Grey Angelfish

Grey Angelfish (Pomacanthus arcuatus)

The gray angelfish (Pomacanthus arcuatus), also known as the grey angelfish or, in Jamaica, the “pot cover,” is a species of marine ray-finned fish in the angelfish family, Pomacanthidae. It inhabits the Western Atlantic Ocean. In Brazil, the gray angelfish has a disc-shaped, compressed body with a large head and a small snout. The snout ends in a mouth filled with small, bristle-like teeth. The preoperculum has a prominent spine at its corner and a smooth, vertical edge. Juvenile gray angelfish are black with five vertical yellow stripes—three on the head and two on the body. Their caudal fin typically features a black blotch, which can be either elongated or rectangular. As they mature, adults become pale gray with black spots, while their head remains a solid pale gray, and their mouth turns white. The dorsal and anal fins often have elongated streamers. The dorsal fin contains 9 spines and 31-33 soft rays, while the anal fin has 3 spines and 23-25 soft rays. Gray angelfish can grow to a maximum total length of 60 centimeters (24 inches).