Vardhan Patankar
Vardhan Patankar
( Pterocaesio tile )
This is a reef associated fish which you can most commonly find in lagoons and around coral reefs at a maximum depth of 60 m.
The blue-streak fusilier can grow up to a maximum length of 21 cm, they have a background colour of brown while the lower body is pinkish-red. Their most prominent feature and that deems its name, is it the blue stripe extending from the mouth all the way to start of the tail with a thin black stripe just above it going all the way to the end of the tail. You are likely to find them in large numbers.
In their high numbers, they feed on planktonic matter in the water column.
Joydeep Sarkar
Joydeep Sarkar
( Lutjanus lutjanus )
Recorded at depths between 1-96 m in and around coral reefs as well as in coastal waters in large affregations.
The bigeye snapper can grow up to a maximum length of about 35 cm. The upper part of the fish's back end of the body is a golden brown colour while their sides are silvery-white. They have a yellowish stripe streching from the snout to where the tail meets the body above this stripe, the fish has slanting golden coloured lines on the side of its body above the yellow stripe and horizontal lines below the stripe. All their fins are a bright yellow colour.
They feed on small fish and crustaceans.
Joydeep Sarkar
Joydeep Sarkar
( Macolor macularis )
Mostly found in lagoons, channels and seaward reefs in deeper areas between 3-90 m.
They are dark grey to brownish in colour on the upper part of the body with hints of yellow on the head and the lower body. This species has a network of thin blue lines and spots on the head while also having these spots on each scale, giving them a dotted in blue appearance. These fish have been recorded to have a long life span with some individuals reaching about 40-50 years old!
They are knownt to feed on zooplankton, small fish and crustaceans.
Vardhan Patankar
Joydeep Sarkar
( Lutjanus kasmira )
Thrive in coral reefs in shallow lagoons and also outer reef slopes at depths as deep as 180 m.
The common bluestripe snapper can grow up to a maximum length of 25 cm. The back and side end is bright yellow in colour while the belly and underside of the fish are white. There are four blue stripes on the side of their body with many light grey stripes on the lower part of their sides. Their fins are all yellow in colour.
They have a diet that consists of several different organisms such as fish, shrimp, crab, crustaceans etc.
Vardhan Patankar
Vardhan Patankar
( Lutjanus gibbus )
Found at depths between 1-150 in and around coral reefs, most commonly in large groups.
This snapper can grow up to a maximum length of about 50 cm, the background colour of the fish is reddish grey with red to dark brown fins. There is also a slight orange colouring around their gills and fins that located on the sides of their body. The tail and the fins on the top of their body are bordered by a thin white line.
They feed on shrimp, crabs, lobsters and starfish.
Coastal Impact
( Lutjanus argentimaculatus )
As the name suggests, they are commonly found around marine waters around mangroves. They do move into the pelagic ocean to breed, however come back to lay their young in the vicinity of mangroves so spotting them near reefs are common as well.
Growing up to a maximum length of about 56 cm, their colour ranges from brown to reddish in colour with a silvery-white belly. An intersting feature of this species is that they are able to also survive in waters that are not as salty at the ocean, hence making them capable of moving easily from the mangroves to the open ocean.
Mangrove red snappers feed on a variety of species
Phalguni Ranjan
( Caesio teres )
Spotted at depths between 5-60 m in and around coral reefs in areas where there is rich coral cover such as lagoons.
They attain a maximum length of about 40 cm, the upper part of the fish, the area behind the fins on the top and the tail are bright yellow in colour. The rest of the body though, is a bright blue-silvery colour and the belly region is white in colour. The yellow-tail fusilier always aggregates into groups and is most commonly spotted during the day.
They feed on various planktonic organisms that move around in the water.
Joydeep Sarkar
( Lutjanus quinquelineatus )
Inhabit lagoons and outer areas of reefs at depths between 2-40 m. You are likely to spot them in large groups.
The five lined snapper can reach a maximum length of about 38 cm, the upper part of the head is brown in colour while their general background colour is yellow along with five blue stripes on the sides. There is a black spot on the upper back side of the body.
Feed on fish and crustaceans.
Joydeep Sarkar
( Lutjanus fulvus )
Spotted at depths between 2-75 m in lagoons, sheltered reefs and seaward facing reefs. You can usually spot them in schools with other snappers.
The blacktail snapper expresses an overall background colour that can very between orange-brown to brown or pale yellow in colour. The fins on top of their body and their tail are dark red to black in colour with a white outline,hence the reason for their name. In addition, they have a yellow patch over the eye and their scales have brown to yellow colour margins. When young, they display some horizontal yellow stripes and can attain a maximum length of about 40 cm.
They feed on fish, sea cucumbers, squid and octopus.
Joydeep Sarkar
( Lutjanus monostigma )
Inhabit depths between 1-60 m in and around coral reefs around caves and the corals themselves. They form schools and often form schools with other species of snappers.
Reaching a maximum length of about 32 cm, the blackspot snapper is named for its prominent black spot on the upper back side of its body. In contrast, the rest of the fish displays a whitish pink to grey colour with yellow fins.
Feed on fish and crustaceans.
Joydeep Sarkar
( Lutjanus biguttatus )
Found at depths between 3-30 m on coral reefs.
The two-spot banded snapper exhibts a greyish back background colour with a white horizontal stripe that stretches from the mouth all the way to where the tail connects with the body. This horizontal white stripe falls between two other reddish-brown stripes. In addition, there are two white spots on the upper side of the fish, at the base of the fins on the top of their body. These spots along with their bands of white and red is the reason for their name. This species can attain a maximum length of about 25 cm.
Feed on small fish and crustaceans.
Joydeep Sarkar
Joydeep Sarkar
( Caesio caerulaurea )
Encountered at depths between 2-40 m in lagoons and seaward reefs where coral growth is rich.
Reaching a maximum length of about 25 cm, they have a background colour that is blue which fades into a white on the belly or lower side of the fish. They have a golden-yellow prominent stripe on both sides of the fish which is outined by a thin white to blue stripe. Finally their tail has two black coloured blue streaks. This species is usually spotted in large groups.
They feed on planktonic organisms.
Phalguni Ranjan
( Caesio cuning )
Found in areas where there is rock and rubble near coral reefs. You can spot them at depths between 1-60 m.
This species can reach a maximum length of 60 cm, the backend of the fish and tail are yellow while the rest of the fish is greyish blue. The bottom area on the sides of the fish are white-pink and sometimes appears as red and hence they are referred to as the redbelly yellowtail fusilier. This species is usually enountered in large schools.
Their diet consists of various planktonic organisms.