Bony fish · Perciformes · Pomacanthidae

Emperor Angelfish

Pomacanthus imperator

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The emperor angelfish is a perciform pomacanthid ray-finned fish that lives on the coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific. It stands out for its striking colours and its remarkable transformation from the juvenile to the adult stage. It is also a popular aquarium fish.

Size

up to 40 cm

Lifespan

14 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Social structure

In pairs

Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

OceanOmnivore In pairs Fish Ocean

59countries 35parks 238dive sites

Fun facts

biologíaIts colour pattern changes so dramatically between the juvenile phase, with concentric blue and white rings, and the adult, with horizontal bands, that for years the two were thought to be separate species.
Juveniles are dark blue with concentric white rings and look nothing like the adults, which are striped in yellow and blue with a dark mask; the change happens between 8 and 12 cm.
It feeds mainly on sponges and sea squirts, food that very few fish can digest.
Both juveniles and adults clean parasites from much larger fish, including ocean sunfish.
When disturbed it makes a dry knocking sound.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bony fish)
Habitat & environment: Indo-Pacific reefs with rich coral growth in lagoons, channels and reef fronts, between 1 and 100 m; adults occupy ledges and caves
Sexual maturity: Length at first maturity 25 cm; females at around 25 cm and males at around 28 cm
Litter / clutch size: Mean fecundity of about 79,000 eggs, 0.3 to 0.8 mm across

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomacanthus_imperator