gray angelfish
Pomacanthus arcuatus · Pomacanthidae · omnivore
Gray reef angelfish of coral reefs, widely used in aquariums and with a small commercial fishery. The flesh is prized, but there are reports of ciguatera.
Also called: paru-da-pedra, isabelita, cachama blanca, gray angelfish
- maximum
- 60 cm
- record/max.
- 1.8 kg
- depth
- 2–60 m
the right time
to be on the water
Choose the place and the species. The index, from 0 to 100, combines weather, sun, moon and tide with each fish's habits. Up to 28 days, with each day's confidence.
Reading the weather across 3 global models and 31 simulations…
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hour by hour
slide your finger or mouse over the chart to see each hoursee hour-by-hour table
why this index at —?
choose the day
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.
the fishing month at a glance
what's the best window for the crew?
Choose how many fishing days. We compare each stretch by its average index, discount days with a warning or closed season, and show the 3 best.
trend for the coming weeks
Line: the middle value of 31 simulations of the American GEFS model. Band: where 8 out of 10 fall. Narrow, firm trend; wide, high uncertainty.
everything about the gray angelfish
who is the gray angelfish
The paru-da-pedra is an angelfish of the family Pomacanthidae, with a tall, flattened, disc-shaped body. It reaches 60 cm and up to 1.8 kg. It lives on coral reefs, from 2 to 60 m deep, usually alone or in fixed pairs that do not defend an exclusive territory. It mainly eats sponges, but also tunicates, algae and other animals attached to the bottom. As a juvenile it sometimes acts as a cleaner for other fish. It has a small commercial fishery, is in high demand for aquariums, and has already been bred in captivity.
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 gray angelfish.
fun facts
- It is friendly to divers.
- It has already been bred in captivity for the aquarium trade.
identification
Adults are gray, with the area around the mouth and the edge of the tail fin lighter, and the inner part of the pectoral fin is yellow. Juveniles look very different: black, with two yellow bands on the body and three on the head, and a yellow tail with a black spot in the middle. The tall, flattened, disc-shaped body is typical of the family.
where found
Lives in the western Atlantic, from New England in the United States to near Rio de Janeiro, with records in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. In Latin America it occurs in Brazil and in Caribbean and Central American countries.
Habitat: Coral reefs, from 2 to 60 m deep.
coast
rules for the gray 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.
Conservation: Not on the Brazilian national list (Ministerial Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1.667/2026).
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.
There are reports of ciguatera, a poisoning from eating reef fish. Like all angelfish, it has a strong spine on the cheek, so handle it carefully and release any you do not plan to keep.
in the kitchen
The flesh is of very good quality and is sold fresh and salted, but there are reports of ciguatera, so prefer fish from a known source.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.0302, 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
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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 arcuatus (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 arcuatusNames by country and language.
- official Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667, de 27 de abril de 2026: Lista Nacional Oficial de Espécies da Fauna Ameaçadas de Extinção (peixes e invertebrados aquáticos)The species is not on the list. Checked in the DOU of April 28, 2026.
where each number comes from
The weather comes from three independent global models, cross-checked hour by hour: when they agree, confidence goes up; when they diverge, the band between them shows on the chart. Beyond 16 days, we use the GEFS ensemble of 31 simulations: if 20 of the 31 predict rain, the chance of rain is 65%. Sun and moon are calculated astronomically, with no uncertainty.
The index adds up, weighted for each species: time of day (species curve anchored to real sunrise and sunset), moon (transits, rise and set, phase), pressure (3 h trend and 24 h swing), water temperature (in rivers, estimated from air temperature; at sea, estimated by an ocean model), wind, rain, clouds, tide and the month in the species' cycle.
sources for this lookup
how accurate the forecast is
Accuracy measured in the reference project (4 regions, 93 days, forecast vs. observed): maximum temperature is off by 0.6 °C on average the next day and 1.7 °C at 7 days; rain of 5 mm or more is detected 76% of the time the next day and 57% at 7 days. Detection isn't everything: the false alarm rate isn't published here yet, and 93 days in 4 regions is still a small sample. We now also measure every day, at the app's destinations: