Angel fishes

Pomachanthidae

There are about 70 differentes species of angel fishes in the warm seas. Angel fishes belong to the Pomacanthidae. Theses very colorful fishes live among coral reefs of tropical seas.

 

THE QUEEN ANGEL FISH

holacanthus ciliaris

The Queen Angelfish or holacanthus ciliaris is a fish which can be seen in Bermuda, south Florida, bahamas, Mexican golf up to brasil. The juvenile Queen angelfish is completely different from the adult having yellow stripes and thin blue sky stripes and a yellow belly.

juvenile queen angelfish

The adult has a blue beak, a circle on top of the head and he is mainly blue, yellow and green with a yellow tail. It can be 45 cm long with a flat disc form. Individuals in the bahamas and in the caribean are more colorful thant others of the continental plate.

 

This is a solitary fish often observ in couple hiding in the gorgones and other corals. Juveniles are good parasits cleaning stations

The queen angelfish is feeding onto coral heads as well as little invertebrates as worms, sponges and crustaceous, shri;ps and shells. They have very strong teeth and can break any kind of shell.

THE FRENCH ANGEL FISH

pomacanthus paru

The french angel fish or pomacanthus paru is quite a commun species and can be seen all over the caribean. It feeds onto invertebrates as well as other angel fishes and butterflies fishes, it has a large flat disc body. They are so thin they can move pretty fast to hide between corals to hunt. They swim by moving their pectoral fins and their back fins, anal fins and caudal fins give them the opportunity to turn rapidly.

They are of grey color with a white beak and yellow sheen on their scale. The juvenile french angel fish has similarity with the adult one. It is black with yellow curves and a black tail.

Theses fishes are easy to approach and are very curious too. It is not rare to do a whole dive with them. They are very good guardian of their territories and first one to announce a coming danger.