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For unknown reasons French Angelfish (Pomacanthus paru) don’t like our dive spots to much, you can see them occasionally, but not on every dive site.

French Angelfish like shallow coral reefs usually less the 15 feet (4.5 m) deep with natural shelters protecting them from nocturnal predators. They are living in pairs and are very territorial. Their reproduction spawning is usually in early mornings from April through September. They often interbreed with other Angelfish species producing hybrids sharing different markings and colors.

French Angelfish can eventually grow up to 2 feet (60 cm), but normal size is around 16 inches (40 cm). They have slim compressed discus shape body with tiny mouth full of small teeth. Pectoral fin extends over the beginning of the anal fin. The tail fin on adults has strait edge and on juveniles the tail fin edge is rounded.

Adult French Angelfish have black scales with golden yellow rims. There is yellow- orangey bar behind the edge of the gill plate cover at the base of pectoral fin. All fins are black and the dorsal fin filament is yellow. The head appears light bluish with the blue eyes surrounded with yellow. Adult French angelfish mainly feed on sponges and also on corals, gorgonians, zoanthids, tunicates, and algae.

Juvenile French Angelfish has five yellow strips on black body, running vertically down to the fins where the bands change from yellow to brilliant blue. Their rounded tail is yellow with large round spot in the middle. Juvenile French Angelfish is very similar to juvenile Gray Angelfish species. Distinctive different is the yellow band that extends down from the forehead, stops at the base of upper lip and splits going around the mouth. The yellow bend on juvenile Gray Angelfish crates a ring around the mouth and continues down. Juveniles feed on ectoparasites at the “cleaning stations” as well

Tip for underwater photo:

French angelfish is probably most curious and makes close passes to divers.