Coral gardens

This tropical fish lives in shallow coral reefs in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It feeds on algae and small invertebrates and is distinguished by its five vertical black bands. It is capable of changing sex depending on its social group.

The powderblue surgeonfish typically measures around twenty centimeters but some rare individuals reach forty. This herbivore is common from East Asia to Bali. It gets its name from the white spot under its snout.

Easily recognizable by its horizontal black and blue stripes on a yellow background, this surgeonfish is a compulsive swimmer. Large males control well-defined feeding territories and surround themselves with a harem of females.

The convict surgeonfish are common inhabitants of the lagoons and seagrass beds of the Indo-Pacific region. Fond of filamentous algae, these herbivorous fish are often found in mangroves and estuaries, at the edge of freshwater. They are easily recognizable by their vertical black stripes.

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.

The coral beauty angelfish is always born female. As they grow, individuals change their sex to become male, a phenomenon known as protogynous sequential hermaphroditism. The difference between male and female is therefore visible. The adult male is larger and has an anal fin ending in a point.

The blacklip butterflyfish has a broad geographical distribution that spans from the Red Sea to the Galápagos Islands. Typically, it is found alone or in pairs in shallow coral reefs. It feeds on polyps of soft corals, particularly leather corals and broccoli corals.

The raccoon butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunula) is a common reef fish in the Indo-Pacific. Yellow and brown in color, it feeds on nudibranchs, algae, and corals.

The blue-green Chromis is a fish that lives in large schools above dense coral areas. At the slightest alarm, this swift fish takes refuge in the colonies of branching corals. The Blue-green Chromis is common throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

The Coral Hawkfish most often rests in or under the corals to ambush its prey, mainly crustaceans and small fish. In this species, territorial males form a harem of females. Reproduction occurs in the water column, with eggs and larvae developing in ocean currents and becoming part of the zooplankton.

Ctenochaetus striatus, elegantly named the "striated surgeonfish", is found in the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific, particularly in the lagoons of La Réunion and Mauritius. In Tahiti, during the full moon, this fish displays a natural spectacle: large schools form, and after a brief moment of stillness, each individual breaks away to release eggs or sperm.

The whitetail Dascyllus resides in the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region and the Red Sea. This white reef fish striped with three black bands is often found in large groups above massive colonies of staghorn corals. It feeds on zooplankton, benthic invertebrates, and algae. During the breeding season, males choose the nest and perform a dance just above it as a courtship display. The female is then invited and escorted to the nest where spawning takes place.

This butterflyfish is easily recognized by its elongated snout, which is useful for capturing aquatic microorganisms among corals. It also uses it to peck at the feet of echinoderms, the pedicellariae of sea urchins, and the tentacles of marine worms.

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 magnificent sea anemone is found in a large part of the Indo-Pacific region. With individuals reaching nearly one meter in diameter, this species is one of the most impressive anemones in the animal kingdom. In many areas, clownfish, immune to their venom, live in symbiosis with these animals, protected by their tentacles.