Erica Lauer Vose

A tropical fish coloring book just wouldn't be complete without this ubiquitous fish; the Caribbean Blue Tang. Most people are pretty familiar with its Australian cousin made famous by beloved Dori. These somewhat less flashy, but still very beautiful Caribbean Tang are really important to coral reef health. Blue Tang and other members of the surgeonfish family help keep coral healthy by eating the algae that grows on it. Without this algae cleaning service, coral would have a hard time getting enough light to live and grow. You’ll see them swimming about the reef and stopping frequently head down to nibble on algae.

Although we are pretty unlikely to get to see a Porcupinefish while snorkeling, I just can't resist adding this striking fish to the fish coloring book. Their enormous eyes, wide mouth, and large extended lips give them the appearance of a half smile as though they’re just about to share a good joke and (in my opinion) make them pretty irresistibly adorable.

Barracuda are a fairly common sight almost everywhere I been diving or snorkeling. Although they are sleek, powerful swimmers that can sometimes look intimidating, they mostly hang out around reefs alone or in small groups. Sometimes they open and close their mouths showing off all their big teeth but don’t worry - this is just to help with their breathing.