Russet angelfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Russet angelfish |
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Holacanthus potteri Jordan & Metz, 1912 |
The Potter's angelfish, also known as the russet angelfish or Potter's pygmy angelfish, is a small, colorful fish. Its scientific name is Centropyge potteri. This fish lives in the ocean and is a type of marine angelfish. It belongs to the angelfish family called Pomacanthidae. You can find these beautiful fish in the central Pacific Ocean.
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What Does It Look Like?
The Potter's angelfish has a bright orange body. It has thin stripes that run up and down, which are blue or black. The fins on its back, tail, and belly have a bright blue edge. Its side fins and bottom fins are orange or bright yellow.
Male angelfish have more blue color in the middle of their bodies. This blue color goes down to their bellies. There's also a special type of Potter's angelfish that lives in deeper water. This deep-water version has black or purple stripes instead of blue ones. It lives at depths below 60 meters (about 200 feet). This fish can grow up to 10 centimeters (about 4 inches) long.
Where Does It Live?
The Potter's angelfish lives in the central Pacific Ocean. You can find it around the Hawaiian Islands and Johnston Atoll.
Habitat and Life
Potter's angelfish usually live in water between 10 and 120 meters (about 33 to 394 feet) deep. They like areas with rocks, corals, or broken pieces of coral on reefs that face the open ocean. Young angelfish are sometimes seen in shallower water, as little as 5 meters (about 16 feet) deep.
These fish mostly stay near the bottom of the ocean. They eat algae (like sea plants) and small bits of dead material. They often live in small groups. These groups usually have one male and up to eight females.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Potter's angelfish have a special ability: they can change their sex. If there is no male in a group, the strongest female can change into a male. This helps the group continue to reproduce.
They lay their eggs between December and May. This usually happens around sunset. A male and female pair will choose a high rock in their area to lay their eggs over.
The male starts the courtship by swimming close to the female. He swims next to her in an upright position, moving smoothly. Then he moves above her, stops, and raises his back and belly fins. He flutters his side fins and turns slightly before slowly drifting. If the female doesn't respond, he will start the dance again. He keeps repeating this until the female is ready.
When they are ready to mate, their orange color becomes even brighter. The pair also makes soft grunts and clicks. The male then leads the female to the chosen rock. He continues his display about 90 centimeters (about 3 feet) above it. When the female is ready, the male gently nudges her. She then releases her eggs. The male immediately releases his milt (sperm). After this, both fish quickly swim away to hide. The female sometimes chases the male and nips at his tail fin. Then they go to their shelter for the night.
How It Was Named
The Potter's angelfish was first officially described in 1912. Two American fish scientists, David Starr Jordan and Charles William Metz, gave it its name. They found the first fish in Honolulu, Hawaii. The fish was named after Frederick A. Potter. He was the first director of the Waikiki Aquarium in Hawaii, from 1904 to 1940.
Potter's Angelfish in Aquariums
You can sometimes find Potter's angelfish in the aquarium trade. People keep them as pets in home aquariums.
