Tropical fish are the species which usually live amongst or in close proximity to coral reefs. Coral reefs form complex ecosystems with tremendous biodiversity. Among the myriad inhabitants, the tropical fish stands out as particularly colorful and interesting to watch. Hundreds of species can exist in a small area of a healthy reef, many of them hidden or well camouflaged. Reef fish have developed many ingenious specializations adapted to survival on the reefs. Tropical fish can be found in tropical environments around the world and include both freshwater and salt water species. They are popular as aquarium fish, due to their often bright coloration. In freshwater fish, this coloration typically derives from iridescence, while salt water fish are generally pigmented.
Coral reefs occupy less than one percent of the surface area of the world oceans, yet they provide a home for about a quarter of all marine fish species. Reef habitats are a sharp contrast to the open water habitats that make up the other 99% of the world oceans. However, loss and degradation of coral reef habitat, increasing pollution, and overfishing including the use of destructive fishing practices, are threatening the survival of the coral reefs and the associated reef and tropical fish species.
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