Description
Aquarium Requirements:
- Tank Size: 120+ gallons (450+ liters) for a single specimen, larger if keeping a pair.
- Water Parameters:
- Temperature: 74–82°F (23–28°C)
- pH: 8.1–8.4
- Salinity: 1.020–1.025
- Water Flow: Moderate
Size & Lifespan:
- Adult Size: Up to 5.5 inches (14 cm)
- Lifespan: 5–7 years in captivity (often shorter due to feeding challenges).
Behavior & Tank Mates:
- Peaceful, but best kept in pairs or small groups.
- Can be kept with other peaceful fish such as tangs and wrasses, but avoid aggressive species.
- Not reef-safe—feeds on coral polyps, making it difficult to sustain in reef tanks.
Diet & Feeding:
- Extremely specialized diet—feeds almost exclusively on live coral polyps in the wild.
- Difficult to wean onto prepared foods—some success with:
- Finely chopped mysis shrimp, brine shrimp
- Sponge-based angelfish foods
- Enriched frozen foods
- Live rock with natural encrusting organisms
- Frequent feedings required (3–4 times daily).
Additional Care Tips:
- Not recommended for beginners—best suited for expert aquarists with experience in feeding finicky species.
- Requires a mature, well-established tank with high water quality.
- Often fails to thrive in captivity due to diet restrictions.
Due to its extreme difficulty in feeding and care, this species is best left in the wild unless kept in a public aquarium with access to live coral food sources.
