Oceanpedia  /  Fish

Fish

Follow the filtering and feeding techniques of the 20,000 Osteichthyes species, and counting, that call the Great Barrier Reef home.

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59 Videos

1m 5secs

Bony fish

See the myriad of shapes, colours and behaviours that more than 20,000 species of bony fish display in our reefs.

1m 43secs

Colour

Dive deeper into the reasons why fish boast so many beautiful and flamboyant colours and patterns.

2m 23secs

Feeding

Spot the difference between fish species that are categorised as detritivores, herbivores, omnivores and carnivores.

1m 54secs

Fish defence

Understand how fish species have evolved to use clever survival tactics in the face of constant predation.

1m 28secs

Reproduction

Learn about demersal spawning and other means of sexual reproduction that occur among fish in our reefs.

1m 49secs

Sex change

Discover how and why most fish species undergo sex change at some stage during the lives.

1m 27secs

Angelfish

Spot the difference between butterflyfish and angelfish, and understand the latter’s feeding habits.

1m 9secs

Barracuda

Get to grips with the barracuda’s vicious predation tactics and the differences between species.

0m 59secs

Batfish

Learn about the strategic colouration and characteristics of juvenile and pinnate batfish living in our reefs.

1m 22secs

Blennies

Uncover new knowledge about the 800 species of blenny, the small fish with large eyes and blunt squared-off heads.

0m 58secs

Bumphead parrotfish

Meet the king of the parrotfish world and get to know its feeding habits and feelings towards scuba divers.

1m 48secs

Butterflyfish

Meet the ballerinas of the fish world whose laterally flattened bodies allow them to dance gracefully around the reef.

1m 43secs

Cardinalfishes

Get up close with the small, shy and nervous cardinalfish who spend most of their life steering clear of predation.

0m 52secs

Crocodilefish

Be across the physical characteristics, typical prey and hunting strategies of this predatory member of the flathead family.

2m 27secs

Damselfish

Learn about the wide array of damselfish species and what helps them survive as commonly targeted prey.

1m 48secs

Anemonefish

Dive deeper into the unique relationship between anemonefish and their tropical sea homes, as well as the fish’s sex changes and reproduction.

0m 41secs

Dottyback

Appreciate the beauty of the small but splendid dottyback whose size and lack of defences make them afraid to venture out.

0m 42secs

Dartfish

Spot the differences between gobies and dartfish, and learn why the latter rarely ventures out of its sandy boroughs.

1m 51secs

Dragonets

See just how (strategically) spectacular dragonets look as they attempt to deter predators and survive another day on the reef.

1m 49secs

Eels

Watch the slimy snake-like creatures slither along the sea floor and learn about their physical functions and characteristics.

0m 58secs

Emperor

Learn about the fish emperor’s techniques for catching, filtering and feeding on prey that dwells on the bottom of the ocean.

1m 24secs

Filefish leatherjacket

See how these small swimmers leverage specific structures, colours and physical characteristics to avoid predation.

1m 14secs

Flashlightfish

Discover the nocturnal creatures that emanate bright, irregular and mesmerising flashes in the depths of the ocean.

1m 24secs

Flatfish

Find out how flatfish manipulate their appearance to ambush their prey and avoid predation by larger marine species.

1m 42secs

Frogfish angler

Spot the frogfish’s secret weapon which helps them lure fish and crustaceans into the striking zone.

1m 6secs

Fusiliers

Learn about the physical characteristics that make these food fishes speedy streamline swimmers.

0m 55secs

Goatfish

Get to know the goatfish, whose highly taste-sensitive, whisker-like barbels help them detect hidden prey.

1m 26secs

Gobies

Discover the survival tactics that these largely defenceless creatures employ to survive another day in the ocean.

1m 49secs

Shrimp goby

Understand the critical relationship between shrimp and gobies as they work together to aid mutual survival along the sea floor.

1m 25secs

Goby mudskippers

Meet the marine creature who can survive on land as well as in the water, and learn more about its ecology.

2m 38secs

Grouper

Get up close and personal with the grumpiest looking fish in the ocean, and learn about their reproduction, sex change and fishing threats.

0m 47secs

Anthias

Learn about the fish that create the iconic colourful clouds of bright orange and purple along coral reefs, including their feeding habits and sex change.

1m 14secs

Coral trout

Come to understand the sex changes, behaviour and anthropogenic threats of this typically plentiful creature around coral reefs.

1m 12secs

Giant grouper

Learn about the largest of all coral reef bony fishes, weighing in at up to 400 kilograms and spanning as much as 3 metres in length.

1m 5secs

Potato cod

Meet the sizeable potato cod and learn about their diet, solitary lifestyle, predation tactics and spawning habits.

0m 33secs

Hawkfish

Be across the physical characteristics, typical prey and lifestyle of these relatively small colourful fishes.

1m 34secs

Jacks

Discover the collective lifestyle, intimidation tactics and efficient hunting abilities of these shimmery silver creatures.

0m 47secs

Jawfish

Find out how the jawfish got its name and know how to spot one as it hides in a self-made borough on the sea floor.

0m 37secs

Lizardfish

Learn about one of the quickest, most voracious predators on the reef whose key to success is strategic ambushing.

1m 15secs

Moorish

Get to know more about moorish idol fishes’ swimming efficiency, mating practices and typical diet and feeding habits.

2m 10secs

Parrotfish

Refine your knowledge of the parrotfish, its collective lifestyles as well as its beak-like teeth and grazing of the coral reef.

1m 15secs

Pufferfish

Discover the secret weapon of these crafty critters which helps them avoid being eaten, even by large mouthed predators.

0m 40secs

Rabbitfish

Learn about the traits, temperament, typical diet and signature but vicious weapon of these small mouthed fishes.

1m 5secs

Razorfish

Meet the creatures that look like seagrass but whose nimble, wafer-thin bodies serve play an important role in their survival.

0m 34secs

Sandperch

See where sandperch inhabit and how they leverage certain physical traits to embark on successful feeding expeditions.

1m 7secs

Scorpionfish

Uncover the array of venomous species that make up the scorpionfish family, from the flamboyant lionfish to the sedate stonefish.

1m 13secs

Lionfishes

Find out why lionfish display such flamboyant spines and fins as they patrol the depths of the ocean.

1m 17secs

Stonefish

Be aware of the king of camouflage’s 13 venomous dorsal spines that act like hypodermic needles when pressure is applied.

1m 55secs

Seahorses

Spot the similarities and differences between pipefish and seahorses, and learn about the latter’s unusual reproduction processes.

1m 52secs

Snapper

Watch snappers as they patrol the reef in search of fish, crabs, shrimps and crustaceans, and discover more about the dominating red bass species.

0m 46secs

Squirrelfish

Discover how squirrelfish and soldierfish have evolved over the last 50 million years, highlighting their colouration, eyesight and nocturnal lifestyle.

1m 3secs

Sweetlips

Learn just how useful these creatures’ loose rubbery lips can be when it comes to sweeping sandy floors for prey hidden in the sediment.

1m 36secs

Sunfish

See how the ocean’s heaviest bony fish rids itself of pesky parasites and leverages physical traits to feed on jellyfish, squid and small fishes.

1m 39secs

Surgeonfish

Learn how the sea’s lawn mowers keep thick and fast-growing algae from overgrowing, and dive deeper into the unicorn fish species.

1m 48secs

Triggerfish

Discover how the triggerfish lays eggs, creates and guards nests, digs for food and propels itself through the water.

1m 19secs

Trumpetfish

Figure out the ways of the skilful, silent predator that leverages a number of creative predation techniques to attract and attack prey.

1m 36secs

Wrasse

Get to know the vast wrasse family which consists of more than 500 species varying in shape and size, but boasting a number of similarities.

1m 47secs

Cleaner wrasse

Meet the creatures that make a living out of ridding other fish of parasites, and know the differences between them and fang blennies.

1m 21secs

Maori wrasse

Learn about the name, diet, spawning and solitary lifestyle of one of the largest reef fish and the biggest of the wrasse family.

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