We were about 10 minutes into the dive when we entered the canyon and found it filled with Silversides. These interesting schooling fish always make a great shot. The Silversides typically come between June and August and can be found in the many grottoes, wrecks, caves and swim-throughs, on the reefs surrounding Grand Cayman.
Silversides, Atherinidae, are one of the key reef species in Grand Cayman and the Caribbean in general. These great swarms of fishes provide an excellent food source for many of the larger species of fishes and provide a wonderful experience for divers as well. It is a great experience to be surrounded by one of these “balls of fish” or to watch Tarpon or Barracuda dart through the swarms.
The large balls are a defensive mechanism for the fish and you will notice that the entire swarm tends to change direction at once, acting almost a s single organism instead of thousands and thousands of individuals.
