Clownfish
- Common Name:
- Clownfish / Nemo Fish
- Habitat:
- Warm waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans
- Diet:
- Omnivore — algae, plankton, small crustaceans
- Fun Fact:
- Clownfish are immune to sea anemone stings and live symbiotically within them.
Fish
The oldest vertebrates — masters of every aquatic environment
Great White Shark
- Common Name:
- Great White
- Habitat:
- Coastal and offshore waters of all major oceans
- Diet:
- Carnivore — seals, sea lions, fish, dolphins
- Fun Fact:
- Great white sharks can detect a single drop of blood in 100 liters of water.
Seahorse
- Common Name:
- Seahorse
- Habitat:
- Shallow tropical and temperate waters worldwide
- Diet:
- Carnivore — tiny crustaceans, plankton
- Fun Fact:
- Seahorses are the only species where the male carries and gives birth to the young.
Giant Manta Ray
- Common Name:
- Manta Ray
- Habitat:
- Tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide
- Diet:
- Filter feeder — zooplankton, fish eggs, small fish
- Fun Fact:
- Manta rays have the largest brain-to-body ratio of any fish and can recognize themselves in mirrors.
Red Lionfish
- Common Name:
- Lionfish
- Habitat:
- Indo-Pacific coral reefs and rocky crevices
- Diet:
- Carnivore — small fish, shrimp, crabs
- Fun Fact:
- Lionfish have venomous spines but are not aggressive — they use venom only for defense.
Deep-Sea Anglerfish
- Common Name:
- Anglerfish
- Habitat:
- Deep ocean waters, 200–2,000 m below the surface
- Diet:
- Carnivore — fish, crustaceans, squid
- Fun Fact:
- The anglerfish uses a bioluminescent lure on its head to attract prey in total darkness.
Pufferfish
- Common Name:
- Pufferfish
- Habitat:
- Tropical and subtropical ocean waters worldwide, especially coral reefs
- Diet:
- Omnivore — algae, mollusks, crustaceans, sea urchins
- Fun Fact:
- Pufferfish are the second most poisonous vertebrate on Earth — their toxin is 1,200 times more lethal than cyanide.
Wels Catfish
- Common Name:
- Wels Catfish
- Habitat:
- Large rivers, lakes, and reservoirs of Europe and western Asia
- Diet:
- Carnivore — fish, frogs, crayfish, waterfowl, small mammals
- Fun Fact:
- The wels catfish is Europe's largest freshwater fish, capable of reaching over 2.7 m (9 ft) and 150 kg (330 lbs).
Great Hammerhead Shark
- Common Name:
- Hammerhead Shark
- Habitat:
- Warm coastal and offshore waters of tropical and temperate oceans
- Diet:
- Carnivore — stingrays, fish, squid, octopus, crustaceans
- Fun Fact:
- The hammerhead's wide-set eyes give it 360-degree vertical vision — it can see above and below simultaneously.
Mandarin Dragonet
- Common Name:
- Mandarin Fish
- Habitat:
- Shallow coral reefs and lagoons of the Pacific Ocean
- Diet:
- Carnivore — tiny crustaceans, worms, small invertebrates
- Fun Fact:
- The mandarin dragonet is one of only two vertebrates known to produce blue pigment directly — most blue animals use structural color.
Longsnout Seahorse
- Common Name:
- Longsnout Seahorse
- Habitat:
- Seagrass beds and coral reefs of the western Atlantic Ocean
- Diet:
- Carnivore — tiny shrimp, copepods, small crustaceans
- Fun Fact:
- The longsnout seahorse can consume up to 3,000 brine shrimp per day and has no stomach — food passes through instantly.
Swordfish
- Common Name:
- Swordfish
- Habitat:
- Open water oceans worldwide
- Diet:
- Omnivore — squid, octopus, mackerel
- Fun Fact:
- Heater in their head! They can hunt in freezing deep-sea environments.
Devils Hole Pupfish
- Common Name:
- Devils Hole Pupfish
- Habitat:
- A single geothermal pool in Devils Hole, Nevada, USA — the smallest natural habitat of any vertebrate
- Diet:
- Omnivore — algae, diatoms, tiny invertebrates
- Fun Fact:
- The Devils Hole pupfish is the rarest fish on Earth — the entire wild population lives in one pool roughly the size of a parking space.