Angelfish vs Mero

Pterophyllum scalare comparado com Epinephelus itajara

Taxonomy & Classification

Atributo	Angelfish	Mero
Nome Científico	Pterophyllum scalare	Epinephelus itajara
Ordem	Cichliformes	Perciformes
Família	Cichlidae	Serranidae
Conservation Status	Least Concern	Vulnerable

Physical Traits

Atributo	Angelfish	Mero
Comprimento Máximo	15,0 cm	250,0 cm
Peso Máximo	0,03 kg	363,0 kg
Cor	Silver to pale gold body with four bold black vertical bars including one through the eye; tall triangular dorsal and ventral fins are translucent silver; domesticated forms include gold, black, and marbled variants.	Yellow-brown to olive-green body densely covered with small dark brown spots and irregular blotches; 3–4 faint pale vertical bands on the flanks; juveniles show bolder contrasting yellow and black stripes.

Habitat & Environment

Atributo	Angelfish	Mero
Tipo de Água	Freshwater	Saltwater
Faixa de Profundidade	—	0-100m
Distribuição Geográfica	Native to the Amazon River basin and associated river systems in Peru, Colombia, and Brazil. Inhabits densely vegetated floodplain swamps, flooded igapó forests, and slow …	Tropical western Atlantic from Florida and the Gulf of Mexico through the Caribbean Sea to Brazil, and eastern Pacific from the Gulf of California to …
Habitat	Slow-moving rivers and flooded forests of the Amazon basin, particularly white-water and clear-water rivers. Warm water (24-30°C); inhabits areas with submerged vegetation and driftwood.	Neritic, coral reefs, estuaries

Aquarium Suitability

Atributo	Angelfish	Mero
Tamanho Mínimo do Aquário	190 L	—
Temperatura	24-28	—
Faixa de pH	6.0-7.5	—
Nível de Cuidado	Moderate	—
Temperamento	Semi-Aggressive	—

Informações de Pesca

Atributo	Angelfish	Mero
Peixe Esportivo	Não	Sim
Classificação de Resistência	—	9/10
Recorde Mundial	—	—
Nível de Mercúrio	—	—

Cuisine & Edibility

Angelfish

Not consumed — a graceful ornamental cichlid valued for its triangular body shape and striking vertical banding; widely kept in freshwater community tanks.

Mero

Firm, flaky white flesh with a mild, sweet flavor; harvest is heavily restricted or banned throughout most of its range due to Vulnerable status. Catch-and-release strongly encouraged.

Species Overview

Angelfish

The freshwater angelfish is a majestic cichlid with a laterally compressed body and long, flowing dorsal and anal fins. Native to the Amazon basin, it has been selectively bred into numerous color varieties including marble, koi, and platinum.

Mero

The goliath grouper is the largest grouper in the Atlantic Ocean. This massive reef dweller can swallow prey whole and produces a distinctive booming sound by contracting its swim bladder to ward off intruders.