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Queensland Yellowtail Angelfish

Queensland Yellowtail Angelfish

Chaetodontoplus meridithii

Quick Facts

Scientific name Chaetodontoplus meridithii

Other names Yellow Finned Angelfish, Yellow Tail Angelfish, Meredith's Angelfish, False Personifer Angelfish, Bluemask Angelfish

Size Up to 35 cm (14 in)

Weight Up to a kilo (2.2lb)

Distribution

Habitat & AU Distribution Jetties, deep outer reefs, bays & estuaries with rich sponge growth

Depth Range 5 - 50 m (164 ft)

Queensland Yellowtail Angelfish Distribution Australia

Interesting Info

The Queensland Yellowtail Angelfish is a species of marine angelfish found in the Great Barrier Reef and surrounding areas of Australia.
This species is sometimes confused with the closely related Scribbled Angelfish (Chaetodontoplus duboulayi), which has a similar coloration but a different pattern of stripes.
These fish are omnivores and primarily feed on sponges, tunicates and jellyfish.
The Queensland Yellowtail Angelfish has a distinct yellow body with vertical black stripes along the back half of its body and fins.
The species is known to spawn in pairs and will lay their eggs on the underside of a rocky ledge.
The Queensland Yellowtail Angelfish is sometimes referred to as the “Blue-finned Angelfish” due to the blue coloration on the tips of its fins.
Juvenile Queensland Yellowtail Angelfish have a different coloration than adults, with a predominantly yellow body and black spots on the dorsal and anal fins.
Estimates of lifespan are between 10 and 15 years.
They are often found in the company of other angelfish species, including the Emperor Angelfish and the Blue-faced Angelfish.
The main predators of angelfish include sharks, larger predatory fish and marine mammals.

Species Interaction

Aquarium & Reef

The Queensland Yellowtail Angelfish (Chaetodontoplus meridithii) is endemic to eastern Australia and often confused with the Yellowtail Angelfish (Chaetodontoplus personifer). They are “sister species” and the distinguishing feature between the two is an all yellow tail in the QLD Yellowtail’s versus a black bar through the tail of personifer angelfish.

As it is endemic to Australia, it has a small range across eastern Australia, being found in QLD, parts of NSW and Lord Howe Island.

Scientific Classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes

Family: Pomacanthidae

Genus: Chaetodontoplus

Species: Chaetodontoplus meridithii

Conservation Status

Based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Queensland Yellowtail Angelfish is currently categorised as “Least Concern”(LC).

LC is the lowest category on the scale for risk with “Extinct”(EX) being the highest.