Reef Fish Identification: Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas

After many years of cruising and snorkeling at some of the best islands in the Western and Southern Caribbean, I was on the quest to find a good reef fish identification book. Hubby and I used a few fish ID cards, you know the plastic ones that you can carry around with you and at times squint really hard to see if there's any resemblance to the fish we had seen underwater.This book was a wonderful find and has a wealth of information. The book is divided into twelve (12) identification groups (e.g. disc/ovals, silvery, sloping bodies/tapered heads, small ovals, heavy bodies/large lips, odd shaped swimmers, etc). There are many pictures provided and I enjoy seeing the differences between the juveniles or initial stage and the adult or terminal phase. Some of the plain looking juveniles turn into beautiful and colorful adults such as the Parrotfish.The book also points out distinctive markings on the fish (line drawings) along with color pictures. Within each identification group, there are explanations along with descriptions of distinctive features, habitat and behavior, and reactions to divers. Again, a lot of information in this book and well worth the price.The book is quite heavy to carry around, but I can see taking this with us and leaving it in our cabin/room and use as a reference at the end of our daily snorkel adventures. There is a lighter version of this book that I also purchased called the Snorkeling Guide to Marine Life (red cover) and about 80 pages in length. This one covers many of the common underwater marine life we've seen while snorkeling. I can see carrying this lighter version in my snorkel bag.I highly recommend this Reef Fish book with over 500+ pages of beautiful pictures and surprisingly enought detail information to help identify the many underwater marine life. Enjoy!

This is a great training tool for anyone interested in learning about the fish in Florida, Bahamas and Caribbean.

I am an artist that paints pictures of these fishes and their habitat. I use this as a reference tool. It's awesome

This i a great resource for marine biology students doing field work! This book saved me through first year of college and internship. Looking forward to get the entire collection!

I was amazed how the photos and drawings were cross referenced in such detail. We'll miss Paul Humann

I have delayed reviewing this book as it requires me to commit to "finishing" it. One never finishes this book. It is a truly fabulous, informative, and beautifully presented reference book that accompanies me to the Caribbean time after time on my dive trips. In group dive trips, I am forever wrestling it back from my fellow divers--so much so that I had to give the dive couple we usually dive with a copy of their own. Humann not only helps you identify the various Caribbean creatures in the usual way of pointing out distinguishing features and identifying marks, he also helps you understand the relationship between seemingly very different fish (like how a pretty little Fairy Basslet is related to those big, impressive Bass). And, of course, I can't give enough praise to Ned Deloach's photography--truly amazing work. I had the privilege a few years ago of meeting Mr. Deloach and his talented videographer wife at a lecture at Scripps Institute of Oceanography in San Diego and felt like it was meeting the true giants in a very specialized field--quite an honor. For scuba divers, snorkelers, or just lovers of sea creatures, this is a must have.

Awesome book for novice snorkeler and diver alike. This is organized by fish body type to make it easier to distinguish similar fish from one another. Have used this book in Grand Cayman and Aruba on several occasions---helping me to identify the many fish seen in the shallow Caribbean waters while snorkeling. The descriptions also include behavior (schooling, hiding) and levels of approachability---things that help you to identify fish more precisely. The color photography is well done, in my opinion and is all relatively new (just a few of the obviously "older" photos of those ultra rare fish--the ones no one has seen in decades.). I have the prior edition, this new edition and have purchased this edition to give as a gift. It is a relatively dense/heavy book for its' size---but it is the one fish book you need, so I feel it is worth the weight in your suitcase. If they had a companion "fish chart" to take in the water---it would be perfect.

Came in good condition. I bought this after a trip to the Caribbean, and found it helpful in identifying some of the fish I saw.

Good quality photos, lots of information about the fishes. Excellent book

Very good explanations and descriptions, allowing us to identify different fish. Very nice pictures too!

Très bon guide, bien détaillé et organisé pour ceux qui lise l'anglais.Je le recommande si vous voulez faire de l'identification. Jetez un oeil au reste de la collection des ces ouvrages !

Ich war im letzten Monat eine Woche in der Dominikanischen Republik um mich dort zu erholen und um ein bisschen zu tauchen. Da ich aus dem BEreich der Karibik noch überhaupt kein Fischbuch besass, habe ich mir dieses von einem Freund geliehen und war sehr positiv überrascht: durch die Photos waren die Fische sehr gut wieder zu erkennen, es war sehr gut strukturiert und sehr informativ und ,was ich mit am wichtigsten fand, es umfasst auch viele regional endemische Fischarten. Ich kann das Buch bei guten Englischkenntnissen als Referenz für das Gebiet der Karibik nur wärmstens empfehlen.Leider mußte ich das Buch meinem Bekannten wieder zurück gegeben - doch da ich es hier bei Amazon gefunden haben, wanderte es gleich in den Einkaufskorb

Love matching the fish in the book with the fish you see snorkelling.