Fish
In The Red Sea
Banner Fish
Length: up to 25
cm.
Depth: 2-75 meters
The Longfin Bannerfish lives in lagoons and on outer reef
slopes. They mostly live alone or in pairs, rarely in
groups. They always swim close to the reef.
Their main food is plankton, but they also eat benthic
invertebrates.
Cube Boxfish
Length: up to 45
cm.
Depth: 1-45 meters
The cube boxfish has a cube shaped body. The caudal fin
increases in size with age and the caudal peduncle becomes
long and thick.
Females are yellow
with spots, male are variable in color (see picture below),
ranging from ocre to purplish brown. They are solitary
species, always seeking shelter in the reef.
AnemoneFish
Length: up to 10
cm.
Depth: 1-15 meters
This anemonefish or clownfish specie is well known since
the film “Nemo”. As one of the largest families,
they can be found in different colors and patterns.
They are often found in pairs or small groups in protected
coastal and lagoon reefs. For protection, they live in
symbiosis with the anemones.
LionFish
Dangerous: ***
Length: up to 40 cm.
Depth: 2 – 60 m.
The Lionfish is found singly or in groups. They are as
beautiful as they are venomous.
They have a warning coloration of red and white, very
long dorsal fin spines and greatly enlarged pectoral fins.
The venomous spines when stinging can produce an extreme
pain. As heat destroys the venom, it is best to apply
heat to the wound as soon as possible.
Ray
Length: up to 70.
Depth: 1– 40.
Inhabits flat s bottoms in the viscinity of coral reefs.
Distinguished by kite shaped body and a patern of bright
blue spots. Has one to two dangerous spines on the tail.
Morey Eel
Length: up to 38
cm.
Depth: 1– 40
On the picture is the Peppered Moray eel, relatively small
specie. They live within rocks, lagoons, reef outcrops
and shallow coral reef. They are often found in pairs
and even live together with other moray species.
This harmless animal hunts at night for small fish.
NudiBranch
Length: up to 6
cm.
Slugs are found in all sizes, colors and patterns. They
feed on sponges and micro organism. They may also eat
one another.
PorcupineFish
Length: up to 50cm.
Depth: 3 – 90 m.
The Porcupinefish is a very shy specie, which hides under
rocks and in crevasses during the day.
Porcupine fishes are similar to pufferfishes; they can
inflate themselves like a balloon with water or air to
deter predators. They all are poisonous; skin and reproductive
organs contain the lethal tetrodotoxin. They are covered
with spines, which normally lay flat on their body and
erect only when the fish inflates.
PufferFish
Length: up to 30cm.
Depth: 3 – 35 m.
Singly lives in coral rich clear lagoons and outer reefs.
They feed on staghorn corals but also on mollusks and
crabs. The pufferfish is a large family with at least
100 species.
Their name reflects their ability to inflate themselves
like a balloon with water or air to deter predators. They
all are poisonous; skin and reproductive organs contain
the lethal tetrodotoxin.
ScorpionFish
Dangerous: ***
Length: up to 22 cm.
Depth: 3 – 30 m.
The Scorpionfish normally lies motionless on the coral
reef. They rely on its camouflage and poisonous defensive
stings as its protection.
The venomous spines when stinging can produce an extreme
pain. As heat destroys the venom, it is best to apply
heat to the wound as soon as possible.
TrumpetFish
Length: up to 80cm.
Depth: 1 – 35 m.
They can easily been identified by their elongated body
and the oversized snout and are usually seen vertically
swimming among corals, seagrass or other shelter. The
Trumpetfish likes to roam the reef with other fish to
stalk its prey without being noticed.
Turtle
The females Turtle
comes more or less every two years back to the beach where
they were born to lay their eggs. Batches of 50 to 150
eggs are laid into a hole and covered with sand. Heated
by the sun, the eggs will develop a period of 2 months.
Turtle feed on jelly fish, sponges, crabs, squid and fish.
Tigertail
Length: up to 15
cm.
Depth: 1 – 20 m.
This species lives in habitats rich in soft corals, sponges
and algae.
Females are often yellow, males are usually dark. The
tail shows contrasting bands of dark and yellow. They
often lives in pairs and it is the male carrying the young.
Corals
In The Red Sea
| The name of the Red Sea is
an optical effect coming from the algae zooxanthelle
which reproduce in enormous quantities around Septembre
and October. When the Sun goes down, the reflexion
of the sun on the surface of the sea make the water
turn red (Red See) and reflects also on the mountain
around in pinkish or orangish colour. Excellent time
for sun set pictures in Egypt. |
Merulina
Name: Merulina (Fam.
Nerulimidae)
Description: The fastest growing of all species of corals.
Its coloured goes from beige to braun with variation of
green and yellow. Eat essentially through photsynthesis.
If broken, it can re-grow easely.
Depth: 0m to 20m
Growth rate: 5 to 10 cm per year
Size: 3 metre
Goniopora
Name: Goniopora
Description: Kind of ball covered with small cavities
where polyps are comming out to feed. Eat by photosinthesis
and is carnivorous. Very fragile and do not like strong
current with lot’s of light required. Can become
agressive toward other corals.
Depth: 0 to 20 metres
Growth rate: less than 3 cm per annum
Size: 20 cm
Anemona
Name: Anemona Heteractis
Description: Robust footing with large tentacules with
white tips. (Usually) Eats by mean of photosynthesis and
is carnivorous. Fragile species living only on sandy patches.
It needs some light water movement and lot’s oif
light.
Depth: 0 to 20 m
Growth rate: Very fast, It will reach adult size in a
couple of years.
Size: 40 cm to 50 cm
Spirograph
Name: Spirograph
Description: Worm living within the corals. You can observe
only the mouths which is flower like. The body resembling
a hard tube is made of limescale. Every colour is possible.
It need little current in order to feed and it needs lot’s
of light.
Depth: 0 to 20 m
Growth rate: grows very foast but remain of small size.
Size: 3 cm of diameter and 10 to 12 cm in lenghts.
Acropora
Name: Acropora (Fam.
Acraporidea)
Description: Faster growth of all hard corals. Typically
tree like growth with branches and sometimes in tables.
Can have in fact all forms, shapes and colour. This species
is hearmaphrodite. . Eat essentially zooxanthelles
Depth: 0m to 40 m
Growth rate: 10 cm per year
Size: all sizes
Logophiton
Name: Logophiton,
Sarcophiton (Fam. Alcyoniidae)
Description: This is the most important soft coral family.
They growth in shallow water. It has a massive body, strong
and visceous when touched. This species has the particularity
to shed its outer skin in order to clean itself. It needs
stong current and lot’s of light. Eat essentially
zooxanthelles.
Depth: 0 m to 20 m
Growth rate: less than 10 cm per year
Size: 2 m depending on species.
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