Old Woman

The old woman is a big angelfish with a tall, disc-shaped body, generally dusky grey-brown with each scale finely edged in pale blue and a darker bar curving through the head and gill area. Juveniles are boldly striped in black, white and blue before shifting to the muted adult pattern.

It frequents rocky and coral reefs along the KwaZulu-Natal and Transkei coast, usually seen alone or in pairs grazing sponges, algae and invertebrates from the reef. Curious but wary, it will circle divers before drifting back into cover. It holds up well on the reef and is best admired rather than speared.