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Vermiculated Angelfish

(Chaetodontoplus mesoleucus)

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 Quick Care Facts

• Care Level: Moderate   • Temperament: Peaceful   • Maximum Size: 8"
• Minimum Tank Size: 90 gallons   • Water Conditions: 72-78° F, dKH 8-12, sg 1.020-1.025, pH 8.1-8.4
• Diet: Omnivore   • Origin: Western Pacific, Japan
• Family: Pomacanthidae   • Species: Angels (Large)   • Aquarium Type: FOWLR

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Native Habitat and Species Information

Vermiculated Angelfish native habitat, distribution, behavior & aquarium compatibility.

The Vermiculated Angelfish or as it is also commonly know as the Singapore Angelfish comes from the tropical western pacific, extending from as far north as Japan to Australia in the south. It is found inhabiting shallow reefs and lagoons up to 60 feet in depth. This species is well suited for established FOWLR (fish only with live rock) aquariums with plenty of live rock and other non-aggressive community fish species as tank mates.

The Vermiculated Angelfish will spend a lot of time grazing live rock for many types of algae including filamentous and diatom, thus should be provided an environment to allow for it so swim in and out of the reef grazing. This species is not recommended for reef aquariums as it will nip at many forms of corals.

The Vermiculated Angelfish, has been likened to a butterflyfish because of its body structure. It has blue lips and a yellow nose, which abruptly changes to a black vertical band over the eyes, somewhat resembling a mask. The mask is bordered with another thin vertical band of yellow, followed by a wider vertical band of white. The rest of the body is a mix of black, white and gray coloration that fades to black and extends to the dorsal fin and just before the tail fin. The dorsal and anal fins are outlined in brilliant sapphire-blue and the caudal fin is a bright yellow.

Aquarium Care

How to successfully keep Vermiculated Angelfish in the home aquarium.

Vermiculated Angelfish inhabit shallow coral reefs and lagoons in the wild, and at an adult size of about 7 inches are a good size for the home marine aquarium. However, they are somewhat on the shy side and while some will acclimate well to aquarium life, others can be difficult to adjust. The best environment for this species is a 55 gallon or larger aquarium with plenty of live rock and tank mates that are non-aggressive.

Plenty of live rock will give the Vermiculated Angel plenty of places to hide when threatened, which will give it a comfort zone so that it can swim freely and not feel exposed. Since this species is very peaceful and non-boisterous, it does best with other species with a similar disposition. Vermiculated Angelfish are not well suited for reef aquariums as they will pick at both stony and soft corals, along with sessile inverts such as clams.

Feeding & Nutrition

How to feed and provide proper nutrition for Vermiculated Angelfish.

In the wild the Vermiculated Angel feeds on algae, sponge and meaty foods when they become available. In the home aquarium, they should be fed a varied diet that includes: angelfish preparations containing sponge material, meaty frozen and flaked preparations and either frozen or live mysid shrimp or other finely chopped meaty marine items. Plenty of live rock in the aquarium will also give them areas to graze for algae and micro-organisms.

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