Conspicuous Angelfish

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Restricted to the Southwest Pacific, including the Coral Sea, southern Great Barrier Reef, New Caledonia, and Lord Howe Island. Found in deep lagoon passages and outer reefs at 10 to 40 meters.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Member of the Pomacanthidae family. Oval-shaped body with a velvety skin texture typical of Chaetodontoplus. Reaches up to 25 cm in size.

Social Behavior: Generally peaceful, shy, and found singly or in pairs. Shy when first introduced but becomes bolder once acclimated.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Body is blue-grey with darker scale margins. Face is yellow-orange, adorned with bright blue markings surrounding the eyes (giving a spectacled appearance) and mouth. No sexual dimorphism.

Aquarium Setup: Requires a tank of at least 600 liters with plenty of cave systems and rock structures. Prefers dimmed areas and stable structures.

Diet and Feeding: Feed a specialized diet containing marine sponges, algae, and high-quality frozen foods like mysis and artemia. Feed three times daily.

Water Quality: Prefers slightly cooler subtropical water temperatures of 20-24°C (68-75°F). pH 8.1-8.4 and stable salinity. Heavy skimming required.

Compatibility and Cohabitation: Peaceful with most reef fish. Keep with non-aggressive tankmates. May nip at stony corals, clams, and zoanthids.

Aquarium Breeding: Extremely rare in captivity. Spawning behavior is pelagic and requires large tanks and specialized conditions.

Risks and Diseases: Sensitive to skin parasites and high copper levels. High stress during acclimation can lead to feeding issues.