Maya reef

Acanthurus xanthopterus is a large surgeonfish found throughout the Indo-Pacific and the eastern Pacific. A benthopelagic species, it lives up to 34 years, reaches 70 cm in length, and feeds on algae, detritus, and organic matter.

Unlike its famous cousin from the movie Nemo, the tomato clownfish is reddish with a darker body. It has a single white vertical stripe just behind the eye. Young individuals have one to two additional stripes that they lose as they grow.

The saddleback anemonefish generally lives in symbiosis with the leather anemone or Haddon's anemone. It feeds on plants, algae, and microorganisms closely related to its host.

Solitary and territorial, the clown triggerfish is aggressive during the breeding season. Its first dorsal spine, which it locks like a switchblade, allows it to protect itself in the crevices of the reef.

In some languages, this fish is called the "birdmouth wrasse" because of its hopping swimming, its long pectoral fins and a long "nose". It is hermaphrodite and changes sex and color in it life. Juveniles and females have two colors, while males are blue.

The silver moony is a common species found in various coastal habitats, from bays and mangroves to muddy coastal reefs. It primarily feeds on plankton and detritus. Its range extends from the Red Sea and East Africa to Polynesia and Australia, including the Persian Gulf and the freshwater zone of the Mekong Delta.

The palette surgeonfish sports a pair of venomous, erectable scalpel spines at the base of its tail, used for self-defense against predators. It primarily dwells in small groups within coastal reefs. Its electric blue color inspired the character of Dory in "Finding Nemo" and "Finding Dory".

The large pectoral fins of this fish serve as a fish net to capture prey. Its color (alternating dark and light bands) indicate to predators that it is poisonous: there are poison glands in the skin covering its spines. It can cause serious or fatal accidents.

The eye of this fish is masked by a black band that disrupts the visual perception of it body by predators. It has venomous spines on the dorsal and pectoral fins. It is easy to maintain in captivity but they need hiding places for shelter.

By day, these fish form a small group and remain free from branched corals. At night, the group dislocates and specimens go down near the bottom for food. During the incubation period, the eggs are kept in the mouth of the male. The latter fasts until they hatch.

The Indian sail-fin surgeonfish is a tropical fish native to the reefs of the Indo-Pacific. This fish has very large dorsal and anal fins, which it can use to double its size. It uses these features to impress its counterparts during courtship.

These surgeonfish are exclusively herbivorous, feeding on leafy algae near the reefs. The juveniles live alone among rocks or corals at shallow depths.