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The secret lives of baby fish | TED-Ed

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Coral reef fish, like the yellow tang surgeonfish, begin life in a fascinating and weird way – as tiny floating larvae! These babies are capable of drifting thousands of miles on ocean currents, far from the reefs where they were born. Amy McDermott describes how these tiny trekkers travel across vast oceans, searching for the far-flung reefs they will one day call home.

Over 90% of the coral reef fish kept in saltwater aquariums and sold at pet stores in the US and Europe are collected from the wild. Why might these fish be wild-caught rather than farmed in captivity?

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