Cueva de los peces - Florida Keys
Cueva de los Peces, or "Cave of the Fish," makes for a decent dive when you're exploring the Upper Keys. You'll find it’s more of an impressive overhang than a true cave, with a sizable grotto providing shelter for various fish. We often spot schools of snapper and Ballyhoo hanging out here, sometimes even a silky shark cruising by the entrance. It's a nice easy dive, shallow enough for newer divers, and offers some interesting light play as the sun filters into the grotto. Expect plenty of rough tube sponges and leathery barrel sponges clinging to the walls, too.
- Location
- Florida Keys, United States, North America
- Coordinates
- 22.166502, -81.137825
- Type
- cave
Best Time to Dive in Florida Keys
The warmest water temperatures in Florida Keys occur in July, averaging 31.5°C (up to 34.8°C). The coolest conditions are in January at 19.3°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 19.3°C (air: 18.5°C)
- February: 20.5°C (air: 21.6°C)
- March: 23.1°C (air: 22.4°C)
- April: 25.5°C (air: 24.3°C)
- May: 27.8°C (air: 25.9°C)
- June: 30.2°C (air: 27.5°C)
- July: 31.5°C (air: 28.3°C)
- August: 31.5°C (air: 28.3°C)
- September: 30.2°C (air: 27.3°C)
- October: 27.3°C (air: 26.0°C)
- November: 24.1°C (air: 22.3°C)
- December: 20.9°C (air: 19.8°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Florida Keys
- 1 Girón
- 9-foot Stake (reef)
- Ajax Reef (reef)
- Alexander Springs
- Alligator Reef (reef)
- Anglin Pier Ledge - 10m (reef)
- Anglin’s Pier Reef - 5-15m (reef)
- Aquarium - 10m
- Ball and Chain - 11m
- Banana Patch Reef - 10m (reef)
- Barracuda Dive Centre
- Beach House - 19m
- Blue Grotto Spring (cave)
- Boynton Comb Reef (reef)
- Boynton Ledges - 21m (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Cueva de los peces
Marine Life in Florida Keys
Home to 91 recorded species including 69 reef fish, 6 sharks & rays, 3 other, 3 hard corals, 2 sea snails & nudibranchs, 2 sea urchins.
Notable Species
- Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas) - Sharks & Rays
- Blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) - Sharks & Rays
- Cowfish (Rhinoptera bonasus) - Sharks & Rays
- Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Blacknose shark (Carcharhinus acronotus) - Sharks & Rays
- Great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran) - Sharks & Rays
- Prodigal Son (Rachycentron canadum) - Reef Fish
- Eastern Mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) - Reef Fish
- Sailfin Molly (Poecilia latipinna) - Reef Fish
- Least Killifish (Heterandria formosa) - Reef Fish
- Florida Cone (Conus anabathrum) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Bream (Lagodon rhomboides) - Reef Fish
- Common mojarra (Eucinostomus gula) - Reef Fish
- Bonnethead Shark (Sphyrna tiburo) - Sharks & Rays
- Pigfish (Orthopristis chrysoptera) - Reef Fish
- Lined Sole (Achirus lineatus) - Reef Fish
- Inshore Lizardfish (Synodus foetens) - Reef Fish
- Freshwater Flounder (Trinectes maculatus) - Reef Fish
- Herring (Harengula jaguana) - Reef Fish
- American Gulf Pipefish (Syngnathus scovelli) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Cueva de los peces
Based on average water temperature of 26.0°C, currents 1 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 26°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories