The most endearing member of the genus Centropyge (Dwarf angelfish family). Centropyge argi is everything regular sized dwarf angelfish are, except in a really small package. They are sold in sizes ranging from an inch to 3 inches. At 3 inches, centropyge argi is fully grown and will remain at that size.

They are commonly known as Cherub Angelfish, Atlantic pygmy angelfish and simply, the pygmy angelfish. They possess a yellow face and a deep royal blue throughout their bodies with electric blue linings on their dorsal and anal fins.

They hail from the Caribbean ocean, from South America, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. They’re pretty cheap fish as far as angelfish go, priced at $20 to $30 USD, these little angels are a very affordable dwarf angelfish for marine aquariums big or small. They are regularly available and their price reflects that fact.

Despite their size they are a feisty little ball of aggression and can usually defend themselves against larger more aggressive fishes, but they must have space to retreat and hide. Do not add two cherub angelfish into a small tank, one of them will most likely sustain serious injuries. I’ve heard of cherub angelfish harassing a smaller one in a 30 gallon tank until they die. If you want a pair of them, you have two options. Buy a mated pair or introduce both of them together (Only in a large tank) and hope they form a pair eventually.

Due to their small size the cherub angelfish can actually be housed in aquariums as small as 20 gallons. This make centropyge argi uniquely qualified for those that want an angelfish, but lack an aquarium large enough for one. Of course it is recommended that you get the biggest tank you can for your fish. But smaller specimens under 1.5 inches should do fine in a 20 gallon.

Centropyge argi are grazers in their natural habitat. Like surgeonfish, they scan the rock throughout the day for food. They feed on detritus, tiny crustaceans and a wide variety of algae.

A balanced diet should be given in a saltwater aquarium. A wide range of foods should be given, variety is important. Feeding them a single type of food for too long is generally a bad idea. Although there have been hobbyists that have fed them new life spectrum for long periods of time with no ill effects. It seemed like they were doing great in fact. They should be fed a frozen food that has both meat and algae (Formula One, Formula Two), algae and nori sheets as well as a pellet from a reputable brand like New Life Spectrum.

The Pygmy Angel Formula by Ocean Nutrition is just about the perfect food for dwarf angels. Ingredients such as kelp, krill, squid,squid, vitamins and minerals and much more are used in this frozen food. Prior to freezing, the cubes are mixed with these ingredients. Pygmy Angel Formula is only available in frozen form i believe.

Holacanthus Ciliaris, the queen angelfish, is among the three most recognizable angelfish in the marine aquarium hobby. The other two being the French Angelfish (Pomacanthus Paru) and the emperor angelfish (Pomacanthus Imperator). It reigns as the most popular species within its genus, much like the flame angelfish (Centropyge Loriculus). They are part of the Pomacanthidae (Marine Angelfish) family and are one of the largest angelfish among its cousins.

The queen angelfish can be found throughout the Caribbean Sea, Brazil all the way up to Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. It is very closely related to Holacanthus Bermudensis (Blue Angelfish) and they look completely alike to the untrained eye. These two angelfish have been known to interbreed in the wild. Their offspring have been called Holacanthus Townsendi. It should be noted that Holacanthus Townsendi is not a valid species within the genus Holacanthus. Thankfully, telling the two apart is an easy enough task, queen angels have a blue crown on their heads, that crown is missing on blue angels.

Like all large angelfish, the juvenile form of the queen angelfish is colored very differently from adults. Juveniles possess bright blue vertical bars from its face to its main body. These bars will slowly disappear as they grow. Adults are a beautiful iridescent blue and yellow throughout their bodies.

Juvenile angelfish also take on a peculiar role in the wild. Like the cleaner wrasse, they act as “cleaners”. As cleaners, they service larger fishes that need some form of parasite removal.

Queen angelfish are pricey no doubt, small ones cost between $80 to $90 while adults can fetch $200 and beyond for show quality specimens.

Almost all larger angelfish have the potential to become massive bullies in a marine aquarium and the Queen angelfish is no exception. It is hostile towards other large angelfish but it generally ignores other species of fish. It often exhibits extreme hostility towards other queen angelfish. Or towards the blue angelfish for that matter. Keep only one queen angelfish per aquarium.

Queen angels are huge, they can reach up to 18 inches in the wild. One and a half feet!. However, they rarely achieve such lengths with a maximum size of 12 to 13 inches in captivity.

An aquarium no smaller than 150 gallons should be used to house a queen angelfish. As with all larger marine fish, a bigger tank is a better tank. They require large amounts of space to swim so ensure that your rock scape allows for this. Resist the the temptation to get those cute 2 inch juveniles for your 50 gallon aquarium. They will quickly outgrow such small tanks in no time at all, leaving you with the headache of either selling or finding larger quarters for it.

The queen angelfish is not reef safe, it can eat corals or at least nip on them until they eventually perish. Although some hobbyists have kept them in reef aquariums with minimal damage to their corals, queen angelfish are better suited to large, fish-only aquariums.

In the wild, their diets are made up of plankton, algae, corals, tunicates and marine sponges. Housing them in a reef aquarium where they are surrounded by corals is not a good idea. Your corals may end up as expensive meals for them. Offer them a good variety of foods from sheets of nori/seaweed to meaty foods like krill or mysis shrimp. A pretty good to offer is Formula Two, containing a blend of seafood and an extra amount of algae. It is available in three forms, flake, pellet or frozen cube.

Ocean Nutrition produces By far the best foods for any large angel, Angel Formula. Specifically designed for large angelfish, they contain a good mix of fresh seafood, algae, vitamins and most importantly, marine sponges. Angel Formula is only available in frozen cube form.

Should you opt to buy some seaweed from your local mart, always remember to buy the plain unflavoured/unspiced version. Raw nori is a good choice if available. Get a clip for your nori and stick it on the side of the aquarium glass.

The Powder Blue Tang (Acanthurus Leucosternon) is another popular surgeonfish that we see from time to time. It has a dark blue face, a yellow dorsal fin and a light blue body. Their natural range occurs around the Maldives through to Sri Lanka.

$50 to $60 bucks will buy you a juvenile, which make it more expensive than adult Blue Tangs (Paracanthurus Hepatus) or even adult Yellow Tangs (Zebrasoma Flavescens).

Members of the same genus usually get some aggression while fishes outside the surgeonfish family are let alone. In the wild, Powder Blue Tangs are either found alone or with a shoal. If more than one is desired then introduce them at the same time to limit aggression.

Attaining 8 inches in length, they are considered a moderately large surgeonfish. Nothing smaller than a 100 gallons should be used to house the powder blue tang.

Powder Blue Tangs are reef safe.

Despite the fact that they’re primarily herbivores in the wild, they are open to just about anything offered once acclimated. Krill, mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, pellets, they take them all.

Algae sheets like nori are a great algae to feed all herbivorous fish.Prices vary greatly depending on the brand. Julian Sprungs Sea Veggies may be a little too pricey for some. They produce good algae sheets though. They’re also available as flakes, which is very convenient since there’s very little work involved during feeding.

Most nori sheets are produced for human consumption, primariy as sushi wrappers. Some are cheap while the really high quality sheets can be very expensive.

You’ll need to secure the nori to a clip. You could DIY a clip yourself and spend a couple of bucks on a commercial type. The sheets are sometimes rolled up and cut beforehand, most however, feed it as is. Secure the nori to your algae clip and attach it to the side of the aquarium.

Another good food to feed herbivores are Formula Two by Ocean Nutrition. It has an extra amount of algae in it along with a good mix of seafood, trace minerals, vitamins and more. It is available as a flake food, pellet or frozen cube.

While Formula Two is a good flake, it surpassed by Sea Veggie mixed flakes by Two Little Fishies. A great all-rounder with a good balance of ingredients, New Life Spectrum comes highly recommended as well.

After the Ocellaris Clown fish (amphiprion ocellaris) and the Percula Clownfish (amphiprion percula), the Maroon Clownfish (Premnas Biaculeatus) sees heavy trading in the industry. They are hail from South East Asia (Malaysia) and can be found in Australia as well. They are considered by many to be the most beautiful member of the clownfish family.

They look like an ocellaris or a percula, except for the fact that their bodies are all a maroon-red. However, their white stripes are thinner than Percula’s. There is a variant that has yellow stripes instead of white.

They are also known as the spine-cheek anemonefish, due to a spine that is found on their cheeks. They are called anemonefish because they share a symbiosis with anemones. They have figured out how to escape the anemones powerful sting, they create a mucus that hides their presence from the anemone. Anemones are not required despite clownfishes needing one in the wild.

Despite heavy collection, their prices are usually higher than that of ocellaris or percula clownfish. Expect to pay up to $40 for larger specimens while juveniles retail for between $20 to $25. Tank raised specimens cost a few dollars more than their wild caught counterparts. Never go with wild caught specimens as tank-bred ones are generally hardier and better suited to the aquarium.

Maroon clownfish are the most aggressive species within the clownfish family. It will not tolerate the presence of other members of the Pomacanthidae family, which are damselfish and clownfish. It will aggressively defend its territory, even from us humans sometimes.

And it doesn’t end with their aggression, they are the largest species within the clownfish family. Known to reach lengths of up to 6 inches.

Feeding them prepared foods is an east task because they will eat just about anything. While they are omnivores in the wild, they consume both meaty and algae based food in the aquarium. They should be fed a wide variety of foods. Prime reef, Formula One and Formula two are some good dry foods to offer. Formula two is a seafood mix with an added amount of algae thrown into it while Prime reef is mostly made up of seafood.

The best pellet food on the market are those made by New Life Spectrum. Feed them some frozen mysis shrimp and krill occasionally.

The most endearing member of the genus Centropyge (Dwarf angelfish family). Centropyge argi is merely a dwarf version of regular dwarf angelfish. They are normally sold at sizes ranging from 1 to 3 inches. A 3 inch centropyge argi is a fully grown adult and will not get any larger.

They are also known as Cherub Angelfish, pygmy angelfish and the Atlantic pygmy angelfish. They possess a yellow face and a deep royal blue throughout their bodies with electric blue linings on their dorsal and anal fins.

They hail from the Caribbean ocean, from South America, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. They’re pretty cheap fish as far as angelfish go, priced at $20 to $30 USD, these little angels are a very affordable dwarf angelfish for marine aquariums big or small. They are also a common offering on the market, and their price reflects this.

Despite their size they are a feisty little ball of aggression and can usually defend themselves against larger more aggressive fishes, but they must have space to retreat and hide. Do not add two cherub angelfish into a small tank, one of them will most likely sustain serious injuries. I’ve heard of cherub angelfish harassing a smaller one in a 30 gallon tank until they die. You have two options if you want a pair of cherub angelfish. Buy a mated pair or introduce both of them together (Only in a large tank) and hope they form a pair eventually.

Due to their small size the cherub angelfish can actually be housed in aquariums as small as 20 gallons. This make centropyge argi uniquely qualified for those that want an angelfish, but lack an aquarium large enough for one. Of course it is recommended that you get the biggest tank you can for your fish. But smaller specimens under 1.5 inches should do fine in a 20 gallon.

Centropyge argi are grazers in their natural habitat. Throughout the day they scan the rock for food, much like surgeonfish. They feed on small crustaceans, algae of various types and sometimes even detritus.

They should be given a balanced diet in a saltwater aquarium. Variety is important, feed them foods from a wide range of food groups. Feeding them a single type of food for too long is generally a bad idea. Although there have been people that have fed them new life spectrum pellets for months at a time with no ill effects. They all looked very healthy in fact. A good pellet like those by New Life Spectrum should be offered along with algae/nori sheets plus a balanced frozen food (Formula One, Formula Two).

Ocean Nutrition produces the perfect food for dwarf angels, Pygmy Angel Formula. It closely resembles their natural diet in the wild with a whole slew of ingredients that include krill, algae, kelp, shrimp, squid, vitamins and trace minerals plus many others. The ingredients mentioned are all added prior to freezing. Unfortunately Pygmy Angel Formula does not come in flake form.

The emperor angelfish (Pomacanthus Imperator) is one of the three most popular “large” angelfish in the marine aquarium hobby. The french angelfish and the queen angelfish make up the remaining two. Within the genus Pomacanthus, it is the most popular. Imperator Angelfish is another name it goes by.

Among the most distinctively colored angels, it has bright yellow horizontal lines on its blue body, while a black band lined with neon blue covers its face. Its tail is either yellow or orange. Juvenile Emperor angelfish are no less stunning. Its entire body is filled with white concentric circles on a deep blue body.

The Emperor angelfish is commonly found throughout the Indo-Pacific ocean, Red Sea and even the Great Barrier Reefs in Australia. As juveniles, Emperor angelfish provide cleaning services to other fish in the wild. They consume any parasites that maybe present on the bodies of other fishes. A pricey fish, juveniles are priced from $60 to $80 USD while very large “show quality” adults can fetch up to $400 USD.

Pomacanthus is home to some very big bullies. The emperor angelfish is aggressive towards other large angels and is very hostile towards other emperors. It generally leaves fishes from outside the Pomacanthidae family alone. It might bully large tangs and butterfly fish but generally ignores them.

The emperor angelfish attains lengths of up to 16 inches in the wild. This means you can expect lengths of up to 10 to 11 inches in the tank as Emperor angelfish do not normally achieve their full length in captivity. At that length it is still a big fish that needs larger aquariums to really do well. A 150 gallon is the bare minimum while a 200 gallon or larger aquarium is recommended as they need large amounts of space to swim in.

The Emperor Angelfish is not considered reef safe. Though you may see some Emperor Angelfish housed in reef aquariums, they’re better suited to fish-only aquariums.Their diet in the wild consists of tunicates, sponges, algae and corals. Offer them a good variety of foods from meaty foods like mysis shrimp and krill to sheets of nori/seaweed. New Life Spectrum offers a very balanced pellet food. A balanced food that is pretty good for your Emperor Angelfish is Formula Two. It contains a mix of seafood and an extra portion of algae for herbivorous fish. It is available in three forms, pellet, flake or frozen cube.

The most complete food available for your Emperor Angelfish is Angel Formula by Ocean Nutrition. This food was developed with large angelfish in mind, they contain fresh seafood, vitamins, marine sponges and fresh algae. Angel formula is only offered in frozen cube form.

With regards to nori sheets/seaweed sheets for your Emperor Angelfish, you could choose either seaweed sheets from companies catering to angelfish or you can always run down to your local supermarket and get some there. Price varies from cheap to expensive depending on brand.

Make sure you buy unflavoured/unspiced nori when shopping at the supermarket. Just get regular, plain nori. Raw if you can find some. Attach the nori sheet to a nori clip of your choice and stick onto the side of your aquarium.

Another popular clown fish in the Pomacanthidae family besides Percula Clownfish (amphiprion percula) and Ocellaris Clownfish(amphiprion ocellaris), Maroon Clown] (Premnas Biaculeatus) is heavily collected from the wild for the trade. They are hail from South East Asia (Malaysia) and can be found in Australia as well. Maroon clownfish are considered by many to be the most beautiful member of the clownfish family.

Their entire bodies are a dark maroon like red, while they also have 3 white bands like their cousins the percula clownfish. Their white bars are thinner than those on ocellaric clownfish however. There is a variant that has yellow stripes instead of white.

Their most common name besides the maroon clownfish is the spine cheek anemonefish, so called because of a small spine found on their cheeks. They are called anemonefish because they share a symbiosis with anemones. The anemone cannot sting clownfish, it is speculated that clownfish produce a mucus that renders them invisible to the anemone. While Maroon clownfish are always found hosting anemones in the wild, anemones are not required for survival in captivity.

They are generally more expensive than percula or ocellaris clownfish. Expect to pay up to $40 for larger specimens while juveniles retail for between $20 to $25. Tank-Bred maroon clownfish usually fetch a few dollars more. Always choose tank-raised percula as they’re generally hardier than wild caught specimens.

These are some of the most aggressive clownfish in the hobby. It will not tolerate the presence of other members of the Pomacanthidae family, which are damselfish and clownfish. Also a very territorial species, they’ve been known to show aggression even towards their human keepers.

Maroon clownfish are also the biggest species among all clownfish. They can reach a length of 6 inches in captivity.

Captive maroon clownfishes are very easy to feed because they will eat just about anything. While they are omnivores in the wild, both meaty and algae based foods are eaten in an aquarium. Offer them a wide variety of foods. Some good dry foods to feed are Formula One, Formula Two and Prime Reef. Formula two is mostly catered to herbivores, they have an added amount of algae mixed in while prime reef targets mostly carnivores.

New Life Spectrum produces in my opinion the best pellet food on the market. Add in some frozen food like krill or mysis shrimp and you’re set.

The Powder Blue Tang (Acanthurus Leucosternon) is another commonly seen surgeonfish that is popular among hobbyists. It has a yellow dorsal fin, a baby blue body while a deeper blue colors its face. They come from Sri Lanka all the way to the Maldives.

Pricier than the blue tang (Paracanthurus Hepatus)or even the yellow tang (Zebrasoma Flavescens), juveniles retail for about $50 to $60 while larger specimens go for $100 to $120.

While fishes from outside the surgeonfish family are usually safe, members within the same genus are not. In the wild, Powder Blue Tangs are either found alone or with a shoal. If more than one is desired then introduce them at the same time to limit aggression.

Attaining 8 inches in length, they are considered a moderately large surgeonfish. Nothing smaller than a 100 gallons should be used to house the powder blue tang.

Powder Blue Tangs are reef safe.

Despite the fact that they’re primarily herbivores in the wild, they are open to just about anything offered once acclimated. They will eat brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, krill and whatever else you offer.

A good form of algae to feed tangs would be nori sheets.Depending on the brand, prices vary greatly. Some people may find Julian Sprungs Sea Veggies to cost a little too much. Good quality stuff though. They’re also available as flakes, which is very convenient since there’s very little work involved during feeding.

Most nori sheets are produced for human consumption, primariy as sushi wrappers. High quality sheets can cost quite a bit while the regular stuff is very affordable.

You’ll need to secure the nori to a clip. You can buy a commercial type of fashion one up yourself. The sheets are fed as is or they’re folded and cut beforehand. Once the nori is secured, stick the clip to the side of the tank, sit back, and enjoy the show.

Another good food to feed herbivores are Formula Two by Ocean Nutrition. It has an extra amount of algae in it along with a good mix of seafood, trace minerals, vitamins and more. It comes in 3 forms, frozen cube, flake or pellet.

While Formula Two is a good flake, it surpassed by Sea Veggie mixed flakes by Two Little Fishies. A great all-rounder with a good balance of ingredients, New Life Spectrum comes highly recommended as well.

The French Angelfish (Pomacanthus Paru) is one of the three most popular large angelfish among marine aquarium hobbyists. The Emperor Angelfish and the Queen Angelfish make up the other two.

It is closely related to the Gray Angelfish (Pomacanthus Arcuatus) and to the untrained eye they are very similar in appearance. Differentiating between the to is easy, adult french angels have yellow/gold flecks on their bodies while gray angels do not. As juveniles they are very similar, except for one small difference. Juvenile Queen angelfish have tail fins that are rounded while juvenile gray angelfish tail fins that are straighter.This trait is present on adult french and gray angels as well.

The juvenile form of the french is also one of the most beautiful among its cousins. A full jet black with bright yellow vertical bars. Like other juveniles in the genus they are cleaners in the wild, actively picking off parasites off other larger fish.

They commonly sighted by divers around the Caribbean Sea. Other angelfish from that area include the gray, blue and queen angelfish.

Not a cheap fish, small juveniles go for $80 to $90 USD while larger adults can cost upwards of $200.

Like its larger cousins, the French Angelfish can be aggressive towards other members of the pomacanthidae (Marine angelfish) family. Putting two french angelfish together in a marine aquarium with limited space can be a recipe for disaster.

Despite this, french angelfish are normally friendly towards their keepers. It is normally peaceful with species outside of its own family. Dottybacks, clownfish and smaller wrasses are generally left alone.

At 16 inches the French angelfish is a whopper! If you plan on keeping one long-term you should house one in a marine aquarium no less than 150 gallons. It always helps to aim higher of course, a 300 gallon aquarium is a great choice.

Some hobbyists are tricked into buying a small juvenile french angel only to have it outgrow their small aquariums in a matter of months.

So don’t be fooled, juveniles grow very quickly. French angelfish are usually kept in large community aquariums with very “open” rock scapes. This is to ensure they get adequate swimming room. Hobbyists with corals generally avoid keeping this fish, we’ll find out why in the next section.

The french angelfish is not reef safe, like all its brethren. You may come across some reef tanks with french angels but they’re more suited to fish-only aquariums.

In the wild, they feed on sponges, corals, algae and polyps. Most people avoid keeping them in their reef aquariums as they can make short work of their prized corals. A source of algae like nori/seaweed should be offered along with meaty foods like krill and mysis shrimp.

Offer them a good pellet from a reputable brand like New Life Spectrum as well. A pretty good and balanced food to offer would be formula two, it contains seafood and extra algae for herbivorous fishes. Available in, flake, pellet or frozen cube form.

The best food for a french angelfish is Angel Formula by Ocean Nutrition. Designed to cater to the specific needs of large angelfish, it contains a mix of algae, fresh seafood, vitamins and most importantly, marine sponges. Unfortunately, Angel Formula is only available in frozen cubes.

more about nori and seaweed. You can go to your local supermarket to get some or you can choose to purchase them from companies catering to herbivorous fish. Prices vary with market nori, they’re either expensive or cheap depending on the brand.

Buy plain unflavoured/unspiced types. If available, raw nori is a great offering. Get a clip for your nori and stick it on the side of the aquarium glass.

The French Angelfish (Pomacanthus Paru) is one of the three most popular large angelfish among marine aquarium hobbyists. The other two being the queen angelfish (Holacanthus Ciliaris) and the Emperor Angelfish (Pomacanthus Imperator).

To the untrained eye, french angels look just like gray angels as they are closely related. Differentiating between the to is easy, adult french angels have yellow/gold flecks on their bodies while gray angels do not. They are completely alike as juveniles, except for one minor detail. Juvenile Gray angelfish have straighter tail fins while juvenile queens have tail fins that are rounded.This trait is present on adult french and gray angels as well.

The juvenile form of the french is also one of the most beautiful among its cousins. A full jet black with bright yellow vertical bars. Like other juveniles, they act as cleaners in the wild, picking off any parasites they from larger fish.

These marine angelfish are widespread throughout the Caribbean and are commonly sighted by divers in that area. Other popular angelfishes from that area include the queen, blue and gray angelfishes.

It is a pricey fish, juveniles usually sell for $80 to $90 USD while large “show quality” adults cost upwards of $200.

Like its larger cousins, the French Angelfish can be aggressive towards other members of the pomacanthidae (Marine angelfish) family. Putting two french angelfish together in a marine aquarium with limited space can be a recipe for disaster.

Despite this, french angelfish are normally friendly towards their keepers. It is normally peaceful with species outside of its own family. Dottybacks, clownfish and smaller wrasses are generally left alone.

At 16 inches the French angelfish is a whopper! If you plan on keeping one long-term you should house one in a marine aquarium no less than 150 gallons. Of course it always helps to aim higher, something like a 300 gallon is perfect.

Many hobbyists are tricked into getting a small juvenile only to have it outgrow their aquariums in a year.

So don’t be fooled, juveniles grow very quickly. French angels are normally housed in large community aquariums with very “open” rock scapes. This is to ensure they have ample swimming space. Hobbyists with a reef aquarium generally avoid keeping the french angelfish, we find out why in the next section.

Like all larger angelfish, the French Angelfish is not reef safe. You may come across some reef tanks with french angels but they’re more suited to fish-only aquariums.

In the wild, their diet is made up of corals, algae, sponges and polyps. Most people avoid keeping them in their reef aquariums as they can make short work of their prized corals. A source of algae like nori/seaweed should be offered along with meaty foods like krill and mysis shrimp.

Try to get them on a good pellet like those from New Life Spectrum as well. A pretty good and balanced food to offer would be formula two, it contains seafood and extra algae for herbivorous fishes. Available in, flake, pellet or frozen cube form.

Probably the best food for a French Angelfish is Angel Formula by Ocean Nutrition. Designed to cater to the specific needs of large angelfish, it contains a mix of algae, fresh seafood, vitamins and most importantly, marine sponges. Unfortunately, Angel Formula is only available in frozen cubes.

More on seaweed and nori. You can go to your local supermarket to get some or you can choose to purchase them from companies catering to herbivorous fish. Prices vary with market nori, they’re either expensive or cheap depending on the brand.

Buy plain unflavoured/unspiced types. If available, raw nori is an excellent offering. Get a clip for your nori and stick it on the side of the aquarium glass.