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Three-spot Angelfish
Apolemichthys trimaculatus (Cuvier, 1831)

A Three-Spot Angelfish at a depth of 16m, Mantis Reef, Wreck Bay, far northern Great Barrier Reef, November 2001. View larger image.

Three-spot Angelfish have a yellow body and blue lips. There is a black spot on the forehead and another faint one behind the gill cover. The anal fin has a wide black margin.

Juvenile Three-spot Angelfish are similar to adults, but lack the spots around the head. They have a narrow black band through eye and a series of golden bars on the side.

This species grows to 25cm in length.

Three-spot Angelfish are usually seen on reef slopes and dropoffs. They are sometimes found in lagoons and on shallower reefs.

This species is usually seen in pairs or as solitary individuals. Juveniles are secretive, using reef crevices for shelter.

Adults are found in depths from 3m to 60m, however juveniles are usually seen at depths below 25m.

The Three-spot Angelfish feeds on algae, sea squirts and salps.

It occurs in tropical marine waters of the Indo-West Pacific, from East Africa, throughout South-east Asia and Micronesia, north to Japan, south to Australia and east to Samoa.

In Australia it is known from the north-western coast of Western Australia and the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland.

Further reading

1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 220.
2. Allen, G.R., Steene, R. & M. Allen. 1998. A Guide to Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes. Odyssey Publishing/Tropical Reef Research. Pp. 250.
3. Myers, R.F. 1999. Micronesian Reef Fishes. Coral Graphics. Pp. 330.
4. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 251.