Arabian angelfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Arabian angelfish |
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Pomacanthus asfur, also known as the Arabian Angelfish, is a beautiful fish that lives in the ocean. It is a type of marine angelfish and belongs to a family of fish called Pomacanthidae. You can find this fish in the western part of the Indian Ocean.
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What They Look Like
The Arabian Angelfish looks very different when it's young compared to when it's grown up. Young angelfish have a blue body with light blue and white stripes. As they get older, yellow marks appear on their top fin and tail fin.
When they are fully grown, these fish are mostly dark blue. Their face is almost black. They have a bright yellow tail fin and a wide, curved yellow stripe across their body. This stripe goes from their back towards their belly. The top fin has 12 strong spines and 19 to 20 soft rays. The fin on their belly has 3 spines and 19 to 20 soft rays. Each side fin has 17 or 18 rays. These fish can grow up to 40 centimeters (about 16 inches) long.
Where They Live
The Arabian Angelfish mostly lives in the western Indian Ocean. You can find them in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. They also live along the coast of eastern Africa, as far south as Zanzibar.
Sometimes, these fish have been seen in other places. They have been recorded a few times off the eastern coast of Florida and near Malta. These sightings were likely from pet fish that were released into the wild.
Their Home and Habits
Arabian Angelfish have been found living in water depths from 3 to 30 meters (about 10 to 100 feet). They are common in calm areas of reefs close to shore. These reefs usually have lots of soft and hard corals. There might also be some muddy spots on the seabed.
These fish mainly eat sponges and tunicates. Tunicates are small sea creatures that often attach to rocks. The Arabian Angelfish is a shy fish and usually lives alone. Divers often find it hard to get close to them. They are usually seen near caves or cracks in the reef where they can hide.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
The Arabian Angelfish can change its sex. This means that the larger fish in a pair will change from female to male. This is a special way they reproduce and keep their population healthy.
Naming and History
The Arabian Angelfish was first officially described in 1775. A Danish scientist named Johan Christian Fabricius wrote about it. However, people often give credit to a Swedish scientist named Peter Forsskål. The fish's original home was noted as Al-Luhayya in Yemen. The name asfur is actually the Arabic name for this fish in Yemen.
Angelfish as Pets
The Arabian Angelfish is sometimes kept in home aquariums. It is not very common in the pet trade, but you can find it. Some of these fish have been bred in captivity, meaning they were born and raised by people. These captive-bred fish are sometimes sold as "half-moon angelfish."
