Herald's angelfish

Geographic Origin and Biotope: Central and Western Pacific: from Taiwan and the Philippines to the Marshall Islands and Tuamotus. Inhabits outer reef slopes.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Member of the Pomacanthidae family. Typically has a slightly more elongated oval body than C. flavissima. Grows up to 12 cm (4.7 inches).

Social Behavior: Found in small harems in nature. Territorial in home aquariums, especially towards other yellow-colored fish.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Uniform bright yellow body. Lacks blue rings or lines. Mature males often develop dusky olive or blackish spots behind the eye or on the dorsal fin.

Aquarium Setup: Minimum tank volume of 150 liters (40 gallons). Arrange rocks to form deep crevices and swim-throughs to simulate their natural reef habitat.

Diet and Feeding: Omnivorous. Grazes on filamentous algae. Offer dried nori sheets, spirulina pellets, and frozen mysis or brine shrimp daily.

Water Quality: Maintain standard reef parameters: temperature 24-27°C (75-81°F), pH 8.1-8.4, specific gravity 1.020-1.025, and KH 8-12.

Compatibility and Tankmates: Moderately reef safe, though caution is still recommended with fleshy LPS corals and clams. Best kept as the sole dwarf angel.

Aquarium Reproduction: Unrecorded in domestic systems due to challenges in pelagic spawning and larval nutrition.

Risks and Diseases: Susceptible to marine ich. Providing high-quality foods containing vitamins helps bolster their immune system.