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Angelfish (Chelmon rostratus) — Chaetodontidae

Angelfish

Chelmon rostratus
LC · Least Concern

The Angelfish (Chelmon rostratus) is a brackish-water fish of the family Chaetodontidae that grows up to 20 cm.

Length
20 cm
Water
Brackish
Depth
1.0–25.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The copperband butterflyfish is a butterflyfish of the family Chaetodontidae from the western Pacific. The species grows to about 20 cm and has a deep, white, disc-shaped body with four orange (copper-coloured) vertical bands and an eyespot at the rear of the dorsal fin that misleads predators. Characteristic is the very long, tweezer-like snout, with which it picks food from narrow crevices of rock and coral. It occurs along rocky shores, coral reefs, estuaries and silty inshore reefs, often solitarily or in pairs. As an omnivore it feeds on small invertebrates, worms and coral polyps. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Angelfish?

The Angelfish has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly white and shows a vertical stripes pattern.

Where does the Angelfish live?

The Angelfish lives in brackish water and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Angelfish get?

The Angelfish grows to a maximum of about 20 cm.

Is the Angelfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Angelfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Angelfish edible?

The Angelfish is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Koperband-vlindervis sourced
English name
Angelfish verified
Scientific name
Chelmon rostratus
Family
Chaetodontidae
Other names
Banded longsnout butterflyfish; Beaked butterflyfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
20.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
White inferred
Pattern
Vertical bars inferred
Tail shape
Straight inferred
Mouth position
Beak-shaped inferred
Lips
Thin inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Max depth (m)
25.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Small groups inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
levensduur_max_jaar
10.0 verified

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Vissen met natuurlijk aas (vis, garnaal, worm) of kunstaas dicht bij rif- en rotsstructuren. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Chelmon

More from the family Chaetodontidae

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