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Interesting and Indigenous Red Sea Fish

© Linda Gettmann

Twoband Anemonefish is the only clownfish in the Red Sea. Bright yellow and black with two bluish-white stripes, this colorful species is fun to watch and photograph. The clownfish secretes mucus that prevents the host anemone tentacles from stinging it, providing a refuge from predators. The fish gains more from this symbiotic relationship than the host does. All young clownfish are males, one of them changes its sex when the largest female is removed.

Domino is a damselfish that often shares an anemone with clownfish. The tiny black fish with a conspicuous white dot on its upper back is often mistaken for juvenile clownfish.

Anthias, jewel fairy basslet, or goldfish are the most obvious fish on the reef, fluttering around coral heads like orange butterflies. The males have purple markings while the females remain orange.

Masked or Blue-cheek Butterflyfish are stunning reef creatures with their solid yellow bodies and dark patch over the eye. They mate for life and are usually seen in pairs or small schools.

The Red Sea Bannerfish resembles a Moorish idol with its dorsal crest, but is actually a butterflyfish. These shy fish have such cute faces with a purposeful snout and little beady eyes, but they seem to enjoy turning away from the camera lens just as you move in for a shot.

Triggerfish are large, odd-shaped creatures with compressed bodies, large snouts and mouth and often with striking coloration. During the summer, males are seen hovering vertically over an indentation in the sand, guarding their mate’s eggs. They feed by blowing away sand on the bottom to uncover buried creatures. They can become quite aggressive when approached, charging divers with their teeth barred and occasionally biting at intruders. Titan triggerfish are beautifully colored in multi-hued stripes, the blue triggerfish is a deep cerulean blue and the Picasso triggerfish is smaller with yellow and black markings. All are seen frequently around the reefs of the Red Sea.

An interesting sand-dweller is the crocodile fish or carpet flathead. A master of camouflage, this flat-bodied fish waits to ambush unsuspecting prey. It rapidly changes color to match the nearby surroundings, making it hard to spot. Look for their bulging eyes sticking up out of the sand.

Blue spotted stingrays are usually found in sandy areas or hiding under table corals. They are approachable and tolerant of gawking divers and photographers.

Lionfish are some of the most graceful swimmers in the sea and also one of the most venomous. The large pectoral fins look like wings and the large dorsal fin spines are full of toxic poison. Don’t touch or you’ll be sorry. The two species in the Red Sea are the large black, white, and brown Pterois volitans and the smaller red Pterois radiata that is more shy and usually hides in coral crevices and under ledges. Both species are active at night, so be careful you don’t come in contact with those spines on a night dive.