Royal Angelfish

Royal Angelfish by Colin's Camera

The royal angelfish, Pygoplites diacanthus, is a species of marine angelfish of the family Pomacanthidae, the only member of the genus Pygoplites. It is found in tropical Indo-Pacific oceans. Its length is up to 25 cm.

In the aquarium

Although it is frequently exported through the aquarium trade it rarely survives in the aquarium.

Usually specimens abused during shipment, more likely caught by drugging, will refuse to eat anything, including live fare.

However, given the right environment, specifically with smaller and docile tankmates like gobies and dwarf angels, it will start feeding within days when fed brine shrimp, brine shrimp plus flakes, and further progressing to regular frozen foods and a certain brand of cichlid pellets which this species seem to crave.

With a hostile environment with fellow large angels, puffers, and triggers, and certain clowns, it will almost certainly fail to acclimate and slowly die of starvation due to its shyness to start feeding.

Survivability of feeding specimens seem to equal to the other Pomacanthids.

Fresh water dips may be required to rid newly arrived specimens of flukes and ick which this species is especially prone to.

The prior myth that only yellow-bellied variations from Sri Lanka and the Red Sea will survive points to the fact that species from the Philippines and Indonesia are often abused when collected.

More commonly known as the Regal Angelfish.

Queen Angelfish

Queen Angelfish by natureloving

The Queen Angelfish (Holacanthus ciliaris) is an angelfish commonly found near reefs in the warmer sections of the western Atlantic Ocean.

Description

The adult Queen angelfish overall body color can be described as blue to bluegreen with yellow rims on its scales. Their pectoral fins and ventral fins are also yellow but their lips and the edges of their dorsal fins and anal fins are dark blue.

Queen angelfish are also known to have blue markings around each gill cover. Juveniles have dark blue bodies with yellow lips, gills, and tail and vertical bars ranging in color from light blue to white. The Queen Angelfish may live up to 15 yrs in the wild and reach up to 45 centimetres in length. Queen angelfish are about 3 and a half pounds.

In the Aquarium

Although, the Queen Angelfish is considered to be moderate in difficulty to keep in captivity, it is ill-suited for the inexperienced aquarist. They are an aggressive species that require a large aquarium. Most aquarists recommend a minimum tank size anywhere from 150 on up to 180 gallons. The Queen Angelfish will harass other fish without discrimination, particularly new additions to the aquarium. It should be the last fish added to any system. It is not a reef safe fish, and larger specimens may nip at or consume corals, particularly stony or soft ones, and ornamental invertebrates.

Passer Angelfish

Passer Angelfish by laszlo-photo

The Passer Angelfish, Holacanthus passer, is a large marine angelfish of the family Pomacanthidae, sometimes referred to as the King Angelfish. Due to its large size and bright colors it is a popular aquarium fish, despite the fact that it can be difficult to keep.

In Aquarium

Passer Angelfish are somewhat popular as aquarium fish, however their large size, specialized diet, and prohibitive cost make them comparatively poor captive pets. They have not bred in captivity and hence can be very difficult to find in most hobby shops, although they are slightly more available through mail order companies, for a price.

Passer Angelfish also have a well-deserved reputation for being difficult to keep, largely because they require sponges and tunicates as a food source and will often not accept even prepared foods with such things as ingredients. Besides their diet, they are not particularly picky about salinity or pH, so long as they are kept stable and the water quality high.

Angelfish in general are not generally good community inhabitants, Passer Angels being no exception. If introduced when young, a lucky aquarist may be able to keep two angels in one appropriately size aquarium, but such experiences tend to be the exception, not the norm. Passer Angelfish are quite dominant and can be abusive to smaller or more docile tankmates, or Angelfish that are lower on the social hierarchy for whatever reason.

Emperor Angelfish

Emperor Angelfish by amazingtravel

The emperor angelfish, Pomacanthus imperator, is a species of marine angelfish. It is a reef-associated fish, native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans, from the Red Sea to Hawaii and the Austral Islands.

Juveniles by Doug.deep

Juveniles are dark blue with electric blue and white rings; adults have yellow and blue stripes, with black around the eyes. It takes about four years for an emperor angelfish to acquire its adult colouring. They grow to 40 cm (15.75 in) in length.

Juvenile to adult transition may not fully occur in an aquarium.

Cortez Angelfish

Cortez Angelfish by Kowari

Pomacanthus zonipectus or Cortez Angelfish is a marine angelfish from the Eastern Pacific. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade. It grows to a size of 46cm in length.

Bermuda Blue Angelfish

Bermuda Blue Angelfish by EricPrescott

The Bermuda blue angelfish, Holacanthus bermudensis, is a species of marine angelfish of the family Pomacanthidae. The Holocanthus bermudensis should not be confused with the Holocanthus ciliaris or Queen Angelfish despite very similar appearances, they are two separate species.

Description

A Bermuda Blue Angelfish is blue-brown in color with green hues and bright yellow on the tip of its tail and fins. Their young, however, have a completely different coloration. A young blue angelfish is dark blue with a yellow tail and some yellow on its fins. It also has vertical blue bars on its body. As it ages, the bars fade away and the body color becomes lighter and some browns and greens are added.

The Bermuda Blue Angelfish can grow up to 18 inches in length. It has a large mouth and comb-like teeth. It is often collected for aquariums. This fish occasionally breeds with the queen angelfish, which is very similar to it. This hybrid is called the townsend angelfish. An adult blue angelfish can produce a loud thumping sound that warns predators and also startles divers.

In the Aquarium

Although, the Bermuda Blue Angelfish is considered to be moderate in difficulty to keep in captivity, it is ill-suited for the inexperienced aquarist. They are an aggressive species that require a large aquarium. Most aquarists recommend a minimum tank size anywhere from 150 on up to 180 gallons.

The Bermuda Blue Angelfish will harass other fish without discrimination, particularly new additions to the aquarium. It should be the last fish added to any system. It is not a reef safe fish, and larger specimens may nip at or consume corals, particularly stony or soft ones, and ornamental invertebrates.

Ornate Angelfish

Ornate Angelfish by randapex

Genicanthus Bellus is an Angelfish that occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade. Its common names are the Bellus Angelfish and Ornate Angelfish.

Appearance

They are a mid-sized angelfish reaching a maximum of 7in/18cm at adulthood. [1] Genicanthus Bellus are sexually dimorphic, meaning the appearance between males and females is discernable. The females will be blue, black, and white to gray in coloration with horizontal black, white, and blue stripes along the body which shift to vertical striping near the head.

The males will be predominantly gray with a yellow stripe running horizontally across the body. Males will oftentimes have a yellow stripe that runs along the base of the dorsal fin. Both males and females will have a tail that tapers into the body, giving them the 'swallowtail' appearance.

In the Aquarium

The Bellus Angelfish is a moderately difficult fish to maintain in captivity. They are not for the inexperienced aquarist. At a minimum, they should be kept in a 70 gallon tank for a single specimen; with a tank size of 120 gallons or more, for a pair. They are peaceful aquarium inhabitants and will rarely bother their tankmates. Just about the only exception is when kept with other angelfish, particularly of the Genicanthus genus.

Also, no more than one male should be kept in a system. A single male can be maintained with multiple females. They are reef-safe, and can be kept with any invertebrates. Possible tankmates include Clownfish, Blennies, Gobies, Chromis, Butterflyfish, and small Lionfish and Eels.

A reef temperature of 78F-80F is ideal for maintaining the Bellus Angelfish

Arabian Angelfish

Arabian Angelfish by IvanTortuga

The Arabian Angelfish, Pomacanthus asfur is a fish well known for its use in saltwater aquariums, even though it tends to be a shyer specimen compared to the other, sometimes aggressive, angelfish. The mother will lay the eggs in a scattered pattern so that the young wont fight for food and territory.

Blue Ring Angelfish

Blue Ring Angelfish by jglitten

The bluering angelfish, Pomacanthus annularis, is an angelfish of the family Pomacanthidae, found in the Indo-West Pacific oceans from East Africa, throughout Indonesia and New Guinea to New Caledonia, north to southern Japan.

In the aquarium

It is highly sought after and prized member of the Pomacanthus genus, composed of large marine angelfish. Bluering angelfish can reach up to 12 inches in the wild and often obtain lengths near that in captivity.

In the aquarium bluering angelfish are algae grazers but consume fish and coral flesh as well. They are known to eat shrimps and nibble on both LPS and SPS corals. Overall most seasoned reef aquarists do not recommend keeping this species in a reef aquarium due to these habits.