Appearance and lifestyle:
Three-spot angelfish (Apolemichthys trimaculatus) get their name from the two spots that appear just behind their gill slits and a third spot on their forehead. They are also known as “bluelips” because of the distinct blue shade of the adults’ lips. Narrow black lines run between their eyes and brilliant gold bars mark their sides. They grow to approximately 25cm in length.
Habitat:
They occur in the warmer tropical water of the Indo-West Pacific, from East Africa, through South-east Asia and Micronesia, north to Japan, south to Australia and east to Samoa. They are mostly seen near reef drop-offs and sometimes even in shallow reefs and lagoons.
Diet:
These fish feed mainly on coral polyps, tube worms and the tentacles of filter feeders.
Threats:
The three-spot angelfish is listed as least concern on the IUCN list, but some of the threats they face is being preyed on by bigger fish, coral reef degradation, pollution etc.