Pomacanthus

Related Articles: Pomacanthus imperator (Emperor Angel), Pomacanthus paru (French Angel), Pomacanthus semicirculatus (Koran Angel), Pomacanthus maculosus (Yellow-Band Angelfish), Marine Angelfish family, Pomacanthidae,

/A Diversity of Aquatic Life

Genus Pomacanthus Angelfishes

By Bob Fenner

Pomacanthus arcuatus

Angelfishes for Marine Aquariums
Diversity, Selection & Care
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by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Genus Pomacanthus: Thirteen species.

Pomacanthus annularis (Bloch 1787), the Blue-Ringed Angelfish (1). An oft-neglected beauty, that is surprisingly (to some) hardy. Indo-west Pacific and east African coast. To about eight inches overall in captivity, to about twice this in the wild. Changing juvenile, sub-adult in captivity, adult in Pulau Redang, Malaysia.

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Pomacanthus arcuatus Gray 1831, the Gray Angelfish (1). A beauty as a juvenile (shown). Tropical west Atlantic, Bahamas to Brazil. To a foot and a half in length, friendly and long-lived in captivity. Juvenile (with square edged caudal fins as opposed to similar P. paru, French Angels) and sub-adult, and adult in the wild.

Verticals (Full/Cover Page Sizes Available)

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Pomacanthus (Arusetta) asfur (Forsskal 1775), the Arabian or Crescent Angel (1). A fabulous beauty and centerpiece for very large systems. To sixteen inches in the wild. Red Sea on down to Arabian Sea and around Horn of Africa to Zanzibar. Juvenile and adult in captivity. Link to Bigger Pix

Pomacanthus chrysurus (Cuvier 1831), the Ear-Spot Angelfish (1). Found from the southern end of the Red Sea, down Africa's east coast to South Africa, but rarely in the trade, and that's a shame. To about thirteen inches in length. Below, juv.s in aquariums (7, 8 and 12 cm.), photos by Hiroyuki Tanaka.

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Pomacanthus imperator (Bloch 1787), the Emperor Angel (1). Widespread in the central and western Pacific into the Indian Oceans coasts and Red Sea. To fifteen inches total length. Shown are a juvenile of about four inches in captivity and an adult in the Maldives. Link to Bigger Pix

Pomacanthus (Arusetta) maculosus (Forsskal 1775), the Yellow-Band Angelfish. Very similar as adults and juveniles to Pomacanthus asfur, with told apart from their clear tails and smaller yellow body patch. To eighteen inches long. Red Sea, Persian Gulf to east African coast. Juvenile (7 cm.) in captivity by Hiroyuki Tanaka and adults in captivity and the wild pictured by RMF. Link to Bigger Pix

Pomacanthus paru (Bloch 1787), the French Angelfish (1). Another standard in the aquarium trade. Beautiful and hardy, and large (to fifteen inches in length and a foot tall). Tropical west Atlantic from the Bahamas to Brazil. Pictured: a three inch juvenile in captivity, foot long adult in Belize, and sixteen inch individual off Boynton Beach, Florida. Link to Bigger Pix

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Pomacanthus rhomboides (Ruppell 1835), the Old Woman Angelfish (?). Rarely seen in the trade... not attractive as adults. From the lower third of the Red Sea down the east African coast to South Africa, around Madagascar. To eighteen inches long.

Where's Mombasa? Zanzibar, JLB Smith?

Pomacanthus semicirculatus (Cuvier 1831), the Koran or Semicircle Angelfish (1). A beauty from throughout its wide range, Indo-west Pacific eastward to Africa, but not the Red Sea. To about thirteen inches in length. At right, 1 and 7 cm. individuals by Hiroyuki Tanaka. Shown below: two, five and twelve inch individuals, the first two in captivity, the adult in Fiji. Link to Bigger Pix

Pomacanthus zonipectus (Gill 1862), the Cortez Angelfish (1) Susceptible to the scourge that is HLLE, but a beauty as a juvenile to mid-adult. To about fifteen inches total length. Tropical east Pacific, from upper Sea of Cortez down to the Galapagos. A juvenile in captivity and adult in the Sea of Cortez.

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Subgenus Euxiphipops

Is the heartbreak subgenus (of the genus Pomacanthus) of the family. Of the Six-Barred Angel, Pomacanthus Euxiphipops sexstriatus, Blue-Girdled or -Faced, Pomacanthus Euxiphipops xanthometopon, and Majestic, Pomacanthus Euxiphipops navarchus, none has historically had much of a success rate in aquariums. If you're going to throw your money at trying this sub genus, I strongly, suggest demanding that it be fed in your presence, placing a deposit on the animal, and leaving it for two weeks with the dealer. They are expensive, generally don't adapt at all, and usually refuse all foods.

Pomacanthus (Euxiphipops) navarchus (Cuvier 1831), the Navarchus, Majestic or Blue-Girdled Angelfish (3). Found throughout the Indo-Australian Archipelago. To ten inches in length. Juvenile (2") and adult (6") in aquarium shown. Link to Bigger Pix

Pomacanthus (Euxiphipops) sexstriatus (Cuvier 1831), the Six-Striped/Banded Angelfish (3). One of the largest angelfishes at some eighteen inches maximum length. Also found throughout the Indo-Australian Archipelago. Juvenile in aquarium (3") and adult (10") in Australia shown. Link to Bigger Pix

Pomacanthus (Euxiphipops) xanthometopon (Bleeker 1853), Yellow-Mask or Blue-Face Angelfish (3). Indo-west Pacific to the Maldives. To thirteen inches in length. At right, a 7 cm. individual in captivity, photo by Hiroyuki Tanaka. Below: Juvenile (3"), changeling (4") in captivity and foot long adult in the Maldives shown. Link to Bigger Pix

Bibliography/Further Reading:

Allen, Gerald, Roger Steene & Mark Allen. 1998. A Guide to Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes. Tropical Reef Research/Odyssey Publishing, Singapore/San Diego. 250pp.

Pomacanthus

Campbell, Douglas G. 1978. Pomacanthus annularis, the blue ring angel. FAMA 9/78.

Campbell, Douglas. 1981. Marines: their care and keeping; Pomacanthus. FAMA 9/81.

Miklosz. John C. 1972. When is a Koran, not a Koran? Marine Aquarist 3(4):72

Euxiphipops

Burgess, Warren E. 1982. The blue-faced angelfish. TFH 7/82.

Dewey, Don. 1978. Euxiphipops, a delicate challenge. FAMA 8/78.

Angelfishes for Marine Aquariums
Diversity, Selection & Care
New eBook on Amazon: Available here
New Print Book on Create Space: Available here

by Robert (Bob) Fenner

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