King Angelfish: The Eastern Pacific's Showstopper

If one fish makes snorkelers gasp, it's the king angelfish: a deep blue-black body crossed by a single bright white bar, finished with a golden tail. It's one of the signature angelfish of our coast. Here's how to spot one near Jacó, plus five fun facts.

King Angelfish · Holacanthus passer

How to spot the king angelfish near Jacó

King angelfish favor the rocky reef where they graze on sponges and algae. Look for that unmistakable dark body with the bold white bar — it stands out even in a crowd of reef fish. They're a comfortable size to follow with your eyes as they move along the rocks.

5 fun facts about the king angelfish

• Also called the Passer angelfish. Its scientific name, passer, nods to the bright single bar that 'passes' across its dark body.
• Males and females differ. Look closely and the pelvic fins vary by sex — males tend toward white, females toward yellow.
• Some are born female, then change. Like many angelfish, they can change sex as they mature and their social role on the reef shifts.
• A varied diet. They graze on sponges, algae, and plankton, and will even pitch in at cleaning stations, picking parasites off other fish.
• An Eastern Pacific signature. From the Gulf of California down to Ecuador, it's one of the most recognizable angelfish in these waters.

The king angelfish is just one of many characters down there. See the whole cast in our Snorkel Jaco fish directory, or read real guest photos and reviews on the Snorkel Jaco reviews.