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Blue Angelfish: This angelfish is only found in the Gulf of Mexico, Bermuda, and some areas of Florida. Blue Angelfish eat sponges almost exclusively and flourish at Stetson Bank where approximately 30% of the bottom is covered in sponges. Angelfish are often seen in pairs.
"Golden" Smooth Trunkfish: This is a golden color phase of a very common reef fish, the smooth trunkfish, that is regularly black and white. The golden morph is only found in the Flower Gardens and is thought to be the result of a genetic mutation that persisted in this isolated area.
Ocean Triggerfish: Preferring open ocean, these large triggerfish are not typically seen on inshore coral reefs. Large aggregations are seen regularly at the Flower Gardens, and their tall dorsal and anal fin give them an interesting appearance when swimming. They eat large crustaceans.
Sailfin Blenny: This unique bottom dweller is only a few inches long but puts on quite a display. The males have a large dorsal fin that it flashes up and down to attract mates and defend its territory. This blenny is very common at Stetson Bank where the bottom habitat provides many holes for them to live in.
Manta Ray: This large planktivorous ray lives on the banks year round. Manta rays can have wingspans up to 20 feet across and they use the special fins on their head for feeding.
Queen Parrotfish: Parrotfish use their "beak" of fused teeth to scrape algae off rocks and dead coral. One or a few terminal phase males maintain a harem of many initial phase females. The queen parrotfish is blue/green with a dark mustache.
REEF at the Flower Garden Banks NMS
REEF Stats
Top 10 Most Frequently Sighted Fish- Reef Butterflyfish
- Bluehead Wrasse
- Great Barracuda
- Brown Chromis
- Bicolor Damselfish
- Sharpnose Puffer
- Spanish Hogfish
- Smooth Trunkfish
- Bermuda Chub/Yellow Chub
- Blue Tang
Educational Resources
The Bridge Data Tip - features a series of activities to explore the habitats and associated fish communities of three of the twelve marine sanctuaries.About the Sanctuary
The Flower Garden Banks are located about 110 miles off the coasts of Texas and Louisiana. The water is warm and clear, and you can find the northernmost coral reefs in the United States here. Critters that live here are very similar to those found in other Caribbean locations, but the diversity is lower. The coral reefs rise to within 66 feet of the surface and are considered to be some of the most pristine coral reef habitat in the world. FGBNMS Website
Current REEF Projects
- Annual REEF Monitoring Cruise
- Sustainable Seas Expedition
Fish Features
The six species featured represent some of the most common fishes found in the MBNMS and also some of the most interesting.
Blue Angelfish: This angelfish is only found in the Gulf of Mexico, Bermuda, and some areas of Florida. Blue Angelfish eat sponges almost exclusively and flourish at Stetson Bank where approximately 30% of the bottom is covered in sponges. Angelfish are often seen in pairs.
"Golden" Smooth Trunkfish: This is a golden color phase of a very common reef fish, the smooth trunkfish, that is regularly black and white. The golden morph is only found in the Flower Gardens and is thought to be the result of a genetic mutation that persisted in this isolated area.
Ocean Triggerfish: Preferring open ocean, these large triggerfish are not typically seen on inshore coral reefs. Large aggregations are seen regularly at the Flower Gardens, and their tall dorsal and anal fin give them an interesting appearance when swimming. They eat large crustaceans.
Sailfin Blenny: This unique bottom dweller is only a few inches long but puts on quite a display. The males have a large dorsal fin that it flashes up and down to attract mates and defend its territory. This blenny is very common at Stetson Bank where the bottom habitat provides many holes for them to live in.
Manta Ray: This large planktivorous ray lives on the banks year round. Manta rays can have wingspans up to 20 feet across and they use the special fins on their head for feeding.
Queen Parrotfish: Parrotfish use their "beak" of fused teeth to scrape algae off rocks and dead coral. One or a few terminal phase males maintain a harem of many initial phase females. The queen parrotfish is blue/green with a dark mustache.