfish use their snout to root for the sand, foraging for food. The Spanish Hogfish is found in the Bahamas, most recognizable by its mix of yellow and purple colors. Interestingly enough, the Hogfish, also known as Lachnolaimus maximus, can live up to eleven years.

There are quite a number of red fish that can be seen when snorkeling in the Bahamas. Though they may look alike, it's quite possible that they are different species altogether. There's the Squirrelfish, which are nocturnal, and tend to hide in reefs and under rocky ledges during the day. They're known for the clicking and grunting noises they can make by vibrating their swim bladders. Another type of red fish that is found in the Bahamas is the Glasseye Snapper, which is a member of the Bigeye Fish family. No need to worry, these fish don't actually snap. These fish can be identified by their white-looking eyes. During the daytime the Glasseye Snapper likes to stay in water that's deeper than six feet. Another family of red fish that reside in the Bahamas are the Cardinalfishes. There is the Pale Cardinalfish, which can live up to one hundred feet below the water. There's also the Mimic Cardinalfish, which mimics that behavior of the Black-lined Blenny, a poisonous fish. A few other species of Cardinalfish found in the Bahamas are the Belted Cardinalfish, Whitestar Cardinalfish, and the Flamefish.

A very interesting family of fish that dwell in the Bahamas are the Porcupinefish. Two members of that family that can be seen are the Balloonfish and the Bridled Burrfish. As the name suggests, Balloonfish have the ability to inflate their bodies. They do this by taking water or air into their digestive tracts, which can increase their size by up to three times. The Balloonfish, in its rested state, measures around ten inches. Therefore, inflated, it can measure up to thirty inches. Burrfish have very few predators since they're covered with spines and also have the ability to inflate. The Burrfish can most easily be identified by its iridescent greenish blue pupils.

There is an amazing of variety of fish that can be found in the Bahamas while snorkeling. So much variety, in fact, that it would almost impossible to list them all. However, the experience of Bahamas snorkeling is like now other.