Overview
The Angelfishare gray to brown, with dark spots on each scale, and white mouths. Juveniles are almost black, with five yellow bands on each side, but they change to a uniform gray, and their rounded fins become more angular over time. The gray angelfish has a thin, discus-shaped body with a small mouth. The lower jaw protrudes past the upper jaw. The mouth is small and contains comb-like teeth.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Order
- Perciformes
- Family
- Pomacanthidae
- Genus
- Pomacanthus
- Species
- arcuatus
Habitat
The Gray Angelfish swims among coral reefs at depths ranging from 7-98 feet (2-30 m). Rocks and reef habitats provide an abundance amount of cover from any prey lurking around at night. Juveniles inhabit shallow patch reefs and grassy areas.
Diet
They primarily feed on sponges and a wide range of algae. thye have been known to eat on invertebrates including: tunicates, zoantharians, gorgonians, hydroids, and bryozoans. They act as cleaning stations where they remove these ectoparasites from a wide range of fishes including: jacks, snappers, morays, grunts, surgeonfishes, and wrasses.
Behavior
Gray angelfish are generally solitary or found in pairs, defending territories around coral reefs to protect feeding areas. They are diurnal, actively foraging during the day for food among rocks and reefs, and juveniles often engage in cleaning behaviors, picking parasites off larger fish. At night, they retreat to crevices for shelter and safety from predators.
Fishing
This is more of an aquarium fish. The Anngelfish possess flesh of excellent quality, the gray angelfish is marketed either fresh or salted. There have been reports of ciguatera poisoning associated with human consumption of this fish. Collection for the aquarium trade is a local threat, but it does not seem to be affecting the population globally.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern by IUCN.