by Jen Sanders

Now this is a story all about how you will learn fish in Nosy Cao,
I’d like to take a minute so sit for a bit, so I can tell you ’bout the Groupers and the Sweetlips.

At the bottom of the reef is where Groupers are raised, their playground; it’s where they spend most of their days,
Chilling out and hunting for some fish for their tea, the kind that you find at the bottom of the sea.

We’ll start with the biggest, the potato of course, it’s been known to swim at humans and show no remorse,
It’s grey with black blotches and has huge teeth, so you can’t miss this one because he’s a beast.

The next in line is the Lyre-Tail, which is by far the brightest grouper and has a yellow margined tail.
Now as the name suggests, the “White-Spotted Grouper”: it’s brown with white spots which is really super.

Blue margins on fins is how you see, the marbled grouper in time for tea.
But let’s not forget the Coral Hind, it’s orange with blue spots and has an inquisitive mind.

The Peacock is the smallest of the Groupers to know, with its brightly coloured fins it really is a show.

Now the Sweetlips really are a different story, they sleep in the day which is really boring. But they have big lips and long D fins, and they look really cool when they swim.

Of all the Sweetlips there’s just four to know, so there’s no excuse for letting them go.
We’ll start with the White Barred as its easy for you, it’s black with white stripes but has a white tummy too.

Next we have the Dusky one, all you need to think of is a setting sun.
It’s mainly grey with a bit of pink, as Dusky is the name you don’t need to think.

The last of the Sweetlips are the spotted types, there’s the Black and the Gold but they’re not that alike.
The Gold Spotted has a wide body, with, yes, you’ve guessed it, white spots to see.

We’ll end now with the Black Spotted Sweetlips, the clue’s in the name, but I’ll give you a tip.
On its yellow fins it has black spots, as well as on it’s body, which is white, IT ROCKS.

Thank you for listening to my rap, I hope it didn’t make you need a nap!

Posted by Blue Ventures

Blue Ventures is an award winning marine conservation charity. We rebuild tropical fisheries with coastal communities. On our Beyond Conservation blog you can hear voices from the front line of marine conservation written by our staff and volunteers.

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