Not to be confused with the freshwater angelfish of the Amazon Basin, marine angelfish are brilliantly colored and live on the warm, shallow water reefs of the Atlantic, Indian, and western Pacific Oceans. This beautiful family of reef fish consists of about 86 different species, the most well-known being queen, king, french, royal, and grey angelfish. With their large, laterally compressed bodies, small, up-turned mouths, and bright colors, they are hard to miss and a favorite sighting for most divers.

Diving with them are always a special encounter as divers can often times get quite close, especially to the larger species as they are fairly bold and seemingly unfazed, making them a favorite amongst underwater photographers. Due to their wide, abundant distribution and tendency to stay on the shallow areas of the reef, it is almost guaranteed to see one of them on every dive. Click here to find the best dive sites around the world to go diving with angelfish.