Blue-ringed Angelfish

Habitat: Natural geographic location:
   Described by Bloch in 1787, the Blue-ringed Angelfish is found in the Central Indian Ocean to West Pacific; west coast of India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, southern Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan, Philippines, Papua New Guinea to Solomon Islands. It was first collected in the East Indies.
   The species will be seen alone in its juvenile stage, while adults are usually observed in pairs. Its natural habitat is coastal and coral reefs at depths of 10 - 164 feet (3 - 50 meters).

Status:
   These fish are not listed on the IUCN Red List.

Description:
   The adult Blue-ringed Angelfish has a disc--like but higher body that is entirely yellowish brown with numerous fine dots and about 8 curving blue lines running obliquely throughout on the side. There is a rounded yellowish brown area surrounded by blue behind the eye and the face is blue with blue lines just behind eye. The dorsal and anal fins are brownish and gradually becoming deep blue posteriorly. The dorsal fin has a blackish thread from the central portion, becoming yellowish posteriorly. The caudal fin is abruptly white, gradually shading to slightly duskier with a white edge. The pectoral fins are yellowish brown with a blue-black spot at fin-base and the pelvic fins are yellowish brown with several blue-black lines.

Blue-ringed Angelfish (Juvenile) Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy Hiroyuki Tanaka

   Juveniles are blue-black with several vertical, slightly curving white bands on the side that gradually increasing in number with growth. Then over time, these bands on the side of young specimens will gradually fade away as this fish matures. Their fins are blue-black except for the caudal fin, which is translucent to whitish.
   Juveniles of this species are very similar in appearance to several other members of Pomacanthus that are black with white bands.  

Length/Diameter of fish:
   Adults are reported to reach 17.6 inches (45 cm), but most available specimens are less than 8 inches (20 cm). Adults less than 14 inches (35 Cm) will be observed by most divers in their natural habitat.

Maintenance difficulty:
   The Blue-ringed Angelfish is a fairly active fish. Almost all specimens will be successfully acclimated and become a very hardy fish. Juveniles will swim actively and freely, but are somewhat shy and retiring when first introduced to their new environment. When it is well acclimated, this fish will even venture to the surface and take foods from its keepers.
   Most of the Pomacanthus members are very colorful and attractive but some are rather difficult to keep for a long period, and they may suffer from “ich” (white spot disease) and other infectious diseases. They may be treated successfully with medical care or copper drugs. Some of the species hate any drug treatment or sudden change of waters, including PH, temperature, salinity, etc., and the Blue-ringed Angelfish is one that is rather sensitive to water quality.
   In the wild a cleaner wrasse (Labroides sp.) will help them by taking parasites from their bodies, however these wrasses are extremely difficult to sustain in captivity. Alternative fish such as Neon Gobies (Gobiosoma spp.) can help them by providing this cleaning service in the home aquarium.

  Diseases that marine angelfish are susceptible to:
Marine Ich (white spot disease), Marine Velvet, and Lymphocystis (a viral infection).

Foods:
   The Blue-ringed Angelfish are omnivores, in the wild they eat large amounts of encrusting invertebrates like sponges and tunicates, as well as picking zooplankton from the water column. Almost any food will be accepted but be sure to provide a varied diet that includes substantial sponge foods, either commercially prepared mixtures containing sponge or by providing live sponge. Meaty foods, dried flakes, shrimps, and tablets are favorites but also offer frozen shrimps, prepared diets for sponge and algae eaters, vegetables, and Japanese Nori. As this fish may nip the polyps of some stony and soft coral species, and also eat living shrimps, it is not recommended for reef-type aquariums. Provide adults with various foods at least twice a day and juveniles should be fed three to four times a day.

Maintenance:
   No special care or technique is needed to maintain this fish in the aquarium, and it usually takes foods heartily if it is in a good condition. Juveniles are quite shy at first and need some crevices to hide in, but when acclimated both juveniles and adults will spend most of day swimming in open areas.
   The Blue-ringed Angelfish is rather sensitive to water quality. Frequent water changes are not necessary, rather normal water changes at 10% biweekly or 20% monthly are fine, varied according to the number of fish and the tank size. A small change water change is preferable at any one time, as a sudden massive water changes can cause trouble.
   For more information see, Marine Aquarium Basics: Maintenance

Dr. Jungle says, "Hiroyuki shares his experience in keeping this angelfish!..."
"I have kept several specimens of 6-15cm long and all of them immediately accepted foods, and did very well in fish community tank. One juvenile (8cm) was quite aggressive toward butterflyfishes and attacked them frequently. But while I was watching, it always hid behind the rocks motionlessly and did not venture into open water except at feeding time. " ...Hiroyuki Tanaka

Aquarium Parameters:
   The tank should be well decorated with rocks/ corals with some hiding places especially for juveniles.
Minimum Tank Length/Size:
   A minimum 70 gallon (265 liters) for juveniles, and 125 gallons (473 liters) or larger for adults. They can be housed with other angelfish as long as the tank is quite large, 180 gallons (680 liters) or more.
Light: Recommended light levels
   It is best kept under normal lighting, but can also be kept in sunlight conditions and in a dimly lit tank.
Temperature:
   This species dwells in tropical areas. Temperatures between 75 -79° F (24 - 26° C) will serve them well, but temperatures higher than 84° F (29° C) or below 72 ° F (22° C) would not be good.
Water Movement: Weak, Moderate, Strong
   No special requirements, it can tolerate a rather stronger flow but slow-moving water is preferable.
Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom
   They are open swimmers and will spend time in all parts of the aquarium.

Social Behaviors:
   The Blue-ringed Angelfish is not a reef-safe fish, even though it will do well in a coral-rich tank with sessile inverts. Because it will nip the polyps of both hard and soft corals as well as inverts like live shrimps, it is best kept in a fish only community aquarium.
   Selecting tank mates poses few problems as this angelfish can be kept some aggressive species. It can be housed with larger and rather territorial angelfishes like other Pomacanthus and Holacanthus as long as the aquarium is large enough, 180 gallons (680 liters) or more. Also the smaller angelfish Centropyge, Apolemichthys, Genicanthus, Chaetodontoplus and Pygoplites will be good tank mates. Smaller and ‘weaker’ fish such as cardinalfish, gobies, tilefish, butterflyfish, fairy basslets, fairy and flasher wrasses, etc. may be good choices. But because this angelfish can become quite belligerent, possibly bullying more passive tank mates keep a diligent eye on this type of mix. Some of the aggressive genera wrasses can be kept with it successfully. Also small but very aggressive fishes like dottybacks would also be okay to keep with an adult in most cases.

Sex: Sexual differences:
   No sexual differences are known, but adults are seen swimming in pairs in their natural environment.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   There are records of reproductive behavior in aquariums, though the larvae rarely survive. In the wild, the type of mating system employed by Pomacanthus is dependent on the density of the population at a particular location. In one area they may form permanent pairs while in other areas, where the species is more common, they will form harems. Each harem consists of a male defending several females in a small area. In all systems however, these fish spawn in pairs.
   Pairs congregate at the edge of the reef at sunset. They often engage in a courtship display where the male and female swim in a brisk head to tail circling motion. Each pair will spawn and ascend into the water column. Swimming together in an arc up to about 7 - 10 feet (2 - 3 meters) above the substrate, they expel pelagic eggs at the summit.
   For more information see, Marine Fish Breeding. 

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Availability:
   The Blue-ring Angelfish is only occasionally available at retailers and ranges in price from $120.00 USD up to $300.00 USD.