The Queen Angelfish is one of the most beautiful of all the fishes of the Caribbean coral reefs. This fish changes its color pattern as it grows up. The Queen Angelfish in this picture is very young and was only about 4 inches long. It shows the juvenile markings clearly. The juvenile Queen Angelfish is outlined in turquoise blue like an adult. But the red coloring inside this blue outline is wider and brighter than on an adult. It also has a very yellow body with two vertical blue bars on its sides. It also has two vertical blue bars on its cheek, one on either side of its eye. Also notice the smooth round edge on the Queen Angelfish's tail fin.

Young Queen Angelfish are not as shy as adult Queen Angelfish. This fish seemed curious about me. Although it would swim down into a hole in the reef if I approached to closely, if I backed away a few feet to a respectful distance then this little fish would swim up out of the reef to look me over.

ReefNews President Jonathan Dowell took these pictures using a Canon 10D digital camera with a Sigma 18-50 mm zoom lens in an Ikelite housing with an Ikelite strobe.

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