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How to Identify Caribbean Angelfish

Coral reefs of the Caribbean are home to an amazing array of marine life including loggerhead turtles, basket sponges and queen conches. But some of the most spectacular residents are the angelfish. These curious, pancake-shaped fish are tucked into the reefs̵7; narrow crevices and are easily identified by their spectacular coloring. The queen, gray and French are some of the most common species.

Instructions

Queen Angelfish (Holacanthus ciliaris)
- 1
  
  Identify queen angelfish by their vivid yellow fins.
  
  Look for brilliant blue bodies, with yellow-edged scales and yellow pectoral and ventral fins. Queen angelfish have long dorsal and anal fins that are trimmed in bright blue. They are one of the easiest fish to identify because of their flashy coloring.
- 2
  Inspect the round-shaped head. These fish have a distinctive ̶0;crown̶1; ̵1; a blue and black speckled circle, ringed in black -- that inspired the name ̶0;Queen̶1; as well as beak-like mouths.
- 3
  Note the fish̵7;s length and behavior. Male queens can grow up to 18 inches are often shy, swimming alone or in pairs at depths of 20 to 80 feet.
Gray Angelfish (Pomacanthus arcuatus)
- 4
  
  Mature gray angelfish have white mouth areas.
  
  Be aware that the coloring of a gray angelfish changes dramatically with age. Juveniles are dark brown, with five yellow stripes. Mature grays are true to their name -- their entire bodies are colored gray to grayish-brown.
- 5
  Look for sizable fish; a mature gray can grow to 24 inches, making them one of the largest of the angelfish. The back edges of the dorsal and anal fins are trimmed in white and exhibit filaments that extend past the tail fin.
- 6
  Observe their behavior. Grays are more territorial than other angelfish, but typically are found swimming in pairs at depths ranging from 6 to 100 feet.
French Angelfish (Pomacanthus paru)
- 7
  
  Beautiful French angelfish have distinctive yellow-colored filament extended from the dorsal fin.
  
  Note the significant change in coloration between juveniles and adults. Young French angelfish resemble gray angelfish: dark brown in color with five yellow stripes. Adults display black scales trimmed in yellow, with white chins. The dorsal fin has a yellow-colored filament that extends past the tail fin and yellow circles surround the eyes.
- 8
  Examine the fish for a light-blue head and a small mouth set in a lower jaw that juts out past the upper jaw. They are nearly as large as the gray angelfish -- they can reach 24 inches -- but are typically around 16 inches long.
- 9
  Locate these fish in shallow waters, typically 15 feet or less. You will find them feeding on sponges, coral and algae and they are very territorial.

Animals & Science