Details
Holacanthus ciliaris
The queen angelfish is a vividly colored reef fish of the Atlantic. Active across day and night, it cruises reefs while loosely spacing itself from neighbors.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It lives on Atlantic reefs, rocky coral areas, and shallow Caribbean waters. Shelter and sponge-rich reef surfaces are especially useful.
Length is about 25-45 cm and weight about 300-1600 g. Electric blue and yellow edges, bright body color, and a crown-like mark on the forehead stand out.
It may travel alone or as a pair, often keeping a small home range. The fish turns tightly around reef cover while picking at food.
It is omnivorous, eating sponges, algae, and small invertebrates. It nips at hard reef surfaces and removes food in small bites.
Pairs rise into the water near dusk and release eggs and sperm. Eggs and larvae drift as plankton before young settle onto reefs.
Its status is listed as Least Concern. It is popular in aquaria, and wild fish depend on healthy reef and sponge communities.
