Meet the Rock Beauty

Rock Beauty

The rocky beauty is the smallest angelfish in the Atlantic, reaching a maximum length of approximately 12 inches.  Their diet consists of mainly sponges but they have been known to occasionally snack on corals, tunicates, and algae.  Adults generally form long lasting, perhaps even monogamous, pairs.  There is, however, no difference in the coloration of the sexes.  The rock beauty is easily distinguished from other members of the family by its distinctive black and yellow coloration. The head and tail are bright yellow, and this yellow creates a border around the black body. The lips, eyes, and margins of the dorsal and anal fins are an iridescent blue and the caudal fin is entirely yellow. Front edge of the anal fin and edge of gill cover are orange. The upper and lower part of the iris is bright blue. Lips are black. The juveniles share the same colors of the adults but not the same pattern. The juvenile is entirely bright yellow except for a small blue-ringed black spot under the dorsal fin. As the juvenile grows, the black spot increases in size and spreads throughout the body, much like the way ink spreads across paper. The blue ring eventually disappears as the fish matures.