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Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing angelfish. The common name angelfish could be in reference to freshwater angelfish or marine angelfish; we'll be discussing both in today's episode. There are three living freshwater angelfish species, though many more forms exist in captivity that were developed through captive breeding. In the wild, freshwater angelfish live throughout South America specifically in the Amazon and Orinoco River basins. The water here is dark and murky. The angelfish use their long ventral fins to feel around their environment and guide themselves through the water. They're like the barbels on catfish!

Freshwater angelfish form shoals. This is different from a school. A school of fish acts as a single unit; fish in shoals come and go as they please. These shoals, along with their narrow bodies, help angelfish avoid predators. Their habitat contains fallen logs and tree roots. The fish can squeeze into tight spaces larger animals, such as caiman, catfish, wading birds, and mammals can't reach. In turn, angelfish are omnivores and eat what they can get depending on the season. During the rainy season, the banks of rivers overflow and flood surrounding forests. These are times of plentiful food. Freshwater angelfish eat their fill of fruits, smaller fish and their fry, insects and their larvae, as well as crustaceans. This is also when they spawn.

Angelfish form monogamous pairs. A female lays upwards of 1,000 eggs on vertical surfaces like tree roots or hanging vegetation. These are guarded by both parents and hatch three days later. After hatching, the young are moved to a shallow nest dug in the substrate where they'll continue to receive protection from their parents until they're ready to head out on their own. Within two weeks their parents produce another brood. Freshwater angelfish can live to be more than a decade old and reach half a foot (15cm) in length from nose to tail but can double this in height! When they’re young, these fish have many dark, vertical bands, but these fade to about four solid stripes by the time they reach adulthood.

There are approximately 90 living marine angelfish species and they live in shallow reefs and rocky bottom shores in the Atlantic, Pacific, and India oceans. They are most common in waters no deeper than 200 feet (61m), but some species are known to explore depths up to 500 feet (152m) below the waves. They range from just a few inches to two feet (61cm) long! While they may appear similar to other, closely related fish, marine angelfish can be told apart by the spines on their cheeks. These fish eat sponges and other marine invertebrates and algae; as juveniles, they may take on a cleaner fish role. In many species, the young appear vastly different from the adults as seen here with this emperor angelfish.

Marine angelfish are diurnal and hide among cracks and crevices in the reef and surrounding environment throughout the night often returning to the same spot each evening. Some prefer to live alone or in bonded pairs while others form groups dominated by a single male. Like parrotfish, if the dominant male dies, a female will develop male characteristics and take his place. Marine angelfish are broadcast spawners with males and females releasing sperm and eggs into the water column at the same time. The eggs are fertilized and drift through the sea until they hatch about a day later depending on the species. In aquariums, marine angelfish are known to live more than two decades old, though in the wild they may only survive about five years. Though they are described as aggressive fish, they fall prey to larger fish like trevally and sharks.

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