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The colonization of the lagoon by coral reef fish larvae was compared between two islands of French Polynesia, the atoll of Rangiroa and the high volcanic island of Moorea. In both cases the larval flux coming into the lagoon followed a daily cycle. Larvae were mainly caught at dusk and during the night, and on both islands the colonization was higher during moonless than moonlit periods. The larval flux did not appear to be dependent on the waterflow in the lagoons. A comparison of larval abundance and taxonomic lists indicates that Scarids and Labrids were dominant in Rangiroa while Gobiidae was the major family on Moorea. This difference could be in part related to the different sampling periods, but other environmental and biological factors could also be important.