The Orange-Spotted Filefish

The Orange-spotted filefish is a fish that few people know about on the top of their head. These fish rely solely on the coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific Oceans. As from the picture above, you can see how the fish is mostly a teal blue with yellow spots and stripes all around it. It’s main food source is Acropora polyps, which is a type of stone coral. Not only do they use this coral for food, but they also use it for protection, shelter, and mating purposes. While filefish swim around the coral, the chemicals from the Acropora are absorbed by the fish so that the fish cannot be distinguished by predators, like cod. Eating the coral also masks the smell of the fish from others. The coral also provides protection as shelter as the fish can camouflage themselves, as the coral is bright in colors as well. The coral can also be used as shelter just by being a home for the fish. The filefish have nests inside the coral that they live in and also mate and reproduce in. The coral provides protection and shelter for young filefish. Without these corals, the filefish would lose the most valuable resource it has. As the fish is quite small, it is not possible for it to migrate to new areas.