Related FAQs: Indonesian Angelfishes, Marine Angelfishes In General, Selection, Behavior, Compatibility, Health, Feeding, Disease,   

Other Regional Accounts of Marine Angels: Red Sea, Baja, Caribbean

Related Articles: The Marine Angelfish family, Pomacanthidae, Best Marine Angels, 

/The Conscientious Marine Aquarist

Marine Angelfishes of  Indonesia

Apolemichthys griffisi (Carlson & Taylor 1981), Griffis' Angelfish (2). Occasionally imported from Indonesia and the Solomon Islands. Found in various parts of the Central Pacific. To ten inches overall length. Below, seven and nine cm. individuals (Photos by Hiroyuki Tanaka) and six inch one in captivity by RMF.

Apolemichthys trimaculatus (Cuvier 1831), the Three-Spot Angelfish (2). Can make a hardy addition to a good size (100 gallons plus) established reef system. To about six inches long. East African coast to western Pacific. To ten inches in the wild. A 1 1/2" juvenile in captivity and full-size adult in the Seychelles.

Centropyge bicolor (Bloch 1787), the Blue-and-Gold, Pacific Rock Beauty, Bicolor or Oriole Dwarf Angel (3), is highly variable in it's survivability in captivity. Some shipments are 100% live on arrival, others can be just the opposite within days. Better specimens come from other than the Philippines or Indonesia. To 6" if they live. One in N. Sulawesi.

Centropyge bispinosa (Gunther 1860), Two-Spined, Dusky or Coral Beauty Angel (2). Usually hardy from everywhere but the Philippines. Found widespread throughout the Indo-Pacific to central Pacific. One in N. Sulawesi.

Centropyge colini Smith-Vainz & Randall 1974, Colin's Dwarf Angel (3), is a deepwater form (usually collected below 100 feet) that does poorly as far as the genus goes. Rare and expensive in the hobby. Indo-west Pacific to western Pacific area. Thanks to Evan McLaughlin for this pic!

Centropyge flavicauda Fraser-Brunner 1933, the Damsel or White-Tail Dwarf Angel (2), is rarely seen in the trade; one of the dwarf-dwarf angels, growing to only a couple of inches in length. Indo-west and central Pacific. Pix by Hiroyuki Tanaka and RMF collected off of Nichinan Coast and Gili Air, Lombok, Indonesia.

Centropyge heraldi Woods & Schultz 1953, Herald's or the False Lemonpeel Angel (2), are overall yellow with a variable amount of black on their dorsal fins and behind the eyes (males), but never with the blue outline around the eyes of the "true" Lemonpeel, Centropyge flavissimus. Central and western Pacific Ocean. Aquarium and N. Sulawesi pix.

Centropyge tibicen (Cuvier 1831), the Keyhole Pygmy Angel (2). Some folks have had better success with this species than I and my associates. Start with a mid-sized specimen, 3-4". Indo-west Pacific.

Chaetodontoplus chrysocephalus (Bleeker 1854), Orange-Faced Angelfish (2). Possibly a variant or male of C. septentrionalis, or a cross between it and C. melanosoma. Western Pacific Ocean, Japan to Indonesia.

I got to get out more often

Chaetodontoplus duboulayi (Gunther 1867), the Scribbled Angelfish (1). A more common import from the genus. Best started at 4-5 inches to wean over wild foods (sea squirts, sponges). To twelve inches overall in the wild. North coast of Australia to New Guinea. One inch and adult aquarium and Airlie Beach, QLD pix by RMF. 3 cm. by Hiroyuki Tanaka at right.  

Chaetodontoplus melanosoma (Bleeker 1853), Black Velvet Angelfish (2). Variable in initial health from wild. Best to leave at the dealer's a good week or two. Indonesia on up to southern Japan. To eight inches long. 8 cm. individual by Hiroyuki Tanaka and 15 cm. by RMF.

Chaetodontoplus mesoleucus (Bloch 1787), the Vermiculated Angelfish, better known in the west as the Singapore Angel (2), the most commonly imported member of the genus, and at six inches maximum, one of the better choices. Western Pacific. Yes, it looks more like a Butterflyfish than an Angel. Aquarium, N. Sulawesi and Gili Air, Lombok, Indonesia images.

Genicanthus lamarck (Lacepede 1802), Lamarck's Angelfish (2). Indo-Australia Archipelago. To seven inches in length. Probably the most common member of the genus used in the trade. Males and female in N. Sulawesi and female shown off of Gili Air, Lombok, Indonesia.

Genicanthus melanospilos (Bleeker 1857), the Black-Spot Angelfish (2). Similar to G. caudovittatus to the west, this species is found throughout the tropical western Pacific. Also to about six inches long. Male and Female shown in captivity. Below, male and female in Fiji.

Centropyge multifasciata (Smith & Radcliffe 1911), the Multi-Barred Angel (2). More deep-bodied than other Centropyge and with 13 versus the usual 14, 15 dorsal rays of other dwarfs. Not imported regularly in any numbers. Currently  placed in the genus Paracentropyge. 

Pomacanthus (Euxiphipops) navarchus (Cuvier 1831), the Navarchus, Majestic or Blue-Girdled Angelfish (3). Found throughout the Indo-Australian Archipelago. To ten inches in length. Juvenile (2") and adult  (6") in aquarium shown.

Pomacanthus semicirculatus (Cuvier 1831), the Koran or Semicircle Angelfish (1). A beauty from throughout its wide range, Indo-west Pacific eastward to Africa, but not the Red Sea. To about thirteen inches in length. At right, 1 and 7 cm. individuals by Hiroyuki Tanaka. Shown below: two, five and twelve inch individuals, the first two in captivity, the adult in Fiji.

Pomacanthus (Euxiphipops) sexstriatus (Cuvier 1831), the Six-Striped/Banded Angelfish (3). One of the largest angelfishes at some eighteen inches maximum length. Also found throughout the Indo-Australian Archipelago.  Juvenile in aquarium (3") and adult  (10") in Australia shown.

Pomacanthus (Euxiphipops) xanthometopon (Bleeker 1853), Yellow-Mask or Blue-Face Angelfish (3). Indo-west Pacific to the Maldives. To thirteen inches in length. At right, a 7 cm. individual in captivity, photo by Hiroyuki Tanaka. Below: Juvenile (3"), changeling (4") in captivity and foot long adult in the Maldives shown.