CORAL REEF PREDATOR FISH, LIVE WEBCAM
- Local Time
- Location: Aquarium of the Pacific, Rainbow Harbour, Long Beach, California, United States
- Source: Explore Live Nature Cams
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Info: Live webcam at the Aquarium of the Pacific in California.
This colourful exhibit shows reef fish and coral predator fish and includes parrotfish and butterflyfish.
The Aquarium of the Pacific is located in Long Beach.
To see fish and marine life in the ocean, visit our live streaming Underwater Webcams in Oceans
More info: Butterflyfish are some of the most beautiful and colourful reef fish. They are among the most common sights on reefs throughout the world. The 120 butterflyfish species are mainly found on shallow reefs in the tropical Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans.
Butterflyfish are well known for their bright colours and elaborate patterns and markings. Many have dark bands and one or more large “eyespots” on their flanks that may serve to confuse predators and a dark “mask” across their eyes. Butterflyfish have deep, thin bodies with a relatively long snout and a small mouth. They feed on a variety of small crustaceans and on coral polyps.
Parrotfish are close relatives of the wrasse and are abundant in and around the tropical reefs of all the world's oceans. Parrotfish spend most of their day eating algae off coral reefs and play a crucial part in the reef ecosystem. This almost-constant feeding performs the essential task of cleaning the reefs which helps the corals stay healthy and thriving.
A unique feature of some parrotfishes is the production of a mucous envelope to sleep in at night. The envelope takes about 30 minutes to construct and is open at both ends to allow water flow. The secreted envelope is foul smelling and tasting, which may serve to deter night time predators that hunt by scent.
Anthias belong to the grouper and sea bass family and are also known as the swallowtail sea perch or marine goldfish. They are found in areas with reefs in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Their bright colouring of pink to red with 3 yellow stripes on the sides of their heads, makes them very distinguishable and very popular in aquariums.
Wrasses are abundant in shallow-water reefs and rocky shores and are found worldwide, in tropical and temperate seas. Wrasses belong to the Labridae family which is the second largest family of marine fishes. Some small wrasse act as cleaners to larger fish such as groupers and eels, by picking off and eating external parasites. Wrasses are only active during the day and at night they seek shelter in sand and rock crevices.
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