Yellowtail Angelfish, scientifically named Apolemichthys xanthurus, is also known as the Indian Yellowtail Angelfish.
It belongs to the Pomacanthidae family and is a type of marine angelfish.
Some other common names for this fish include Cream Angelfish, Smoke Angelfish, and Yellowtail Black Angelfish.
This fish is found in the Indian Ocean. Yellowtail angelfish typically lives in areas rich in coral. It can be found either alone or in pairs.
However, it’s not considered reef safe, meaning that if introduced into an aquarium environment, it can potentially harm coral reefs.
You can check out what this fish looks like over here.
Yellowtail Angelfish Interesting Facts
- Yellowtail angelfish is a marine species of fish belonging to the family Pomacanthidae.
- It’s also called cream angelfish, smoke angelfish, or yellowtail black angelfish.
- This fish can be found in coral-rich areas and usually lives alone or with a partner.
- Although this species may seem harmless, it’s not reef safe.
Yellowtail Angelfish Habitat
Yellowtail angelfish is found in the western Indian Ocean, ranging from Mauritius to India and Sri Lanka.
This marine fish lives in reef environments and doesn’t migrate.
It can be found at depths between 5 and 25 meters (about 16 to 82 feet) and thrives in tropical climates.
| Water Temperature: | Unknown |
| Water pH: | Unknown |
| Water Hardness: | Unknown |
Yellowtail Angelfish Physical Characteristics
Size: 5.9 inches (15.0 centimeters)
Yellowtail angelfish can grow up to 15 cm (about 5.9 inches) in length.
It has 14 dorsal spines, 17 to 19 soft dorsal rays, 3 anal spines, and 17 to 18 soft anal rays.
This fish has a pale gray or light brown body with larger black spots on the upper scales, resulting in a dark color on the upper sides that gradually fades to pearly white on the lower sides.
The head is dark brown or black, while the snout is lighter in color.
There is also a yellow spot, about the same size as the eye diameter, on the temple region of the fish.
The caudal fin (tail fin) is yellow, and the dorsal and anal fins are dark brown to black with a white margin.
The adjacent caudal peduncle region is also black.
The body depth of this fish is 1.6 to 1.9 times smaller than its length, and it has 52 to 54 scales in its longitudinal series.
Yellowtail Angelfish Scientific Classification
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Pomacanthidae |
| Genus: | Apolemichthys |
| Scientific Name: | Apolemichthys xanthurus |
| Also Known As: | Yellowtail Angelfish, Indian Yellowtail Angelfish, Cream Angelfish, Smoke Angelfish, Yellowtail Black Angelfish |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |