French Angelfish

Up to about 15 inches.

Black Angelfish, Cachama Negra, Chirivita

Prefers coral reefs and areas with sponges. Common in shallow reefs. Usually in pairs, often near sea fans. Feed on sponges, algae, bryozoans, zoantharians, gorgonians and tunicates (Ref. 9626). Oviparous, monogamous. Spawning pairs are strongly territorial, with usually both members vigorously defending their areas against neighboring pairs. Juveniles tend cleaning stations where they service a broad range of clients, including jacks, snappers, morays, grunts, surgeonfishes, and wrasses. At the station the cleaner displays a fluttering swimming and when cleaning it touches the clients with its pelvic fins

Body is black with yellow-edged scales. Yellow edge on dorsal fin and gill cover. Yellow spot at base of pectoral fin. Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 29-31; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 22 - 24. Black, the scales of the body , except those at front from nape to abdomen, rimmed with golden yellow; a broad orange-yellow bar at pectoral absent; dorsal filament yellow; chin whitish; outer part of iris yellow; eye narrowly rimmed below with blue

This species manifests apparent permanent pairing and monogamy. During most of the observation period, a single pair swam slowly in a side-to-side orientation at a height of 25 to 75 cm above the reef. No conspicuous courtship displays were evident, nor was there any evidence of sexual identity, i.e., the female was not obviously swollen with eggs. Shortly after sunset, the pair ascended in a broad, shallow arc off the bottom, traversing approximately 7 to 10 m while ascending to a height of 2 to 3 m. As the pair ascended, each angled its body slightly, with their venters in close proximity, if not actually touching. This position was held throughout the peak of the arc, with the pair diverging on the descent. Other pairs in the area were seen making similar arcing movements elsewhere on the reef at approximately the same time. It was difficult to see if there were gametes released in the event. There was no interference between pairs during spawning.

Summary of Distribution: Western Atlantic: Florida, USA and Bahamas to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. Eastern Atlantic: off Ascension Island and St. Paul's Rocks
Note: Distribution range colors indicate degree of suitability of habitat which can be interpreted as probabilities of occurrence (fishbase.org)

	Trawling Trawling is when....

Not targeted, but caught once in a while by reef fishermen, but feeds mostly on sponges and other marine growth.