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Step 1
Check near coral reefs. French angelfish are found in the shallow waters around coral reefs. They are found usually in 15 feet of water or shallower.
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Step 2
Examine the body style. The French angelfish has a thin, deep body with a small mouth and comblike teeth. The lower jaw protrudes past the upper jaw.
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Step 3
Determine if it's an adult or immature fish. Check the colors. In adults, the scales of the body are black and rimmed with bright yellow. There is an orange-yellow bar at the base of the pectoral fins and yellow on the dorsal. The chin is white, and the face is a light blue. The eyes are rimmed in blue with a yellow outer portion of the iris. All of the fins are black.
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Step 4
Young French angelfish have yellow bands.Look at the size and colors. The juvenile fish are different from the adults in that they have a dark brown to black body with three thick vertical yellow bands that continue onto the fins. As they mature, the scales resemble those of the adult--black with yellow edges. The yellow bands will disappear.
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Step 5
Check the length. Adult French angelfish can reach a maximum length of 24 inches (61 cm) but are more commonly found at about 16 inches (40 cm). French angelfish may live up to 10 years.
