HomeMarine aquarium fishAngelfish & butterflyfishFrench angelfish French angelfish (Pomacanthus paru) Scientific name: Pomacanthus paru Bloch, 1787 The French angelfish (Pomacanthus paru) is a marine fish of the family Pomacanthidae. BiologyDorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 29-31; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 22 - 24. Black, the scales of the body, except those at front from nape to abdomen, rimmed with golden yellow; a broad orange-yellow bar at pectoral absent; dorsal filament yellow; chin whitish; outer part of iris yellow; eye narrowly rimmed below with blueSource: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Species factsScientific namePomacanthus paruFamilyPomacanthidae (Angelfishes)OrderPerciformes (Perch-like fish)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length41.1Common length28.0Depth range3–100 m (10–328 ft)EnvironmentMarine; reef-associated; non-migratory; depth range 3 - 100 mClimateSubtropicalDistributionWestern Atlantic: Florida, USA and Bahamas to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. Eastern Atlantic: off Ascension Island and St. Paul's Rocks.Conservation status (IUCN)Least Concern (LC)Threat to humansReports of ciguatera poisoningUsesFisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercialResilienceMedium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.21) More angelfish & butterflyfishPajama cardinalfishSphaeramia nematopteraClarion angelfishHolacanthus clarionensisPurplemask angelfishCentropyge venustaGray angelfishPomacanthus arcuatusArabian angelfishPomacanthus asfurGuinean angelfishHolacanthus africanusSee all angelfish & butterflyfish SourcesTaxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.Last updated 27 September 2026