Reef Stories
Angels & Damsels!
Angelfish, Anenomefish & Damsels
Fish Index
Fish
Sharks & Rays
Anenome Fish
Anthias
Angelfish
Batfish
Barracuda & Travallies
Box-, File-& Pufferfiish
Blennies
Butterflyfish
Cardinalfish
Dartfish
Dragonets
Dottybacks
Eels
Flatfish
Frogfish
Gobies
Ghost Pipefish
Hawkfish
Jawfish
Sand-Divers
Scorpionfish
Seahorses
Snappers
Surgeonfish
Sweetlips
Triggerfish
Wrasse
Angelfish are well known to divers because of the large size of several species and flambouyant colours. They are most closely related to butterflyfish, but are included here due the superficial similarity of some small species to the damsels.
Anenomefish are amongst the best known of all reef fish due their colours, habits and publicity. Damselfish include the anenomefish and have complex family lives.
These groups are yet again totally dependant not only for the shelter reefs give them, but also for the range of food the infinite number of habitats reefs provide. Anything that impacts the reef, puts the angels and damsels on the knife-edge of survival.
Kaiserfische, Anemonenfische, Zwergkaiserfische, Riffbarsche
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Angelfish
Although these mostly flambouyant fish are cirumtropical, 85% of the species are Indopacific. Generally they are territorial, one male living with a single or small group of females. They are very dependant on shelter provided by the reef.
Mating takes place around sunset, and the eggs float to the surface. After a few tens of days the planktonic larvae settle. Juvenile Pomacanthus have striking black, white and purple patterns, quite different from the adults.
The smaller Centropygne species are shy and skittish. They feed mostly on algae. Large angelfish primarily eat sponges suplimented by a variety of other prey. Lamarck's Angelfish (Genicanthus lamarck) tends to swim in loose groups midwater as well as close to reefs. They feed mostly on zooplankton.
Large Angelfish
Pomacanthus, the genus of very large angelfish is split out here just to make it easier to get an overview of the species.
Divers hearing loud grunting noises during dive know that they have suddenly frightened a Pomacanthus imperator or P. navarchus into flight!
Anenomefish
These are just two genera of Damselfish that have a commensal relationship with certain large sea anenomes. They live as pairs or in small family groups in an anenome with a dominant female and one or more smaller males. The eggs are laid on bare rock or other well-cleaned surface close to the anenome and guarded agressively by the parents.
The Saddleback Anenomefish (Amphiprion polymnus) is, gram for gram, probably the most agressive fish of the reef, following divers easily up to 2 meters from the nests and bite chunks of skin out of divers hands. They are luckily only 12 cm long.
Anenomefish are not the only fish to live together with anenomes. Bangai Cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni), paricularly young individuals live commensally with some of the same anenome species as Anenomefish. The cardinalfish Neamia octospina lives deep between the highly toxic tentacles of Phyllodiscus anenomes.
The film "Finding Nemo", while making people aware of coral reefs, had a disastrous impact on anenomefish. They were almost exterminated from Philippine reefs and Indonesion populations were badly impacted. Of the small percent that survived transport, many were "set free" by children throwing them into a toilet to set them free, dying as all there blood cells exploded in freshwater.
Damselfish
Only gobies have more species than damselfish. Most are found in the Indopacific region. Many are dull coloured, but have juvenile stages with spectacular colours and pattern.
Sergeants (Abudefduf sp.) are schooling and have mass egg-laying events where the eggs are fastened on rocks close to reefs. The adults try to protect the eggs, but these mass events attract large numbers of angelfish, wrasse and butterflyfish who feast on the bounty of eggs.
Various species of Chromis form large schools well above reefs. The juveniles of others, and Dascyllus live in groups amongst the protection of branches of Acropora corals.
All are day-active, and the non-schooling species highly territorial. Egg-laying sites are on bare rock, a shell, or other smooth surface that can be well cleaned of algae. Once the eggs are laid, both parents guard the brood closely.
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Angelfish
Angelfish
Although these mostly flambouyant fish are cirumtropical, 85% of the species are Indopacific. Generally they are territorial, one male living with a single or small group of females. They are very dependant on shelter provided by the reef.
Mating takes place around sunset, and the eggs float to the surface. After a few tens of days the planktonic larvae settle. Juvenile Pomacanthus have striking black, white and purple patterns, quite different from the adults.
The smaller Centropygne species are shy and skittish. They feed mostly on algae. Large angelfish primarily eat sponges suplimented by a variety of other prey. Lamarck's Angelfish (Genicanthus lamarck) tends to swim in loose groups midwater as well as close to reefs. They feed mostly on zooplankton.
Large Angelfish
Large Angelfish
Pomacanthus, the genus of very large angelfish is split out here just to make it easier to get an overview of the species.
Divers hearing loud grunting noises during dive know that they have suddenly frightened a Pomacanthus imperator or P. navarchus into flight!
Anenomefish
Anenomefish
These are just two genera of Damselfish that have a commensal relationship with certain large sea anenomes. They live as pairs or in small family groups in an anenome with a dominant female an one or more smaller males. The eggs are laid on bare rock or other well-cleaned surface close to the anenome and guarded agressively by the parents.
The Saddleback Anenomefish (Amphiprion polymnus) is, gram for gram, probably the most agressive fish of the reef, following divers easily up to 2 meters from the nests and bite chunks of skin out of divers hands. They are luckily only 12 cm long.
Anenomefish are not the only fish to live together with anenomes. Bangai Cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni), paricularly young individuals live commensally with some of the same anenome species as Anenomefish. The cardinalfish Neamia octospina lives deep between the highly toxic tentacles of Phyllodiscus anenomes.
The film "Finding Nemo", while making people aware of coral reefs, had a disastrous impact on anenomefish. They were almost exterminated from Philippine reefs and Indonesion populations were badly impacted. Of the small percent that survived transport, many were "set free" by children throwing them into a toilet to set them free, dying as all there blood cells exploded in freshwater.
Damselfish
Damselfish
Only gobies have more species than damselfish. Most are found in the Indopacific region. Many are dull coloured, but have juvenile stages with spectacular colours and pattern.
Sergeants (Abudefduf sp.) are schooling and have mass egg-laying events where the eggs are fastened on rocks close to reefs. The adults try to protect the eggs, but these mass events attract large numbers of angelfish, wrasse and butterflyfish who feast on the bounty of eggs.
Various species of Chromis form large schools well above reefs. The juveniles of others, and Dascyllus live in groups amongst the protection of branches of Acropora corals.
All are day-active, and the non-schooling species highly territorial. Egg-laying sites are on bare rock, a shell, or other smooth surface that can be well cleaned of algae. Once the eggs are laid, both parents guard the brood closely.
