Coral Beauty Angel barbels?

Dangerdoll

Dangerdoll

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Aug 27, 2002
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Cori
I have a coral beauty angel that I was looking at pretty closely last night. I noticed that at the bottom of each gill is a barbel... or what I hope were barbels. I guess I'm just looking for confirmation so I don't have to worry about parasites on the fish. I tried to get a closer look but the fish is just too darned fast. Do these fish have barbels? am I even spelling it right?
 
They're not barbels, but spines. And they're normal. I'm not sure if the species name, bispinosa, comes from the gill spines. Here's a shot from fishbase showing the gill spines:

Cebis_u8.jpg


By the way, you spelled it correctly: F-I-S-H.
 
Those spikes can get pretty large, as well. On my bicolor, they are at least 1/2 inch long, and dangerous. They can break the skin if you get jabbed--not really a threat to you, but watch when the fish defends it's turf--tangs whip around and slice with the scalpels on their tails, the angels twist and slice with their gill spikes.
 
that's a pretty one...... thanks guys. I guess I never really noticed them before... at first I guess I got a little freaked because I had no idea they'd have something like that but didn't see the little guy in distress or anything so figured I'd ask :)

thanks for the additional tidbits too ;)
 
The get longer as the fish matures--barely even noticable on juveniles, but clearly present on the adults. Color varies as well--my bicolor's were white when growing in, but now are a less noticable blue.
 
that pic Mo posted is a beauty for sure, mine has more of the orange on him and the "spines" are more brownish in color at this point..... I wish I would've noticed them before so I could watch them grow and/or change...
 
my coral beauty is more purple and has red and orange on him. looks great, tends to nip a little at coral though, not too bad, ate my sps!
 
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