Coral Reef

Zone 10
Corals, Lionfish, Moray Eel, Tangs, Seahorses, Picasso Trigger fish, French Angelfish, Blue-Spotted Boxfish.

Picasso (or blackbar) triggerfish – Rhinecanthus aculeatus

Triggerfish come from a group of fish called leatherjackets, named after their tough skin. Triggerfish get their name from a dorsal fin that resembles a trigger and can be ‘locked’ in place by a spine in the fin. To sleep or if they feel threatened, triggerfish will find a safe place in the reef to swim into and stick the fin up to wedge themselves in. Like some other fish, triggerfish are able to emit various noises including grunts and snorts.
Max size – Approx 30cm
Distribution – Reefs in the Indo-Pacific
Feeds on – algae and invertebrates

Angelfish are graceful swimmers, generally using their pectoral (side) fins like oars and their other long fins and thin bodies to provide balance, allowing them to turn quickly. They are active in the day, often swimming around reefs in pairs and seek shelter at night, their thin bodies allowing them to fit in narrow gaps in the reef. Young French angelfish sometimes get food by cleaning skin parasites off a range of other fish.
Max size – Approx 45cm
Distribution – Coral reefs and sandy areas in the Bahamas, Florida to Brazil
Feeds on – Algae and small invertebrates

Seahorses can change colour for camouflage or to react to other seahorses! Most seahorse species are threatened with extinction. Seahorse numbers have declined by 25-50% in the last 5years. At least 20million are thought to be caught each year for the Chinese medicine trade. Many more are killed to be dried for sale as ornaments. London Aquarium is part of a global seahorse breeding programme.
Max size – Approx 1.6 – 30cm depending on species
Distribution – Global
Feeds on – Small crustaceans and invertebrates