Below you’ll find our top 9 Caribbean snorkeling fish – amazing sights for any exotic snorkeling lover, beginner or seasoned. Along with the fish’s names and photos, we also gave them our awards for the most vocal Caribbean fish, most entertaining Caribbean fish, and many more!
Oh and by the way – can you guess the movie star fish (number #8 on our list) before you get there? Hint: kids always love this guy!
Without further ado, let’s dive straight in!
1. Most Vocal Snorkeling Fish – Grunts
These Caribbean snorkeling fish are some of the most common around here, found often in shallow reefs, either alone or in small groups. While there are many kinds of grunts of varying colours, they are most easily recognized for their namesake – grunting!
Grunts grind their teeth together and exaggerate the sound by inflating their air bladders. Keep an ear open when snorkeling around these!
2. Most Entertaining Caribbean Fish – Smooth Trunkfish
These little fish are the cutest snorkeling find in the Caribbean with puckered lips and polka dot scales; they look like they’re going in for a kiss. They are always on the move, and frequently found in sandy areas, where they are happy to be watched looking for food.
They have a particular way of hunting for something to eat – they blow at the sand in order to stir up food.
3. Skinniest Caribbean Fish – Trumpetfish
One of the most obvious Caribbean snorkeling fish to identify – the Trumpetfish – are some of the most fun to sight. They have long, thin bodies shaped like tubes that wiggle through the water.
They are named for their unique, trumpet-shaped mouths. Whether yellow, brown, blue, or red, trumpetfish are all suave and slim – an elegant sight for Caribbean snorkelers alike.
4. Most Elusive Caribbean Fish – Sand Divers
These fish are not uncommon, but most Caribbean snorkelers pass them right by. Similar to chameleons, Sand Divers camouflage their scale colour. Ranging from white to dark depending on the surroundings, Sand Divers are fun to spot.
Keep watching them for a colour change!
5. Cutest Caribbean Fish Couple – Butterflyfish
Butterflyfish are most known for hanging out in pairs, and are easy to see while snorkeling in the Caribbean as they like to stay near shallow reefs.
Their round, flat, circular bodies are decorated with bars or spots, depending on the specific species. If you see two round fish swimming together – they’re likely butterflyfish!
6. Most Beautiful Caribbean Fish – Angelfish
These beautiful fish are especially pretty, and their large size and population make them a frequent sighting among Caribbean snorkelers.
Angelfish come in a combination of colours, most usually white, black, and yellow, but also sometimes blue or green. They look similar to Butterflyfish, but aren’t as likely to swim in a duo.
7. Most Shy Caribbean Fish – Porcupinefish
This Caribbean snorkeling fish is a type of pufferfish – they’re large, white, and covered in huge spines. But don’t be worried – a porcupinefish is more scared of you than you should be of them!
They are gentle giants, moving slowly and carefully through the waters. The fish puffs up when scared, causing the spines to protrude as a defence against predators.
8. Most Famous Caribbean Fish – Blue Tangs
Made popular by the movie “Finding Nemo,” Blue Tang fish are common and like to hang out in big groups. While snorkeling in the Caribbean you can find your real life Dori feeding in sea grass and keeping the reef clean!
They stand out in a crowd though small and circular, the fish are either bright blue or purple, with a small yellow spike.
9. Biggest Caribbean Bully – Lionfish
Lionfish are big, beautiful, venomous, and even edible!
An invasive species originally from the Pacific, the Caribbean has no natural predators to fight against this fish species, which feeds on young reef fish and has been damaging local populations. Sighting the beauty of the lionfish is a unique experience – one that we recommend you carefully enjoy from a distance!
Arrive to Your Caribbean Snorkeling Adventure
The Caribbean snorkeling fish presented in this article can be found in many locations throughout the Caribbean – however we recommend you read our recent article on the best Caribbean snorkeling spots for an in-depth look at favourable locations.
As far as arriving to your Caribbean snorkeling adventure, the easiest and most fun way to get there is by either standard or VIP charter flight – and we can help!
We operate flights to the best Caribbean destinations, including popular snorkeling island Nevis, and are your premier and affordable choice for your travel needs as evidenced by our testimonials. To check out more information about our affordable VIP flights (starting at $65 per person), please click here!
For any query you may have regarding your Caribbean vacation, please feel free to contact our Caribbean travel experts at any time for a prompt reply – we would be happy to help with any and all aspects of planning your ideal Caribbean vacation!
Images source and special thanks: Reef GuideSnorkeling Fish
