Species Spotting

Double-Saddled Butterfly Fish

Where do they live?

These colourful fish come from the Indo-Pacific and can be found along Australia’s coast from North West Cape to Sydney. They also swim near Japan and the Tuamotu Islands! 🌊🌏

How big do they get?

They can grow up to 15cm long—about the size of a big banana! 🍌

How do they swim?

They like to swim alone or in pairs, gliding through the water like little underwater butterflies! 🦋✨

Fun Fact! 🧐

These fish have cool disguises! Their black stripe over their eye helps trick predators, making it hard to tell which way they’re facing! 🎭🔍

Squirrelfish

Where do they live?

These fish are world travellers! 🌍 You can find them in the Atlantic Ocean (from North Carolina to Brazil and from Gabon to Angola) and in the Indo-Pacific, including Australia, Hawaii, and tropical islands.

How big do they get?

They can grow up to 30cm long—about as big as a school ruler! 📏

How do they swim?

Young squirrelfish love to swim in big groups called schools, but as they grow up, they prefer to swim alone.

Fun Fact! 🌙

These fish have huge eyes that help them see in the dark, so they love to swim at night like little underwater night owls! 🦉✨

Scarlet Soldierfish

Where do they live?

These bright red fish swim in the Indo-Pacific Ocean, from East Africa to the Marquesas Islands and all the way to New Caledonia! 🌊

How big do they get?

They grow up to 20cm long—about the size of a pencil case! ✏️📏

How do they swim?

They like to stick together in small, loose schools, but they don’t swim too close! 

Fun Fact! 🌙

With their big eyes, they see really well in the dark! That’s why they love to swim at night—kind of like little underwater ninjas! 🥷✨

Bluelined Seaperch

Where do they live?

These fish swim all over the Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea near Africa to the Pacific Ocean, including around Australia and tropical islands! 🌍🌊

How big do they get?

They can grow up to 40cm long, but most stop at 25cm—about the size of a ruler! 📏

How do they swim?

During the day, they love to swim in big schools with lots of other fish! 🏊‍♂️🐟🐟🐟

Fun Fact! 🧐

These fish have lots of different names! Some people call them Bluestripe Snapper, Fourline Snapper, or Moonlighter—like little fishy nicknames! 🎭✨

Sidespot Goatfish

Where do they live?

These fish love warm tropical waters! You can find them from East Africa to Japan, down to Australia, and as far east as the Tuamotu Islands! 🌊🌏

How big do they get?

They can grow up to 33cm long, but most are about 20cm—as long as a pencil case! ✏️📏

How do they swim?

They like swimming alone, but sometimes they hang out with a few buddies. 🏊‍♂️🐠

Fun Fact! 🤩

These fish have little whiskers (called barbels) under their chin that help them dig in the sand for food—like tiny underwater treasure hunters! 🏴‍☠️✨

Yellow Fusilier

Where do they live?

These bright yellow fish swim in the Indo-West Pacific, from Sri Lanka to Vanuatu, and from southern Japan to northern Australia! 🌊🌏

How big do they get?

They can grow up to 60cm long, but most stop at 30cm—about as long as a dinner plate! 🍽️

How do they swim?

They love being social and always swim in big schools with lots of fishy friends! 🏊‍♂️🐠🐠🐠

Fun Fact! 😲

These fish have a super cool trick—their mouths can stretch forward to catch food, like a tiny fishy vacuum! 🌀🍽️✨

Pinktail Triggerfish

Where do they live?

These fish are found all over the Indo-Pacific, from East Africa to Hawaii, including Australia and Southern Japan! 🌏🌊

How big do they get?

They can grow up to 40cm long—about the size of a cereal box! 🥣📦

How do they swim?

They like to swim in loose groups with different kinds of fish, making lots of ocean friends! 🏊‍♂️🐟🐠

Fun Fact! 😲

These fish have four beak-like teeth that never stop growing, so they crunch on hard shells to keep their teeth from getting too long. 🦷🦀✨

Barred Rabbitfish

Where do they live?

These fish swim in the Indo-West Pacific, from eastern Indonesia and Palau to northern Australia and Tonga! 🌏🌊

How big do they get?

They grow to be 20-25cm long—about as big as a tablet or iPad! 📱

How do they swim?

These friendly fish love to hang out with other reef fish while snacking on algae—like little underwater lawnmowers! 🌿🐠

Fun Fact! ⚠️

They have venomous spines that help keep them safe from hungry predators—so other fish know not to mess with them! 😲🦠✨

Orange-Spot Tang

Where do they live?

These fish swim in the Indo-Pacific, from Christmas Island to Hawaii, and from southern Japan to Australia! 🌍🌊

How big do they get?

They can grow up to 35cm long, but most stop at 25cm—about as big as a football! 🏉

How do they swim?

They like to swim alone or in schools, often hanging out with other fish like parrotfish! 🏊‍♂️🐟🐠

Fun Fact! 🧐

When they’re young, they are bright yellow, but as they grow up, they turn greyish-white. They also develop a cool orange stripe behind their eyes, outlined in navy blue—like fishy face paint! 🎨✨

Lunare Wrasse

Where do they live?

These fish love warm waters! You can find them from East Africa to the Central Pacific Islands, including Australia! 🌊🌏

How big do they get?

As they grow up, they can reach 45cm long—about the size of a skateboard! 🛹

How do they swim?

These fish are super speedy and love to zoom around all day, exploring their surroundings! 🏊‍♂️💨

Fun Fact! 🧐

They are expert diggers! They wiggle under rocks to make a cozy resting spot—like underwater builders! 🏗️🐟✨

Longfin Bannerfish

Where do they live?

These fish swim in the Indo-Pacific, from Eastern Africa to Southern Japan, and along the coasts of Western Australia! 🌏🌊

How big do they get?

They can grow up to 25cm long—about the size of a boomerang! 🪃

How do they swim?

They love company and are usually found swimming in pairs—like best fishy friends! 🏊‍♂️🐟🐟

Fun Fact! 🤿

These fish are super friendly! They love to hang out with divers and make great peaceful tank mates! 💛🐠✨

Barrier Reef Chromis

Where do they live?

These little fish are Aussie locals! 🇦🇺 You can find them along the east coast of Australia, from the Great Barrier Reef down to New South Wales and Lord Howe Island! 🌊🏝️

How big do they get?

They stay small, only growing up to 10cm long—about the size of a chocolate bar! 🍫

What do they eat?

They love to snack on algae and zooplankton—kind of like tiny sea veggies! 🥦🌊

Fun Fact!

These little fish are super speedy swimmers and love to dart around the reef, making them tricky for predators to catch! ⚡🐟✨

Puffer Fish

Where do they live?

Pufferfish love hanging out in warm coastal waters, from coral reefs to seagrass beds all around the world—including right here in Australia! 🇦🇺🌊

How big do they get?

They come in all sizes! Some stay tiny at just a few centimetres, while others can grow as big as a soccer ball! ⚽🐡

What do they eat?

With their strong beak-like teeth, they crunch through shellfish, crabs, and even coral! 🦀🍽️

Fun Fact!

When threatened, pufferfish inflate like a balloon to scare off predators! Some even have spikes to make them extra tricky to eat! 🎈🐡