The road to gonzaga bay - A Fascination for Fish: Adventures of an Underwater Pioneer - page 45

A pair of adult Cortez angelfish. (Photo by author)
of the Gulf compiled by my ichthyology professor, Boyd Walker, and
Ken Norris. Only one species of angelfish was indicated from this area
of the Sea of Cortez: Pomacanthus zonipectus. Surprisingly, though, this
beguiling little fish with its striking appearance had no common
name—an injustice that Dave and I pondered over a couple of beers.
We decided that the name Cortez angelfish was perfect for introduc-
ing this fish to the aquarium world. Not only did it have a nice ro-
mantic ring to it, but it was also geographically appropriate. As more
and more aquarists and collectors began to travel to the Gulf region to
collect their own angels, the word spread and the common name Dave
and I coined became accepted throughout the aquarium world. Now
when I hear someone talk about the Cortez angelfish, I chuckle re-
membering how the fish received its popular name.
The next day was as successful as the first. By the time we had to
head back to the States I had sucked my two tanks of air dry and we
had twenty-two angels ranging in size from one inch to three inches.
Dave now had some fish that would sell very well in the aquarium shops.