
Pacific Creolefish - Paranthias colonus
The Pacific Creolefish - Paranthias colonus has body gray to greenish gray to brownish red, becoming pinkish red ventrally. A few conspicuous light spots in a line on body, below dorsal fin. Tail deeply forked; all fins reddish. Small mouth.

''Paranthias colonus'' is a species of grouper found in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. They are typically found in small aggregations well above reefs, but will retreat to the reef at the approach of danger. They form large midwater schools while feeding on plankton. They occur up the a depth of 100 m. They feed mainly on small planktonic animals that are picked individually from the water, made possible by their shortened snout which facilitates close-range binocular vision.