yellowbar angelfish
Pomacanthus maculosus
Angelfish of reefs with sediment, mainly in the Indian Ocean, with records in the Mexican eastern Pacific. It is taken in commercial fishing and in the aquarium trade.
Also called: peixe-anjo-de-faixa-amarela, yellowbar angelfish, yellowbar king angelfish
- maximum
- 50 cm
- depth
- 4–60 m
who is the yellowbar angelfish
Angelfish of the family Pomacanthidae, with a deep, laterally compressed body, reaching 50 cm. Common size 20 cm. It lives on reefs from 4 to 60 m, more often in areas with sediment than on rich coral reefs. Its main range is the Indian Ocean, from the Persian Gulf to Mozambique, with a first record in the eastern Pacific, in Mexico. It is taken in commercial fishing and in the aquarium trade. The maximum recorded age is 36 years.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the yellowbar angelfish; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Deep-bodied, laterally compressed and disc-shaped, with a small mouth and a strong spine at the corner of the cheek, traits of angelfishes. Its common name points to a vertical yellow band on the body. It lives more on reefs with sediment than on rich coral reefs. It reaches 50 cm, more than the Cortez angelfish (Pomacanthus zonipectus), at 46 cm, and the king angelfish (Holacanthus passer), at 35.6 cm.
Loading the next 7 days…
Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
In Latin America, it has been recorded in Mexico, in the eastern Pacific. Its main range is the Indian Ocean, from the Persian Gulf to Mozambique.
Habitat: Reefs with sediment, 4 to 60 m.
rules for the yellowbar angelfish
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Harmless to people, but it has a strong spine on the cheek: hold it with wet hands and release it quickly, with the fish in the water.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.02951, b = 2.9; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
—
sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Pomacanthus maculosus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Pomacanthus maculosusNames by country and language.
