4K Tropical Fish Feeding Frenzy Grand Cayman East End. 2025

Fabulous Feeding Frenzy of local tropical fish, located under the pier at the Moritz, right next to the Wyndham Reef. Local Tarpon fish are feeding as well. No fear while filming. Many were just interested in the camera, making trips to see, staring directly at me numerous times.

1. Sergeant Major (Abudefduf saxatilis) — Confirmed
Traits: Silver-white body with five bold vertical black bars; yellow tint along the dorsal ridge.

Location in Image: Dominates the scene, especially in the foreground and mid-left.

Notes: Commonly found in reef environments and known for schooling behavior.

2. Atlantic Spadefish (Chaetodipterus faber) — Confirmed
Traits: Disk-shaped body, soft silver with faint vertical bands (often hard to detect in adults); blunt snout and distinctive body depth.

Location: Center-right foreground — facing the camera.

Notes: Usually travel in loose schools; can resemble angelfish in body shape.

3. Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) — Confirmed
Traits: Elongated, silvery body; very large eye; thick jaw with an underbite; large cycloid scales.

Location: Bottom-right of the image.

Notes: Coastal and estuarine; juveniles venture into shallow, brackish water.

4. Dusky Damselfish (Stegastes adustus) — Likely
Traits: Stocky, oval shape; darker body color, nearly black in mature individuals.

Location: Mid-left, toward the bottom, swimming among sergeant majors.

Notes: Territorial, aggressive defenders of algae patches.

5. Schoolmaster Snapper (Lutjanus apodus) — Probable
Traits: Silver or grayish body with pale vertical bars; yellowish fins in juveniles.

Location: Mid-lower field among the striped fish — slightly more fusiform in shape.

Notes: Often in mixed schools in seagrass or reef edges.

6. Bar Jack (Caranx ruber) — Possible
Traits: Long, torpedo-shaped body; dark stripe extending from the head through the upper tail lobe.

Location: Mid-background right; traveling horizontally in a silver form.

Notes: Known to follow stingrays and forage mid-water above reefs.

📘 Species Summary Table
Species Common Name Confidence Key Traits
Abudefduf saxatilis Sergeant Major ✅ Confirmed 5 black vertical bars, yellow dorsal hue
Chaetodipterus faber Atlantic Spadefish ✅ Confirmed Rounded body, blunt snout, faint bands
Megalops atlanticus Tarpon ✅ Confirmed Silvery elongated body, large scales, jaw structure
Stegastes adustus Dusky Damselfish 🔶 Likely Dark-colored, stocky, compact
Lutjanus apodus Schoolmaster Snapper 🔶 Probable Light vertical bars, yellow tail/fins
Caranx ruber Bar Jack 🔸 Possible Dark back stripe, sleek profile