Coral Reef Fish in Photos

Reef fish photographed where divers and snorkelers actually meet them: on coral slopes, rubble patches, sea fans and sandy channels from the Red Sea and East Africa to Indonesia and the Caribbean. Each photo shows one species, and each caption says what to look for and where on the reef to find it, so the gallery works as a quick field guide before a trip as well as a showcase of color. The selection mixes the headline fish that most tropical reef dives turn up, such as clownfish, angelfish, butterflyfish and triggerfish, with camouflage specialists like the frogfish, leaf scorpionfish and pygmy seahorse that reward a slow, careful look. Most entries come from the Indo-Pacific, where reef fish are most diverse, with Caribbean favorites included for divers heading west. Sharks, rays and turtles are left out so the gallery stays about the reef's bony fish.