- Tools
-
- Highlight search term in text
-
Save to My Research
- Save article
-
- Double-click a word to define it.
-
Translate this text
- Hear text read aloud
Angelfish is the name of a type of fish that has a thin, oval body and long, pointed fins. Angelfish also have stripes or patterns on the body and patches of vivid color. There are dozens of marine species. A species commonly called the freshwater angelfish is only distantly related to the marine angelfishes.
Marine angelfishes live mainly around coral reefs in warm and tropical seas. Most feed on animals or plants attached to the bottom of the reefs. Some species feed on plankton (tiny water organisms) in waters above the reefs. Many species are kept in commercial aquariums and are highly valued for their colorful patterns.
The freshwater angelfish is among the most popular fishes for home aquariums. It is native to the Amazon River Basin in South America. Because they are easy to breed, most freshwater angelfishes sold by aquarium shops are raised in captivity.
Scientific classification.
Marine angelfish are in the family Pomacanthidae. The freshwater angelfish is in the family Cichlidae. It is Pterophyllum scalare.
Print "Scientific classification" subsection
How to cite this article:
To cite this article, World Book recommends the following format: