Fish File: Coral Beauty Angelfish

Overview

The Coral Beauty Angelfish (Centropyge bispinosus), known to some as Two Spined Angelfish or Dusky Angelfish, are commonly found in the shallow reefs across the Indo-Pacific.
The Coral Beauty is an extremely popular saltwater fish among aquarists because of its beautiful colours, hardiness and small size, making it a great fish for any beginner.

Fish Keeping Information

Classification

Centropyge bispinosus

Care Level

Beginner – intermediate

Fish Size

This species can grow up to 3.9"

Water Temperature

23-27 deg C (73-81 deg F)

pH

8.1-8.4

Aquarium 
Size Required

250 litres+

Gender Differences

The male is generally larger than female, but colour is not necessarily an indication of sex.

Feed

Will happily graze on live rock. Should also be fed a mix of mysis, brine, copepods krill and fish/lobster eggs. Dried foods can be offered and will be accepted in time.

Compatibility

Should be kept with other peaceful community species.


Characteristics

The Coral Beauty is clearly identified in any saltwater aquarium by its bright colouring. Common colouration includes orange, red or yellow bodies, with edges, fins, and tails of darker blue or purple and in most cases vertical stripes over the body. However, colouration can vary in its intensity depending on where it was collected in the wild. This particular species is classed as a “dwarf” Angelfish meaning it will not grow any larger 4 inches (10cm), making it a great addition to smaller aquariums.

Fun Fact

Unlike larger angelfish, colours in the Coral Beauty Angelfish do not fade as they age!

Behaviour

The Coral Beauty is usually fairly peaceful species, but can be aggressive when it comes down to tank mates.  As they can show sign of aggressive behaviour we suggest having only one per tank. They should not be kept with other angelfish unless they are in a in a very large aquarium of 1,000+ litres.

It is important to provide a large enough tank; we suggest a 250+ litre tank in order to avoid any territorial behaviour with other fish. In our minds the bigger the better! Be sure to provide lots of live rock for hiding places and for them to dash in and out of while swimming around their aquarium.

Breeding

The Coral Beauty is not likely to breed in a home aquarium; there are records of being able to, however, it is a difficult process.