Encyclopaedia
Joculator Angelfish
Centropyge joculator
Joculator Angelfish: marine fish in the family Pomacanthidae.
- Family
- Pomacanthidae
- Origin
- Tropical oceans and reefsSouth and Southeast Asia
- Tank use
- Used in 0 tanks
Share
22 °C - 26 °C
8.1 - 8.4
Marine
Middle
9 cm
Species description
Geographic Origin and Biotope: Eastern Indian Ocean, restricted to Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island. Inhabits outer reef slopes and drop-offs.
Taxonomy and Morphology: Pomacanthidae family, genus Centropyge. Reaches 9 cm (3.5 inches). Recognized by a yellow-orange head, deep blue body, and a bright blue ring around the eye.
Social Behavior: Active and curious swimmer. Constantly grazes on live rock surfaces, displaying defensive territorial behavior toward color rivals.
Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Vibrant yellow-orange head and chest, deep metallic blue body. Yellow tail and a distinct blue ring around the eye. Protogynous hermaphrodite.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Aquarium Setup: Requires a well-established aquarium of at least 260 liters. Arrange live rock to form numerous crevices, pass-throughs, and shaded spots.
Diet and Feeding: Omnivorous. Feed dry granular or flake foods enriched with spirulina, alternating with frozen mysis, brine shrimp, and finely chopped shrimp meat.
Water Quality: Stable temperature between 22°C and 26°C, pH between 8.1 and 8.4, salinity 1.020-1.025, KH 8-12, GH 15-25. Maintain high water purity.
Compatibility and Tankmates: Semi-aggressive. May nip at stony LPS corals or clam mantles in reef tanks. Keep singly or as a formed pair in large systems.
Aquarium Reproduction: Protogynous hermaphrodite. Uncommon in captivity, though achieved by specialists. Pair spawners releasing eggs into the water column.
Risks and Diseases: Very hardy once acclimated, but sensitive to introduction into immature tanks lacking natural micro-algae growth.
Fish profile
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive and territorial, especially to other dwarf angelfish
- Diet
- Omnivorous (marine algae, spirulina, small meaty frozen foods)
- Tank level
- Middle
- Minimum group
- 1
- Adult size
- 9 cm
- Minimum tank volume
- 260 L
- GH
- n/a
- KH
- 8 dKH - 12 dKH
- TDS
- n/a
- Conductivity
- n/a
- Sex ratio
- Singolo, coppia compatibile o gruppo secondo specie
- Feeding frequency
- 1-2 volte al giorno in piccole porzioni
- Bioload
- Medium
- Flow
- Moderate
- Reproduction
- Non comunemente documentata in cattività, richiede vasche mature dedicate.
- Compatibility & tankmates
- Valutare territorialità, taglia adulta e compatibilità barriera prima dell'inserimento.
Ecological Estimates & Biological Models
- Trophic level
- 2.8 ± 0.32 se
- Resilience
- High (less than 15 months)
- Phylogenetic uniqueness (PD50)
- 0.5
- Bayesian Length-Weight
- a = 0.0302, b = 2.89
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
Related species
Other recommended species with similar care requirements and water parameters.
