Emperor angelfish

Care at a glance

The emperor angelfish is one of the best-known reef fish in the world, with adults showing a pattern of yellow and blue horizontal stripes and a blue mask across the eyes. Juveniles look completely different: dark blue with white and pale blue circles, which is why they were long considered a separate species.

It grows into a large fish that requires a show-sized aquarium, and in the wild it eats sponges and tunicates, which makes it a danger to corals in a reef tank. Count on a long-term project with plenty of space, a varied diet and one specimen per tank.

Good to know

• Outgrows most home tanks
• Territorial
• Needs a mature, stable tank

Best not combined with

• Koran angelfishPomacanthus semicirculatus

Related species

• Bicolor angelfishCentropyge bicolor
• Zebra lionfishDendrochirus zebra
• Copperband butterflyfishChelmon rostratus
• Valentini pufferCanthigaster valentini
• Harlequin tuskfishChoerodon fasciatus
• Picasso triggerfishRhinecanthus aculeatus