Marine Angelfish

Description:
   Angelfish come in all colors and sizes. They range from 4 inches (10 cm) to 24 inches (60 cm) in the wild. Many angelfish have different coloration as juveniles than they do as adults. Many of the adult angelfish become territorial as they grow older and it is thought that perhaps the different coloration among the younger fish keep them from being the target of the older fish's aggression.

Care and feeding:
   Most angelfish, except the Pygmies (Centropyge) are sponge and tunicate eaters. This makes them hard to acclimate since these foods are generally not included in prepared fish foods.
   Angelfish must be willing to accept new foods in their diet in order to survive in an aquarium and are therefore considered difficult to keep. Feeding a large variety of foods is important in order to entice them into eating and once accomplished, they can survive for long periods of time in captivity.

   Several sponge based frozen foods are now available and should be fed to certain angelfish especially those of the genus Holocanthus. Many of the smaller angels (Centropyge sp.) can be housed in a reef but may become destructive with age.

Breeding:
   See Breeding Marine Fish for information on reproductive habits.

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