Fun Queen Angelfish Facts For Kids

Queen angelfish (Holacanthus ciliaris) is also called yellow angelfish, golden angelfish, and blue angelfish. They are found in the Western Atlantic Ocean and can be found living alone or in pairs. The black spot on the forehead of this species resembles a crown. The snout and dorsal fin of these fishes are very short. Queen angelfish (Holacanthus ciliaris) is a very common species in the aquarium trade. The female released her eggs at the same the male releases the sperm in the water column present above the reed. The fertilized eggs of queen angelfish remain suspended in the water till they hatch. The juvenile queen angelfish sets up cleaning stations to feed themselves. Larvae feed on plankton and grow rapidly.

Here are some of the most fascinating facts about queen angelfish (Holacanthus ciliaris) for your perusal. Afterward, do have a look at our other articles on Siamese fighting fish and Swai fish as well.

What type of animal is queen angelfish?

A queen angelfish (Holacanthus ciliaris) is a reef fish with a compressed body. It is identified by the presence of a black spot on its forehead which resembles a crown. This species was originally named Chaetodon Ciliaris by Linnaeus in 1758, based on the original description.

What class of animal does a queen angelfish belong to?

A queen angelfish (Holacanthus ciliaris) belongs to the fish class of animals. It is consumed as a food fish in various countries but consumption of the flesh has been identified as a source of ciguatera poisoning.

How many queen angelfish are there in the world?

The total number of queen angelfishes in the world has not been determined but as it is a  popular fish in the pet trade, it is believed that the population is stable across its habitat range and is of least concern in terms of conservation status.

Where does a queen angelfish live?

A queen angelfish has a vast distribution and lives in the ocean and saltwater bodies. They are present from Florida south through the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico as far as the northern coast of South America. The habitat range for this species extends as far east as Bermuda and Brazil's St Paul's Rocks.

What is queen angelfish's habitat?

A queen angelfish habitat shallow as well as deep ocean reefs waters. They are found in pairs up to depths of 230 ft (76 m) in the oceans. Many of them live in coral reef habitats at the bottom of the ocean.

Who do queen angelfish live with?

A queen angelfish usually lives on its own. But sometimes it is spotted in pairs with fish of their own species.

How long does a queen angelfish live?

A queen angelfish has a long lifespan. These fish of the Western Atlantic Ocean can live for up to 15 years in the wild. An angelfish can live up to 10-12 years in captivity preferably with 20 gal (75.7 L) tall aquarium tanks, because of their unique shape.

How do they reproduce?

Queen angelfish are monogamous, as they form pairs for life. Females release eggs during the spawning cycle along with the breeding site and the males release the sperm at the same time in the water column by moving upwards. The eggs of the dark Blue Angelfish are then fertilized in the water, which reduces the possibility of the eggs being eaten by predators on reef surfaces. The eggs hatch after 15 - 20 hours into larvae. The larvae do not have effective eyes, fins, or a gut. After the large yolk sacs have been absorbed after 48 hours, the larvae develop normal characteristics and turn into juveniles.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of queen angelfish is that of Least Concern as the population is stable across the length and breadth of the natural habitat.

What do queen angelfish look like?

As per the standard description, the queen angelfish are blue and yellow in color. They have blue-green colors on their fins. They have an oval-shaped body and yellowtail. They have a black spot on their head that resembles a crown. These fishes have caudal fins of vivid yellow color. Their pectoral fins are yellow as well. The dorsal fins and anal fins of this species are outlined with blue color. Their mouth is small and has bristle-like teeth. The bodies of queen angelfish have several vertical white stripes and a lateral line along the body.

How cute are they?

The queen angelfish are very cute. Their beautiful color combination makes them look very attractive. They are cute enough to make an amazing aquarium fish.

How do they communicate?

The queen angelfish usually live in solidarity. They are only found communicating with their mates in the breeding season. This species changes color temporarily during mating. That is their only known form of communication.

How big is a queen angelfish?

A queen angelfish is a small to medium-sized fish. It can grow up to 18 in (45.7 cm) in length. Their body is laterally compressed hence they have no height. The length of a queen angelfish is nearly two times bigger than a fox sparrow.

How fast can a queen angelfish move?

The speed with which a queen angelfish can move has not yet been determined.

How much does a queen angelfish weigh?

A fully grown adult queen angelfish can weigh up to 56 oz (1587.5 g).

What are the male and female names of the species?

No sex-specific names are assigned to males and females of the queen angelfish species. Hence, they are known as males and females respectively.

What would you call a baby queen angelfish?

A baby queen angelfish is called a larva or juvenile. It is also called juvenile queen angelfish. The young larvae have a large yolk sac but no eyes, gut, or fins.

What do they eat?

The queen angelfish are omnivorous species. Their food source includes aquatic plants, algae, and invertebrates. They feed on plankton, soft corals, sponges, algae. Juveniles feed on parasites and scales of larger fishes by setting up cleaning stations. The larvae feed on planktons.

The known predators of queen angelfish are large fish, sharks, and barracudas.

Are they poisonous?

Queen angelfish have ciguatoxins in their body. When eaten by humans it causes ciguatera poisoning. Hence, it is advised not feed on these fishes.

Would they make a good pet?

The queen angelfish are a beautiful coral reefs species and hard to maintain at the same time. They require specific aquarium conditions. If not maintained, they die. They also have a very selective diet which makes it difficult to meet their food requirements. Hence, queen angelfish do not make good pets.

Did you know...

The flesh of queen angelfish is one of the sources of ciguatera poisoning.

Are queen angelfish aggressive?

Queen angelfish coral reefs species can get aggressive if anyone tries to interact with them. They love their solidarity and do not like to be distributed.

Are queen's angelfish reef safe?

Queen angelfish coral reefs are not safe. These fishes feed on corals, especially soft corals present in the coral reefs. It makes the reefs very unstable and prone to collapse. That is why the reefs where the queen angelfish reside are not safe.

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 skate fish facts and scorpion fish facts pages.

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