Some scuba divers dive for the thrill, others for simple pleasure of being underwater in an unfamiliar world of wonders and then there are those who are there for the fish. Both oceans and lakes are home to some of the most amazing animals in the world, with beauty only a chosen few get to witness. The feeling of descending down into warm tropical waters, the sun’s rays breaking through the water’s surface as it rebounds off the shimmering scales of a rare fish provides an experience that stays in ones memory for years.
In this article we will be looking at 10 of the most beautiful fish in the world, while some may be small, colourful and harmless, others may be beautiful through majestic nature and shape.
Image Link An amazingly beautiful fish which lives up to its name as the rainbow parrotfish, this colourful creature can surprisingly be found in numerous countries around the world and tends to prefer shallow waters of between 5 and 10 meters of depth, making it possible for divers of all experience including snorkellers to witness this splendid fish. The Rainbow Parrotfish tends to be found along coral reefs and during night they are known to slip into the spaces within the reef.
Juvenile Rainbow Parrotfish tend to remain in the mangove areas of a reef due to the decline in threat of predators as well as there being more options for feeding in these areas. The Rainbow Parrotfish is a tropical fish and thus can be found primary in warm waters, most commonly the Caribbean.
Image Link The Emperor Angelfish is probably one of the more known about fish among non-divers and many people will recognize the look of an adult Emperor Angelfish in short time. Though what many don't know is the difference in appearance between the Juvenile Emporer Angelfish and the Adult Emporer Angelfish.
When Emperor Angelfish are young they consist of a completely different appearance with their bodies being blue with a series of white circles, as they grow older however this changes and they become yellow and blue with stripes along their bodies and lose the white rings they had as a juvenile.
These fish can grow over 40cm long and can be found along tropical reefs, they are commonly found in the Pacific and Indian Ocean as well as The Red Sea.
Image Link Not to be confused with the freshwater fish the 'Mandarin Fish' or Chinese Perch. This amazingly beautiful fish also goes by the name of the Mandarin Goby and Mandarin Dragonet. They are small saltwater fish which are common in saltwater aquariums, due to their striking colours.
Though they are not an easy fish to keep in aquariums due to their feeding habits and thus should not be attempted to be kept by amature aquarium enthusiasts and rather only by those who are able to maintain the Mandarinfish's needs.
In the wild these 6 centimeter fish tend to prefer shallow reefs and lagoons. Places where they are able to hide from large predators. Their diet tends to consist of small crustations and invertebrates.
They are definitely one of the most colourful fish in the world.
Image Link This fish is known by many names such as the Scorpion Fish, Dragon Fish, Fire Fish and more. The Lionfish is no stranger to our lists and was featured on the most dangerous marine animals list. The Lionfish may not have the bright colours of some of the other tropical fish in this article they are definitely some of the most beautiful fish in the world. They can easily be identified by their striked Brown, Red and White body as well as their noteably large spines which extend out up to 20 centimeters from the body. While these fish are beautiful, do not be fooled into thinking they are harmless, while not deadly the spines of the Lionfish cause extreme pain should you be unlucky enough to fall victim to its sharp spines.
Another fish that is prone to coral reefs and warm waters, the Lionfish is native to the Indo-Pacific but is now found in parts of the Caribbean and East Atlantic. An article on a-z-animals.com reports that the introduction of the Lionfish to the Caribbean and East Atlantic is believed to be due to an aquarium in Florida which was destroyed by a hurricane, allowing fish to exit into the sea via the storm surge. Evidence for this is due to DNA testing done on these Lionfish being traced back to under 10 individual Lionfish. Another interesting fact is that dispite the Caribbean not being a native area for the Lionfish, they seem to be reproducing well and are noted as being larger than the Indo-Pacific Lionfish.
Image Link While not techniquely a fish, these little guys may typically only be 2 to 10 centimeters big but they offer some of the most amazing displays of colours, with over 3000 different species of Nudibranchs it's often a treasure hunt for divers to spot a species they haven't yet seen. The Nudibranch makes for great macro photography.
The best part is that Nudibranchs can be found all over the world regardless of whether the waters are tropical or not. Nudibranchs sometimes feed on other sea slugs and have even been reported as cannibals, eating other Nudibranchs themselves. The Nudibranch has tentacles on the top of its head which are used for taste, smell and touch.
The Nudibranch can also be found in extremely shallow waters which make it a beautiful marine animal for beginner divers, snorkellers and even advanced divers.
Image Link A popular aquarium fish, the Yellow Tang is a beautiful fish. The appearance of the Yellow Tang is one of a single yellow tone along with thin fins that flow well with their body shape to create a somewhat streamlined look. The Yellow Tang can grow up to 20 centimeters long while they remain extremely narrow with a width of around 2 centimeters.
The Yellow Tang is another fish which prefers shallow reef areas and can be found generally in depths of 5 to 30 meters though can occur in even shallower waters. This is another fish which can be commonly spotted by novice scuba divers. The Yellow Tang is often seen being a cleaner for sea turtles.
They may not have the rainbow effects of some of the other fish, but there is something beautiful with a bright yellow fish contrasting against a blue oceanic background.
Image Link Also known as Anemonefish, Clownfish are some beautiful fish which generally consist of a yellow/orange body with white stripes along with black lining along it's fins or black body with yellow/orange areas along it's lower body and fins , though this depends upon the species of Clownfish and they come in various displays.
If you had to ask the average person to draw a picture of a fish they would likely end up drawing a Clownfish, the Clownfish has always been common in media whether it be cartoons, paintings or post-cards. Though in recent years the hit movie 'Finding Nemo' took the Clownfish's popularity to a whole different level with many people referring to Clownfish as "nemos" now.
The reason these beautiful fish are also named Anemonefish is due to the fact that they spend much of their time inside anemones and are unaffected by the anemones poison.
Clownfish tend to prefer warm tropical waters such as the Pacific and Indian Ocean. They are also commonly seen off the north east coast of Australia and The Red Sea. They are also common aquarium fish though remain up to only half the size of their wild Clownfish counter-parts in some instances of aquarium raising.
Image Link Again not really a fish, Jellyfish are one of the few animals where one species can be completely dull and boring while another can be one of the most amazing looking creatures you have ever seen. Different species of Jellyfish can be found in either saltwater or freshwater with some freshwater lakes in Malaysia and Indonesia hosting Jellyfish which through time have evolved into non-stinging creatures, this being due to a lack of predators in the freshwater lakes.
Other Jellyfish are extremely dangerous and as mentioned in the article on the world’s most dangerous marine creatures, the Chironex (Box Jellyfish) is in fact believed to be the most deadly animal in existence.
Jellyfish can be found throughout the world in all kinds of waters and water temperatures. They are often seen in groups of up to 100,000. These groups are often referred to as 'blooms' or 'swarms'. And while there are no records on the amounts of Jellyfish present in the past, there is speculation that the Jellyfish population in general is increasing.
Image Link An amazingly distinctive and beautiful fish which is comprised of various colours and patterns. The top of the Clown Triggerfish contains an area of leopard like spots while the bottom consists of large white spots; the Clown Triggerfish also has a bright yellow mouth to deter predators. This fish is also known for its strong jaw power and sharp teeth.
Not only is the Clown Triggerfish beautiful, but it is also quite rare and is one of the more uncommon fish to see while scuba diving. It can be found throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific and Red Sea. It prefers semi-shallow reef waters but can be found down to depths in excess of 50 meters. They can also be found in areas along The Great Barrier Reef.
Due to the Clown Triggerfish's beauty and rareness they are often found in aquariums of those who can afford them. They are known as aggressive to many other fish that they share aquariums with, though they can become tame and comfortable with humans.
Image Link The Squareback Anthias ( Pseudanthias Pleurotaenia ) also known as a Pink Square Anthias is a beautiful and colourful small fish which can be found in the Pacific Ocean. The male Squareback Anthias are amazing with beautiful pinks, reds, purples and blues. The females are bright orange.
They grow up to 20cm in length and are sometimes found in aquariums, though less so than other colourful fish. They tend to be found in sheltered reef areas where they can escape possible predators in the cracks and crevices.
Some of the world’s most beautiful fish may be awaiting you in a nearby lake or bay so what are you waiting for!?
In this article we will be looking at 10 of the most beautiful fish in the world, while some may be small, colourful and harmless, others may be beautiful through majestic nature and shape.
Rainbow Parrotfish
 |
Juvenile Rainbow Parrotfish tend to remain in the mangove areas of a reef due to the decline in threat of predators as well as there being more options for feeding in these areas. The Rainbow Parrotfish is a tropical fish and thus can be found primary in warm waters, most commonly the Caribbean.
- Some of the countries where you are likely to be able to encounter a Rainbow Parrotfish are as follows:
- Mexico
- Bahamas
- Costa Rica
- Cayman Islands
- The Virgin Islands
- Guadeloupe
- Belize And most other Caribbean islands.
Emperor Angelfish
 |
When Emperor Angelfish are young they consist of a completely different appearance with their bodies being blue with a series of white circles, as they grow older however this changes and they become yellow and blue with stripes along their bodies and lose the white rings they had as a juvenile.
These fish can grow over 40cm long and can be found along tropical reefs, they are commonly found in the Pacific and Indian Ocean as well as The Red Sea.
Mandarinfish
 |
Though they are not an easy fish to keep in aquariums due to their feeding habits and thus should not be attempted to be kept by amature aquarium enthusiasts and rather only by those who are able to maintain the Mandarinfish's needs.
In the wild these 6 centimeter fish tend to prefer shallow reefs and lagoons. Places where they are able to hide from large predators. Their diet tends to consist of small crustations and invertebrates.
They are definitely one of the most colourful fish in the world.
Lionfish
 |
Another fish that is prone to coral reefs and warm waters, the Lionfish is native to the Indo-Pacific but is now found in parts of the Caribbean and East Atlantic. An article on a-z-animals.com reports that the introduction of the Lionfish to the Caribbean and East Atlantic is believed to be due to an aquarium in Florida which was destroyed by a hurricane, allowing fish to exit into the sea via the storm surge. Evidence for this is due to DNA testing done on these Lionfish being traced back to under 10 individual Lionfish. Another interesting fact is that dispite the Caribbean not being a native area for the Lionfish, they seem to be reproducing well and are noted as being larger than the Indo-Pacific Lionfish.
Nudibranch
 |
The best part is that Nudibranchs can be found all over the world regardless of whether the waters are tropical or not. Nudibranchs sometimes feed on other sea slugs and have even been reported as cannibals, eating other Nudibranchs themselves. The Nudibranch has tentacles on the top of its head which are used for taste, smell and touch.
The Nudibranch can also be found in extremely shallow waters which make it a beautiful marine animal for beginner divers, snorkellers and even advanced divers.
Yellow Tang
 |
The Yellow Tang is another fish which prefers shallow reef areas and can be found generally in depths of 5 to 30 meters though can occur in even shallower waters. This is another fish which can be commonly spotted by novice scuba divers. The Yellow Tang is often seen being a cleaner for sea turtles.
They may not have the rainbow effects of some of the other fish, but there is something beautiful with a bright yellow fish contrasting against a blue oceanic background.
Clownfish
 |
If you had to ask the average person to draw a picture of a fish they would likely end up drawing a Clownfish, the Clownfish has always been common in media whether it be cartoons, paintings or post-cards. Though in recent years the hit movie 'Finding Nemo' took the Clownfish's popularity to a whole different level with many people referring to Clownfish as "nemos" now.
The reason these beautiful fish are also named Anemonefish is due to the fact that they spend much of their time inside anemones and are unaffected by the anemones poison.
Clownfish tend to prefer warm tropical waters such as the Pacific and Indian Ocean. They are also commonly seen off the north east coast of Australia and The Red Sea. They are also common aquarium fish though remain up to only half the size of their wild Clownfish counter-parts in some instances of aquarium raising.
Jellyfish
 |
Other Jellyfish are extremely dangerous and as mentioned in the article on the world’s most dangerous marine creatures, the Chironex (Box Jellyfish) is in fact believed to be the most deadly animal in existence.
Jellyfish can be found throughout the world in all kinds of waters and water temperatures. They are often seen in groups of up to 100,000. These groups are often referred to as 'blooms' or 'swarms'. And while there are no records on the amounts of Jellyfish present in the past, there is speculation that the Jellyfish population in general is increasing.
Clown Triggerfish
 |
Not only is the Clown Triggerfish beautiful, but it is also quite rare and is one of the more uncommon fish to see while scuba diving. It can be found throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific and Red Sea. It prefers semi-shallow reef waters but can be found down to depths in excess of 50 meters. They can also be found in areas along The Great Barrier Reef.
Due to the Clown Triggerfish's beauty and rareness they are often found in aquariums of those who can afford them. They are known as aggressive to many other fish that they share aquariums with, though they can become tame and comfortable with humans.
Squareback Anthias
 |
They grow up to 20cm in length and are sometimes found in aquariums, though less so than other colourful fish. They tend to be found in sheltered reef areas where they can escape possible predators in the cracks and crevices.
Some of the world’s most beautiful fish may be awaiting you in a nearby lake or bay so what are you waiting for!?
Tags: lionfish clownfish jellyfish scuba diving top 10 marine life clown triggerfish top 10 beautiful fish beautiful fish worlds most beautiful fish
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