Tropical Fish Species

Saltwater and Marine Species:

Angelfish

French Angelfish

French Angelfish picture by © Andrew Dawson

Large Angelfish are the royalty of the marine aquarium, owing to their spectacular color and showy personalities. Living among coral reefs throughout the world, Angelfish can be found in an array of colors and sizes, some species reaching lengths of 2 feet! Interestingly, several species have completely different coloration and patterns in their juvenile and adult forms.

One thing they all share though is a spine near the bottom of their gill cover which can be used as a weapon. In their natural habitat, they usually can be found in pairs or harems consisting of one male and several females. Angelfish mainly feed on algae, sponges and other tiny plant and animal life found among the coral outcroppings.

In the home aquarium, Large Angels need large tanks with excellent water quality and lots of rocks and caves. They especially appreciate a live rock setup and will graze on algae and other flora and fauna.

They will accept all types of high quality meaty foods including mysis shrimp, brine shrimp and shellfish but their diet should be mainly based on vegetable matter such as algae sheets (nori), lettuce and specially formulated Angelfish preparations.

It is best to keep only one Large Angel per aquarium, unless you have a very large tank and keep Angels that are dissimilar in appearance and size. Otherwise there will be constant quarreling and a stressful environment for all.

Breeding Large Angelfish is rarely accomplished in captivity. These fish are hermaphroditic; all are born as females with the dominant fish changing sex to males. It is quite difficult to tell the difference between the sexes just by visual observation alone.

Spawning takes place when a male and female release sperm and eggs into the water column above the reef. The tiny larvae that are formed then go through several complex developmental stages and are extremely difficult to feed and care for.

TankConditions: 72-78°F; sg 1.020-1.025; pH 8.1-8.4; dKH 8-12

Compatibility: Anglers, Anthias, Basslets, Batfish, Blennies, Boxfish, Butterflies, Chromis, Clownfish, Damsels, Dragonets, Eels, Foxface, Groupers, Grunts, Hawkfish, Hogfish, Lions, Scorpions, Parrotfish, Puffers, Squirrelfish, Tangs, Surgeons, Wrasse, Live Rock and Sand.

Marine Angelfish Articles:

The Cream Angelfish is hermaphroditic (all males result from female sex change), very difficult to breed in an aquarium. keep only one per Tank.

The French Angel is found around shallow reefs and reef rubble in the Atlantic. These fish do fairly well in aquariums and prefer lots of rockwork to feel comfortable.

The Fisher's Angelfish demands high water quality since dwarf angels don't tolerate nitrates well. A 30 gallon or larger tank with lots of hiding places and live rock for grazing are recommended. Not a good reef dweller, the Fisher's Angelfish is prone to nip at stony and soft corals (sessile invertebrates) including clam mantles. It will also graze on diatoms on the tank surface.

Marine Angelfish: Color and Style. Fish from the Pomacanthidae family, the marine angelfish, are probably the most popular species of saltwater fish kept by marine aquarists. The fantastic colors and relatively hardy nature of these fish make them extremely desirable. There are approximately 80 species of angelfish, all from tropical seas (typically between the latitudes 30 degrees north and south of the equator).