5 Colorful Fish you will see Snorkeling the Mexican Caribbean

Guest writer: Tam Warner Minton

Snorkeling and diving in the Mexican Caribbean is a fabulous experience. The water is clear, blue and warm, and the reefs are full of colorful tropical fish to look at! Cozumel is my very favorite location, and I am certainly not alone as it is one of the top five dive destinations in the world. If you snorkel in these crystal clear and calm waters, these are the 5 most colorful reef fish you will see.

Angel Fish
The three most common angel fish species seen in the Caribbean are the Queen Angelfish, French Angelfish, and the Gray Angel. Angelfish are fascinating to watch because they always travel in pairs since they mate for life. It is very rare to see a lone angelfish!

Butterfly Fish
The Butterflyfish are related to the Angelfish, but are much smaller. They, too, are almost always in mated pairs. Butterfly Fish tend to be a little shy, swimming away quickly when one gets too close!

Parrot Fish
The parrotfish is not only colorful, but indispensable on the reef. Parrots get their name from their tough teeth in a “beakish” mouth, which they use to grind algae out of hard coral, which is then excreted to make up the sand on the reef!

File Fish
I love Fish Fish! They have the strangest mouths and are so “flat”, or “skinny”. They always seem to be watching for snorkelers and divers, and they twist and turn to get a good look!

Trigger Fish
Another fish that always excites me is the beautiful Trigger Fish. The Queen Triggers are so beautiful, they look as though someone painted them!

A reef is such a busy place, with small fish and big going about their business. It is always fun to just watch the fish as they swim, eat, and clean each other. The colors often just do not seem real! Tropical Fish are nature’s art!

Tam Warner Minton is the travel blogger, writer, and photographer behind the adventure travel blog, www.travelswithtam.com. She has traveled to all seven continents, and is an advocate for citizen science, the environment, and getting out of one’s comfort zone. An avid scuba diver, Tam goes on many ocean research expeditions, and is an amateur underwater photographer. Her book, ALL FISH FACES, introduces amazing, colorful underwater creatures many have never seen before, but are crucial to our oceans. Showing kids of all ages the amazing life beneath the waves is the way to preserve our oceans for future generations!

Connect with Tam Warner Minton on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads, and at www.travelswithtam.com.