Genicanthus

Related Articles: The family of Angelfishes, Pomacanthidae,

Genus Genicanthus Angelfishes, Swallowtails

By Bob Fenner

Genicanthus melanospilos, male, Fiji

Angelfishes for Marine Aquariums
Diversity, Selection & Care
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by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Genicanthus bellus Randall 1975, the Ornate Angelfish (3). Lives in small groups, plankton-feeding up off the bottom. To six inches in the wild. Western Pacific and Cocos Keeling in the eastern Indian Ocean. Females and male shown. First pic by Hiroyuki Tanaka, last two by RMF.

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Genicanthus caudovittatus (Gunther 1860), the Zebra Angelfish (2). Red Sea along the east African coast, Mauritius and the Maldives. To six inches overall length. Male and female shown.

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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. Male and female in N. Sulawesi and female shown off of Gili Air, Lombok, Indonesia.

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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.


Verticals (Full/Cover Page Sizes Available)

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Genicanthus personatus Randall 1975, the Masked Angelfish (1). Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Rare and cooler water animals, but can live in tropical systems. Shy, need plenty of rock cover. To eight inches total length. Male and female shown from Waikiki Aquarium.

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Genicanthus semicinctus (Waite 1900), Half-Banded Angelfish (2). Known from Islands in the southwestern Pacific. Rarely in the trade.

And rarer for me to lack a photo.

Genicanthus semifasciatus (Kamohara 1934), Japanese Swallow Tail Angelfish (2). Western Pacific, mid Japan south to the Philippines. Rare in the western aquarium trade. Here, a female and male in Dallas TX, and a male in CT.

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Genicanthus takeuchii Pyle 1997, the Spotted Angelfish (?). Known only from the Bonin Islands in the northwestern Pacific.

This is getting ridiculous.

Genicanthus watanabei (Yasuda & Tominaga 1970), Watanabe's Angelfish (2). Amongst the hardiest of the genus (that makes it into pet-fish markets). Western and central Pacific. To six inches total length. Male and female in aquariums shown.

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Bibliography/Further Reading:

Angels in General

Allen, Gerald, Roger Steene & Mark Allen. 1998. A Guide to Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes. Tropical Reef Research/Odyssey Publishing, Singapore/San Diego. 250pp.

Allen, Gerald R. 1979. Butterfly and Angelfishes of the World, vol.2. Mergus Publishers, W. Germany.

Burgess, Warren E. 1991. Two new genera of angelfishes, family Pomacanthidae. TFH 3/91.

Emmens, C.W. Pacific angelfish. Marine Aquarist 3(1):72.

Gonzalez, Deane. 1980. Angels of Hawaii. FAMA 7/80.

Hemdal, Jay. 1989. Marine angelfish; color and style. AFM 8/89.

Ladiges et al. 1978. Marine fish, angelfish. Aquarium Digest International #19.

Lobel, Phil S. 1975. Hawaiian angelfishes. Marine Aquarist 6(4):75.

Moenich, David R. 1987. Angel Food; the most important single factor in keeping marine angels is a varied diet. TFH 6/87.

Moenich, David R. 1988. Breaking the rules (marine angel compatibility). TFH 3/88.

Steene, Roger C. 1977. Butterfly and Angelfishes of the World, vol.1. Australia. Mergus Publishers. W. Germany.

Stratton, Richard F. 1994. Practical angels. TFH 10/94.

Thresher, R.E. 1984. Reproduction in reef fishes, part 3; Angelfishes (Pomacanthidae). TFH 12/84.

Toyama, Dean. 1988. The angelfishes) of Midway Island. FAMA 11/88.

Genicanthus

Carlson, Bruce A.1982. The masked angelfish Genicanthus personatus Randall 1974. FAMA 5/82.

Debelius, Helmut. 1981. Latest discoveries about the angelfish Genicanthus caudovittatus. FAMA 4/81.

Howe, Jeffrey C. 1992. Original descriptions. The masked angelfish Genicanthus personatus Randall, 1975. FAMA 2/92.

Michael, Scott W. 1997. Swallowtail angelfishes. The Genicanthus species are a different sort of angelfish. AFM 4/97.

Pyle, Richard L. 1990. The masked angelfish Genicanthus personatus Randall. FAMA 10/90.

Angelfishes for Marine Aquariums
Diversity, Selection & Care
New eBook on Amazon: Available here
New Print Book on Create Space: Available here

by Robert (Bob) Fenner

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