Fish Guide

Body shape is the most important feature of a fish when trying to identify different families. When you can differentiate between the families such as the angelfish or the butterflyfish, it becomes easier to find certain species. Once you have isolated the family, look for distinguishing features such as different shaped tails and fins, the shape of the mouth and patterns adorning the individual fish. Different colour patterns include; bars, bands, horizontal stripes or lines, checks, blotches, speckles, spots and rings. Tail shapes can be classed as rounded, square, forked and crescent.
The depth of colour in the markings are not as important as their shapes and patterns, because most fish have different intensity ofcolour depending on their activity. When hunting colours are often
muted or camouflaged, as apposed to courtship rituals, when the males adopt vibrantly rich colours to entice females into spawning. Bright colours are also used to warn other animals of danger, such as the poisonous lionfish, and to camouflage themselves by imitating patterns and even the movement of corals in an effort to survive.
The different environments and swimming methods also provide a large clue towards identification. Pelagic or open ocean fish such as trevally are usually silver or gray with elongated bodies and forked
tail fins for enhanced speed, while the sand dwellers such as the gobies and grubfish are well camouflaged with modified pelvic fins for resting upon. Many of the reef fish swim using their pectoral fins, making them able to turn easily in small spaces.