Fun Flagfin Angel Facts For Kids

We all know that it's the ocean that gave birth to everything! And still now, stores in itself so many surprises. In this article, we shall be unveiling one of those surprises and going to discuss it as well. The hero of this article is the flagfin angel who is found in the wild in the Indo-Pacific ocean.

The flagfin angelfish (Apolemichthys trimaculatus) is a major yellow-colored fish with vibrant blue colored lips. It has a black spot on its forehead and near its operculum.

These three main colors (yellow, black, blue) make them one of the most attractive angelfish. Also, because of the three spots, they are known as the three spot angelfish. They are peaceful, timid, and always hiding but can be aggressive at times also.

These fish species grow to a length that ranges from 9.4-9.8 in (24-25 cm) max. and can weigh up to 2 lbs (0.9 kg).

They are also kept as pets in tanks of minimum size of 100 gal (378.5 l). The normal tank's size is estimated to be 125-130 gal (473.2-492.1 l). They have a primary dietary requirement of sponges and algae present on the live rock.

They also use live rocks for hiding. Their diet or feeding is based on both plant and animal particles.

Hope you liked this short read! We have more in store! Further in the article, we shall describe some interesting and funny facts about this fish such as its diet, availability, and behavior. So stick to it and see you at the end!

And if you like reading fish facts, then do check out our articles on molly fish facts and tarpon facts.  

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Flagfin Angel Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a flagfin angel?

The flagfin angelfish (Apolemichthys trimaculatus), like the angelfish, is a type of fish that inhibits marine waters. Belonging to the class Actinopterygii, they are ray-finned fishes and can be found in the Indian and Pacific Ocean.

What class of animal does a flagfin angel belong to?

The flagfin angelfish is a kind of marine fish that belongs to the class Actinopterygii, order Perciformes, family Pomacanthidae, and genus Apolemichthys. The scientific name of this fish is Apolemichthys trimaculatus.

How many flagfin angels are there in the world?

Due to their huge range of distribution and widespread population, the flagfin angelfish species don't have an exact population count. They are found in adequate numbers across their natural habitat.

Where does a flagfin angel live?

To be very straightforward, flagfin angelfish (Apolemichthys trimaculatus) are wild fishes that live in the oceans. They live in the coral reef and drop-offs.

They belong to the class Actinopterygii like the wrasse which are known to be ray-finned fishes. Flagfin angelfish, also known as the three spot angelfish, are also kept as pets. These marine fishes can also do well in the captive environment of an aquarium.

What is a flagfin angel's habitat?

The flagfin angelfish is a marine fish that inhabits the Indian and the Pacific ocean. Their habitat ranges from the coast of East Africa and reaches Samoa in the east, Japan in the north, and New Caledonia in the south. These fishes also happen in Australian waters.

Who does flagfin angel live with?

Flagfin angelfish live in small groups. They live in the outer coral reef, safe from disputes. They are semi-aggressive in nature. Young angelfishes (juveniles) live in the deeper ocean, deeper than their parents. Young fish, unlike their parents, possess a solitary nature and usually live alone.

How long does a flagfin angel live?

The flagfin angelfish are known to have a lifespan of 10 years and more. They can also have a long life in captivity. Just it is a bit to take proper care of them. Marine angelfish species have an average lifespan of 10-20 years.

How do they reproduce?

These fish species are protogynous hermaphrodites in nature. So differentiating between the male and the female may be a little tough.

This particular hermaphrodite species can change its sex from male to female and vice versa in its lifetime. Flagfin angelfish are very timid and quite shy in nature and need a huge tank for reproduction. They are polygamous fish that can mate with multiple partners.

During their breeding phase, they perform fun acts in water, and then both partners respectively release a  cloud of gametes (sperm and ovum) in water for fertilization. For breeding, they must be supplied with a good-sized tank and enough corals as their food.

What is their conservation status?

According to IUCN Red List, the flagfin angels are considered to be species of Least Concern. They happen in a good quantity in their natural habitats.

Flagfin Angel Fun Facts

What does flagfin angel look like?

Flagfin angelfish are overall yellow-colored fish species that inhabit the tropical water of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. They have a wide belly and have big dorsal and ventral fins that range up to their tail.

Flagfin angelfish have blue lips, which is one of their distinct features. They have a black spot on their forehead, and lighter dark spots near their gill cover also known as the operculum. Due to these three spots, flagfin angelfish are also called the three spot angelfish.

How cute are they?

Flagfin angelfish is a medium yellow-colored beautiful fish that lives in the sea. They are extremely cute and adorable, and people love having their company. And that's why flagfin angelfish are kept as pets in large gallon tanks (minimum tank size of 100 gallons) by experienced aquarists.

How do they communicate?

There is no exact information available on how they communicate. Fishes can't make sound but communicate through body language and by making some vibration pattern in the water.

How big is a flagfin angel?

Flagfin angelfish are not that big in size. They are just some small sea fish from the class Actinopterygii who inhabit the coral reef areas. These fish species grow to a maximum length of 9.4-9.8 in (24-25 cm) and can weigh up to a range of 2 lb (0.9 kg).

How fast can a flagfin angel swim?

There is no exact information about their speed in water, but if a person watches them in an aquarium, he or she can tell that they are agile swimmers. They are timid at the same time semi-aggressive species who live in the corals.

How much does a flagfin angel weigh?

Flagfin angelfish are medium-sized marine angelfish species that are mostly yellow-colored. They grow to a maximum length of 9.4-9.8 in (24-25 cm), and their weight can reach up to a maximum limit of 2 lb (0.9 kg).

What are the male and female names of the species?

There are no specific names assigned to the male and female flagfin angelfish species. However, they might differ in some physical characteristics, like the male being a little bigger than the female in size.

More to complicate the situation, flagfin angelfish are protogynous hermaphrodites who change their sex in some phase of their life. So identifying a male and a female becomes tougher.

What would you call a baby flagfin angel?

A baby flagfin angelfish are called a fry or young one. Not just this particular fish, but all the fish babies are known as 'fry.' Flagfin angelfish juveniles happen to be solitary in nature and swim at a depth of more than 82 ft (25 m).

What do they eat?

Flagfin angels follow an omnivorous diet (omnivores are those species who derive foods from plant and animal-based material). They live in the outer corals and live rock for grazing food items that are nutritious for them and are vitamin enriched.

Some of their favorite food items are algae, planktons (both phyto and zoo), and sponges. The vitamin-enriched brine shrimp and shrimps in general also get served as their food.

Are they poisonous?

No, angelfish species bear no poison in them. They are fun-loving peaceful yet timid fishes who live in the marine and also in aquariums (tank).

Would they make a good pet?

Yes, they make a good pet, so they are not dangerous per se. But before keeping them as pets, the owner must know everything about them or must study flagfin angel eating habits and behavior.

Flagfin angelfishes may be very beautiful but at the same time, taking flagfin angel care properly is very difficult. They face a lot of problems and also cause a lot of problems when kept in a tank.

Owners generally face problems in feeding them. They do not eat anything other than their natural food. Their natural diet is totally based on marine material such as corals and live rock for grazing algae, sponges, and other small animals like the vitamin-enriched brine shrimp.

Owners need to introduce most of these items in their tanks. And the minimum tank size must be 100 gal (378.5 l) or more, having adequate space for them to build their hiding places.

In short, the owner have to build them a mini sea for keeping them happy and healthy. The French angelfish are some other popular 'angelfish' pets.

The flagfin angel price may revolve around 100 dollars. One can check their price on the internet. Lots of information is available there.

Did you know...

Fishes from the class Actinopterygii have ray fins. The dorsal fin of the flagfin angelfish has 14 spines with 16-18 soft rays, while the ventral fin has 3 spines and 17-19 soft rays. Isn't this amazing!

Flagfin angelfishes have the highest dietary requirement of sponges. Their feeding is dependent on small particles like algae and different planktons.

Do humans eat them?

No, humans do not include them in their diet. Rather they keep flagfin angelfishes in aquarium tanks as pets.

Do they bite?

There is no such information about the flagfin angelfish, but according to studies and research, it is seen that wild angelfishes do bite. They bite both humans and other fishes.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these coconut octopus facts and giant squid facts for kids.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable flagfin angel coloring pages.