Caribbean Reef
The Western Atlantic Reef. Fauna different from that of the Indo-Pacific—complementary, not identical.
Differences from the Indo-Pacific
- Less species diversity
- Different colors (many Caribbean fish are more subdued in color than their Pacific counterparts)
- Various corals: Porites, Diploria, Gorgonia ventalina
- Slightly lower temperature: 22–26°C
- No clownfish in the wild (they're Indo-Pacific)
Caribbean Species
Fish:
| Species | Features |
|---|---|
| Gramma loreto — Royal Gramma | Two-tone violet and yellow |
| Holacanthus tricolor — Rock Beauty Angel | NG: Not reef-safe |
| Acanthurus bahianus — Caribbean brown surgeonfish | Herbivore |
| Acanthurus coeruleus — Caribbean blue surgeonfish | Different from the Indo-Pacific |
| Thalassoma bifasciatum — rainbow wrasse | Very active |
| Elacatinus oceanops — neon goby | Cleaner; electric blue with a yellow stripe |
| Diadema antillarum — long-spined sea urchin | The Best Herbivore in the Caribbean |
Corals:
- Orbicella faveolata — massive star coral
- Acropora palmata — staghorn coral (protected)
- Diploria labyrinthiformis — brain coral
- Gorgonia ventalina — Caribbean sea fan (azooxanthellate)