This pictorial blog provides a brief commentary of pictures of fishes of the Caribbean I captured using various underwater cameras – from Use and Throw cameras to Olympus Tough TG-820 waterproof camera during my snorkeling and diving expeditions as part of my various Caribbean travels. The salient feature about snorkeling in the Caribbean islands is that you do not need to take an organized tour even if you are a novice in swimming. Get your own snorkel kit and jacket and you are good to go. Many shallow beaches(5ft to 8 ft depths) in the Caribbean islands will offer an awe-inspiring snorkeling experience. For example, I had the best experience in Malmok beach of Aruba and Smith’s Reef in Providenciales, Turks & Caicos. All my R&R(Relax and Recreation) type travels always include snorkeling or diving almost every day and I had come across 20-30 different varieties of fishes in those shallow depths. Though I make it sound simple, care must be taken while getting near the fishes. I had few encounters, where I was flirting with the danger, though I might confess it was due to sheer ignorance on my part. Once in Malmok beach of Aruba I came across a poisonous sea snake and I took the picture. When I came back and researched in the Internet it was a very poisonous one (one of the tips I had talking to the bar tender in the bar at the resort was poisonous sea snakes are mostly brightly colored). One other time, I happened to stamp on a Stone fish in Sunset Drive beach, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos (picture posted below) and later when I came to return the rented snorkel kit (as mine had gone bad), the diveshop girl warned me about the poisonous nature of the scorpion fish, which was multiple times poisonous compared to a cyanide. And I came across the Caribbean Puffer fish and followed her until I got a clear picture. Again my research showed that it was supposed to be multiple times poisonous than cyanide (shown here as well)
I stomped on the Stone Fish which is multiple times poisonous than cyanide and was lucky to survive – Sunset Drive Beach, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
Caribbean Puffer Fish, multiple times more powerful than cyanide if one eats it without proper cleaning – Smith’s Reef, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
French Grunts travel in schools and they get their name from grinding their teeths. – Smith’s Reef, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
Beaugregory Damselfish makes very rare appearance – Smith’s Reef, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos
Cone Shell, Caye Caulker, Belize – These shells can inject poison which can cause acute pain,blindness and death in a few hours.
Peacock Flounder is mainly nocturnal and again I was lucky to spot one in Malmok beach, Aruba
Longspine Squirrelfish, 1 of the 150 varieties of Squirrelfish, this one is found mainly in Caribbean – Smith’s Reef, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
Schoolmaster, a variety of Snapper found in shallow waters of Caribbean – Baby Beach, Aruba
I believe it is Spotted Goatfish. Comments welcome – Smith’s Reef, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
Long spined sea Urchins in red and black color is found mostly in Turks and Caicos – Smith’s Reef, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
Bluehead Wrasse found in shallow waters was following me all over – Sunset Drive beach, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos,
Christmas Tree Worms(the red flower like one) is common in Caribbean – Sunset Drive Beach, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
Banded Butterflyfish – common in Caribbean and acts as a cleaning fish for Surgeons – Malmok Beach, Aruba
This baby Sting Ray paid us a visit for 3 consecutive days in Grace Bay beach, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
Blue Tang Fish is a type of Surgeon Fish. It is the character Dori in Finding Nemo – Malmok Beach, Aruba
Squids are excellent swimmers and find their way into the seafood delicacy as Calamaris – Smith’s Reef, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos.
Bar Jack Fish found commonly in the Caribbean – Malmok Beach, Aruba
Honeycomb Cowfish has honeycomb like spots as seen in the picture and can emit Saphonin as chemical defense mechanism – Playa Dorada, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
Barracuda are ferocious predators and prey on fishes like Snappers and Jacks – Sunset Drive beach, Providenciales, Turks and CaicosAtlantic Needlefish are shallow swimmers and prey on other fishes – Sunset Drive Beach, Providenciales, Turks and CaicosSergeant Major fish, a variety of Damselfish found in abundance throughout the Caribbean. Here I am tempting the fish with a plantain- Sosua Beach, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
2 thoughts on “Fishes of the Caribbean”
Comments are closed.