What Marine Life Can You See in the Red Sea?

A Reef Full of Colour

The coral reefs around Hurghada are bursting with life.

Butterflyfish and angelfish move between the corals, parrotfish graze across the reef and clouds of orange anthias gather above coral formations.

You may also encounter bannerfish, triggerfish, surgeonfish, pufferfish, wrasse, groupers, lionfish and many more.

For new divers, seeing a Red Sea reef for the first time can be quite extraordinary. You don’t need to dive particularly deep either. Some of the most colourful marine species can be found in relatively shallow water.

Sea Turtles

There’s something very special about meeting a turtle underwater.

Green and hawksbill turtles can be found in the Red Sea, and occasionally we’re lucky enough to encounter one while diving.

A turtle might be feeding around the reef, resting or simply swimming past.

The best thing to do is give it plenty of space and watch quietly. Never chase or touch a turtle. Allow it to decide how long the encounter lasts.

Blue-Spotted Stingrays

Look carefully across the sandy areas beside the reef and you may spot one of the Red Sea’s most beautiful residents — the blue-spotted stingray.

Their brilliant electric-blue markings make them unmistakable.

They often rest on the seabed, sometimes partially covered by sand. Approach slowly, keep your distance and you may have the opportunity to watch one before it quietly swims away.

Moray Eels

Peer into the cracks and crevices of the reef and you might find a moray eel staring back at you.

Giant morays are particularly impressive.

They are often seen with their mouths repeatedly opening and closing. Although this can look intimidating, the eel is usually simply moving water across its gills to breathe.

They are fascinating animals and another reason why it’s worth taking your time and looking closely at the reef.

Octopus – Masters of Disguise

Spotting an octopus is always exciting.

They’re extraordinary camouflage artists, capable of changing their colour, pattern and even the texture of their skin to match their surroundings.

You can look directly at an octopus without realising it’s there.

Then it moves.

Suddenly the piece of reef you were looking at has eight arms!

Finding these hidden creatures is one of the reasons we prefer to explore a dive site rather than rush around it.

Scorpionfish, Flounders and Other Camouflage Experts

Some Red Sea creatures seem determined not to be found.

Scorpionfish can blend almost perfectly into the reef. Flounders disappear against the sandy seabed, while crocodilefish can lie so still that they’re easily overlooked.

Stonefish are another incredibly well-camouflaged species and should always be admired from a safe distance.

Once you start learning where to look, you realise how much underwater life you used to swim straight past.

Lionfish

With their beautiful striped bodies and long, fan-like fins, lionfish are one of the most distinctive fish you’ll encounter in the Red Sea.

They’re wonderful to photograph but shouldn’t be touched. Their spines are venomous, so give them plenty of room and simply enjoy watching them.

During night dives, you may see lionfish becoming much more active as they hunt.

Barracuda, Trevally and Tuna

It’s easy to become so interested in what’s happening on the reef that you forget to look behind you.

Every so often, look out into the blue.

You might see trevally cruising past, fast-moving tuna or barracuda hanging almost motionless in the water.

Seeing a large school of barracuda is a spectacular sight and a reminder that the Red Sea extends far beyond the coral reef you’re exploring.

Dolphins

Dolphins are among the Red Sea’s most famous inhabitants.

Spinner and bottlenose dolphins are found in the region, and an unexpected underwater encounter is something you’ll remember for a very long time.

Occasionally, divers hear their whistles and clicks underwater before ever seeing them.

Of course, dolphins are wild animals, so an encounter can never be guaranteed.

That’s part of the magic.

What About Sharks?

Yes, there are sharks in the Red Sea.

Several species inhabit the wider Red Sea, including reef sharks, hammerheads, thresher sharks and oceanic whitetips.

However, shark encounters depend greatly on the dive location, season and conditions. Some species are much more likely to be encountered at particular offshore reefs than on normal local dives around Hurghada.

For many experienced divers, seeing a shark in its natural environment is one of the highlights of diving in the Red Sea.

Don’t Forget the Tiny Creatures

Bigger doesn’t necessarily mean more interesting when looking for marine life in the Red Sea.

Look closely at the reef and you’ll discover an entirely different world.

Colourful nudibranchs, tiny shrimp, crabs and other miniature marine creatures hide amongst the coral.

Once you begin searching for the little things, you’ll find yourself slowing down and examining the reef much more carefully.

And that’s often when you make the best discoveries.

The Coral Reef Is Alive Too

It’s easy to think of coral as the background to everything else, but coral is itself made up of living animals.

The Red Sea has an extraordinary variety of hard and soft corals that create shelter, feeding grounds and nursery areas for countless marine species.

Protecting them is extremely important.

Good buoyancy control helps divers avoid accidentally damaging the reef, and we should never stand on, break or deliberately touch coral.

The simple rule is:

Take photographs, leave bubbles and let the reef remain exactly as you found it.

What Marine Life in the Red Sea Will You See?

Nobody can give you a definite answer.

And we wouldn’t want to.

The Red Sea isn’t an aquarium. Everything we encounter is wild and free to come and go.

One day the highlight might be a turtle.

On another dive, it could be a tiny nudibranch.

You might discover an octopus hiding in plain sight, watch a stingray glide across the sand or simply find yourself surrounded by hundreds of colourful reef fish.

That’s what keeps us going back underwater.

Discover the Red Sea with Dive Tribe Hurghada

At Dive Tribe Hurghada, we believe the best diving experiences aren’t about rushing around a dive site or following a large group underwater.

They’re about having time to explore.

Our small-group and personalised approach to diving gives you the opportunity to relax, improve your skills and really look at what’s around you.

Whether you’re an experienced diver, returning to diving after a break or want to experience scuba diving for the very first time, we can tailor your diving to your experience and needs.

Because sometimes the most amazing creature on the reef isn’t the one everyone is looking at.

It’s the one everybody else swam past.

Come and discover the underwater world of the Red Sea with Dive Tribe Hurghada.

Dive. Explore. Look closer.