SS Tarpon

Atlantic Spadefish – Spadefish get their name because of their spade-shaped body and are often silver-gray with black fading bars running vertically along their body. These are schooling fish that often circle a SCUBA diver closely.

Cubbyu – Cubbyu are part of the Drum family. These fish are dark brownish gray to black and have thin black stripes running the length of their body. As juveniles, Cubbyu are black and white stripped, and look similar to a High Hat.

Grunts – The family name, Grunt, comes from the sound the fish make when they grind their teeth together which becomes amplified by their air bladder. These Grunts are distinguished by the spot on the base of their tail and the thin stripes along their body.

Jacks - Jacks are strong swimming predators of the open sea that swim in large schools and are seen around reefs looking for smaller fish to prey on. The silver body and dark diagonal band running from the lip to the dorsal fin helps distinguish these as Jacks. These fish are attracted to a diver’s bubbles and will often swim close to the diver before making a rapid dash in another direction.

Jellyfish – Jellyfish come in various sizes. They are usually a dome shape with an opaque body and move through the water by contracting and releasing their dome. Although only a few jellyfish are toxic, it is best to mind the tentacles because they can often be quite unpleasant.

Stony Corals – Stony coral, often called hard corals, come in various shapes in sizes. These living creatures secrete calcium carbonate to form hard shells over their soft bodies.

Townsend Angelfish – A Townsend Angelfish is a mix between a Queen Angelfish and a Blue Angelfish. The Townsend is distinguished by the blue crown, blue chest, and yellow edges of the tails and fins.