Archives

African Angelfish

(Holacanthus africanus)
Holacanthus africanus, commonly known as the African angelfish or African rock beauty, is a species of marine angelfish belonging to the family Pomacanthidae. Here’s a detailed description of Holacanthus africanus:
  1. Appearance:
    • Body: The African angelfish has a compressed and disc-shaped body typical of angelfish, with a distinctive tall, narrow body shape.
    • Coloration: Juveniles are predominantly yellow with vertical black stripes extending into the dorsal and anal fins. As they mature, their coloration changes to a striking black with a bright yellow or orange outline around the scales, which gives them a distinctively patterned appearance.
    • Fins: They have elongated dorsal and anal fins, which are often edged in bright yellow or orange.
  2. Size:
    • African angelfish can grow up to about 12 inches (30 cm) in length.
  3. Habitat:
    • They are found in the tropical waters of the western Indian Ocean, particularly around rocky reefs and areas with abundant coral growth. Their distribution ranges from the Red Sea to the eastern coast of Africa, including Madagascar.
  4. Behavior:
    • African angelfish are generally solitary or form pairs. They are omnivorous, feeding primarily on sponges, algae, and small invertebrates found among coral reefs.
Length:
Family:
Kingdom: