Blacktail angelfish facts for kids
The blacktail angelfish (Centropyge eibli) is a beautiful and colorful fish that lives in the ocean. It's also known as the red stripe angelfish or orangelined angelfish. These fish are a type of marine angelfish and are part of the Pomacanthidae family. You can find them swimming around coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific region.
Quick facts for kids Blacktail angelfish |
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What Does the Blacktail Angelfish Look Like?
The blacktail angelfish is mostly grayish. It has thin, wavy lines that are a rusty color along its sides. An orange ring surrounds its eye. The part of its body near the tail and the tail fin itself are black. The very edge of the tail fin is a bright blue color.
This color pattern is similar to young Indian Ocean Mimic Surgeonfish. These surgeonfish copy the look of the small, quick angelfish. This helps them avoid being eaten by predators. The blacktail angelfish can grow up to about 15 centimeters (6 inches) long.
Where Do Blacktail Angelfish Live?
You can find the blacktail angelfish in the eastern Indian Ocean. They live from the Maldives and Sri Lanka to northwestern Australia. They are also found in Indonesia, as far east as Flores.
In Australian waters, they have been seen near Christmas Island. They also live around Ningaloo Reef, Rowley Shoals, and Scott and Seringapatam Reefs in Western Australia. Another spot is Ashmore Reef in the Timor Sea.
Blacktail Angelfish Habitat and Habits
Blacktail angelfish usually live in water that is between 3 and 25 meters (10 to 82 feet) deep. They prefer shallow areas with lots of coral growth. You can find them in lagoons, on reefs, and sometimes in channels with strong tidal currents.
These fish often live in small groups. A group usually has one male and several females. They mostly eat algae, which are like tiny plants in the water.
Interestingly, these fish can change their sex. If the male in a group disappears, the strongest female will change into a male. This helps the group continue to thrive.
How Were They Discovered?
The blacktail angelfish was first officially described in 1963. A German scientist named Wolfgang Klausewitz described it. He said it was found near Castle Bay in the Nicobar Islands.
The fish was named eibli to honor another scientist. His name was Irenäus Eibl-Eibesfeldt. He was an ethologist, who studies animal behavior, and also collected some of these fish.
Sometimes, blacktail angelfish can even mix with other types of angelfish. They have been known to create hybrid fish with Centropyge vrolikii and Centropyge flavissima in areas where they live close together.
Blacktail Angelfish and People
Sometimes, blacktail angelfish are caught for the aquarium trade. This means people keep them as pets in home aquariums. Most of the fish sent to Europe and North America come from Sri Lanka.
