the ULTIMATE Caribbean Fish Identification Guide // Whale Shark & Oceanic Research Center

The FULL walk-through of most of the fish you can find here in Utila and in many other parts of the Caribbean as well! Feel free to skip around to any of the chapters in this video to check out different species
💎DISCLAIMERS: This does not include all fish species in Utila! There are many species of fish that are extremely difficult to visually distinguish. This guide just focuses on a mix of ecologically important species, as well as some favorites for divers here in Utila. Definitely be sure to reference some of your own guides to confirm fish ID as well.
If you'd like to know more about our organization, have any questions, or are interested in applying to one of our marine conservation internships, please check out this link! wsorc.org
Learn more about the College of Diving: www.dive-utila.com
📸 : photo credits to @marinmeg_ (instagram) for the thumbnail!
⏳TIME STAMPS:
0:00 Intro
0:43 Angelfish
2:48 Barracuda
3:33 Basslets
4:00 Boxfish
6:09 Butterflyfish
7:51 Conger Eels
8:31 Damselfish
13:57 Drums
14:39 Filefish
17:00 Flounder
17:21 Flying Fish
17:34 Goatfish
18:40 Grunts
22:50 Jacks
24:54 Jawfish
25:23 Lizardfish
26:10 Mackerel
27:00 Moray Eels
28:35 Parrotfish
34:56 Porcupinefish
36:08 Porgies
37:32 Pufferfish
38:07 Scorpionfish
39:05 Groupers
42:21 Hamlets, Tobaccofish, Hogfish
45:02 Snappers
47:52 Spadefish
48:34 Surgeonfish
50:56 Squirrelfish
52:05 Tilefish
52:32 Triggerfish
54:47 Wrasses
59:51 Family level
01:02:00 Elasmobranchs
01:04:36 DM favorites
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[@kathymartin8541]

This is so amazingly helpful. I grew up in Miami and snorkeled off of Key Largo in the late 60s, weekly, on my friend's trimaran. When the reefs were in much better shape. I knew some of these names, but had forgotten most of them. Thank you very much!

[@user-so4wf4zp5r]

Thank you so much, this is so helpful. I recently started scuba diving in the Caribbean and learning the fish will help me enjoy my dives even more. So far I only went through the pictures, but I plan to return to listen to all your commentary on all the species. Very impressive.

[@sherryg1741]

This is the absolute BEST fish guide I’ve heard or seen thanks. As an English teacher, let me just point out that saying fish look similarLY is describing the way in which they use their eyes to look at things.. I think you mean that they look similar.

[@illaisland]

Wow this is amazing content! Thank you for showing the signs for some of the fish also. I'm starting to learn how to identify different fish before I try my hand at diving.Thank you for making this available for free!

[@tedshook8976]

Well done! This answered so many questions. Thank you!

[@davidmore82]

Thx a lot for all this rich information, very useful not much documentation on the subject

[@DrewAKaplan]

Hi Eli, Wow what a wonderful job you’ve done on the reef fish. I’ve been diving since 1970 and have over 3000 dives. I’m always confusing the snappers with grunts and other snappers and you’ve done a wonderful job of clarifying the difference of each fish. I also used to dive Maui and so the blue stripe snappers there (not indigenous) add to my confusion. Recently, I’ve been diving Lembeh and there the fish and critters are really different and easy to tell apart. But stuck at home watching an underwater webcam in Bonaire (Harbour Village) where we used to stay, I’ve been really frustrated. Now I’m not. You really deserve a lot of credit. I used to make tutorial videos for my customers and I know the amount of effort you put into this one. You should be very proud. Good job. And Thanks.

[@jentevanlangerak7661]

Really helpful! I have one question, though: I was always taught that you could distinguish between blennies and gobies by looking at their dorsal fins: blennies have 1 large dorsal fin while gobies have several small. However, in your pictures you identified the fish with several small dorsal fins as a blenny, so now I am a bit confused...

[@jlmjkooj]

Thank you. Perfect video for my upcoming dive trip in Carribean. I have been studying nearly all the fish you covered, and your tips are very helpful. I also have been using online Quizlet flashcard set called "Common Southern Carribean Reef Fish" to imprint them on my brain. Thanks again!

[@suzannefraser4966]

Great video!! Thanks

[@warrennichols3857]

Looking forward to seeing more 👍

[@maru50]

thank you!

[@elizabethmcleod246]

I can’t identify a medium sized fish that had a long yellow tail? off the back of its head. Any idea? Thank you.