Coral Beauty Angelfish Care Guide

The name of the Coral Beauty Angelfish is anything but misguiding, and its beauty and color make it a popular choice among saltwater aquarists. But what exactly does it take to keep the Coral Beauty Angelfish alive, well, and thriving? In this Coral Beauty Angelfish care guide, we will discuss everything you need to know about this stunning fish including feeding requirements, water requirements, compatibility, lifespan, and more.

Coral Beauty Angelfish Facts – Did you know?

- The Scientific name for the Coral Angel Beauty Fish is “Centropyge Bispinosa”. It also goes by the names “Two Spined Angelfish” and “Dusky Angelfish”.
- The Coral Beauty Angelfish is a popular choice among beginner aquarists because it is similar to other Angelfish species, but doesn’t require the same stringent care. It’s hardy, readily available, and reasonably priced.
- This type of Angelfish is commonly found in the Indo-Pacific Ocean and within the Great Barrier Reef. It can also be found in the shallow waters of Indonesia and Fiji.

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Appearance

The Coral Beauty is one of the smallest species of Angelfish and is commonly referred to as a “dwarf” Angelfish. They typically reach no larger than 4 inches (or 10cm) in size, and have a disc-shaped body with a blunt snout. The Coral Beauty Angelfish varies in color and intensity based on where it is collected in the wild. A common color combination is red or orange with blue striping, and a purple head and fins. Other Coral Beauties are completely blue, orange, pale, yellow, or white. Unlike some other species of fish, the color of the Coral Beauty will not fade with age.

Lifespan

In the wild, Coral Beauty Angelfish are expected to have a lifespan between 10-15 years. In captivity, however, this is unlikely. Lifespan in captivity is dependent upon numerous factors including quality of care and compatibility of tank mates.

Tank Size and Requirements

Though the Coral Beauty Angelfish is very small in size, it still requires a 70-gallon tank or larger. The reason for this is that it requires a lot of hiding places and live rock for grazing upon. The more rocks and places that the fish has to hide, the more secure it will feel, and the more likely it will be to come out into the open, allowing you to see their easy-going personalities. In larger environments, the Coral Beauty Angelfish is likely to ignore other corals and fish, but a smaller tank may bring out territorial issues with other fish.

In terms of tank requirements, the temperature for the Coral Beauty Angelfish should be set between 22-27 degrees Celcius, and the Gravity between 1.020 and 1.025. The pH level should always be between 8.1 and 8.4, and Carbonate Hardness between 8 and 12 dkh.

Feeding Requirements

The Coral Beauty Angelfish is an omnivore which means it will eat both plant and animal species. In the wild, the diet of the Coral Beauty typically consists of algae, but it may also ingest any small species of animals living within it. Diet within captivity is similar, and will mostly consist of algae. Having said that, other proteins can also be a welcomed snack.

Coral Beauty Angelfish will not only eat a variety of different fresh and dried algae, but will also eat Mysis shrimp, flakes or pellets, or foods enriched with spirulina.

Coral Beauty Angelfish need to be fed several times each day, but just how much they need to be fed will depend on the size of the tank. In general, you should feed your Angelfish two to three times per day, but you may be able to get away with fewer feedings if your tank is large and rich in sources of natural algae.

Remember that in the wild the Coral Beauty Angelfish has a wide variety of foods to choose from, so keeping a varied diet will be key in keeping your Angelfish happy and healthy.

Social Behaviors and Tankmates

Though Coral Beauties are considered to be one of the least aggressive types of Angelfish, they are still classified as semi-aggressive. If your tank has plenty of fresh algae, the Coral Beauty is unlikely to bother with any other fish. If, however, your tank lacks algae, this may create competition and stress, and Coral Beauty Angelfish may become aggressive towards smaller species.

In terms of their own species, unless you have a very large tank with lots of hiding places and fresh food, two male Coral Beauties should never be placed together. They will fight to the death.

The Coral Beauty can be paired with peaceful fish like gobies and fairy wrasses if they are in a large aquarium with plenty of food sources and places to hide. In smaller aquariums, Coral Beauties may become aggressive towards these non-aggressive species. They can be safely placed with semi-aggressive and more aggressive fish like clownfish, damselfish, and anthias. The Coral Beauty can also be placed with larger, aggressive fish like lionfish and groupers, but may become a target to fish that are large enough to eat them.

They are also compatible with invertebrates. They shouldn’t cause a problem with snails, crabs, shrimp, or any others.

Are Coral Beauty Angelfish Reef Compatible?

Coral Beauty Angelfish can be classified as semi-reef safe, and it really depends on the individual fish. Having said that, because they have such a varied diet, the Coral Beauty can often be found grazing on soft flesh Coral Polyps like Zoanthids. For this reason, most aquarists would tell you not to place them into a reef aquarium, but the choice is yours. If your Coral Beauty is well fed and has plenty of algae to graze on, it may leave your corals alone.

I have had many Coral Beauties over the years, and despite being told they are not reef safe, I have never had an issue with them eating or bothering corals. They may occasionally pick around the coral but not the coral itself.

Breeding

The Coral Beauty Angelfish can be very difficult to breed in captivity. The reason for this is that most home aquariums are too small to house multiple Coral beauties without them fighting for food and territory.

Having said that, there are some benefits to purchasing Coral Beauties that have been bred in captivity. If you can find a fish that has been bred this way (and was not captured from the wild), it’s likely that you will have a hardier and more adaptable fish. Coral fish that are bred in captivity have not yet been acclimatized to specific water conditions, and therefore find it easier to acclimate to home aquarium conditions. They are also disease-free, which prevents putting other fish in your aquarium at risk.

Diseases

Like many saltwater fish, Coral Beauties can be susceptible to saltwater diseases. They are susceptible to white spot disease (marine ich) and marine velvet. These are the 2 common parasite diseases. Other bacterial diseases could include Vibrio which can turn into dropsy or popeye. This disease is very serious and can kill the fish very fast.

If you notice any signs of inflamed gills, bloating, raised scales, small holes on the side of the head, white or black spots, lethargy, rapid gill movements, or gasping for air, your fish may be stressed or ill. Disease, illness, and other ailments are commonly caused by stress due to transport or environmental issues, poor water quality, or poor acclimation to a new tank.

Preventing disease

Though the Coral Beauty Angelfish is resilient and quite resistant to disease, they can still be susceptible, and good water quality will be immensely important in preventing the disease from occurring. The environment can also play a big role in disease, as stress is a leading factor in the development of illness in fish. A fish that is not stressed, will have a stronger immune system to prevent infections.

Therefore, it’s extremely important that you provide proper care for your Coral Beauties, including plenty of nutritional options, as well as an environmental space in which your fish can feel safe and protected from others.

Because Coral Beauty Angelfish can often come into the country with parasites, it’s also essential that you quarantine them before adding them to your home aquarium. Adding them to your aquarium without doing so may put other fish species in your aquarium at risk. Many aquarium store owners will quarantine their fish before putting them up for sale, so in some cases, this may have already been done for you. Many stores will also apply a copper-based medication to fish in quarantine to ensure that any parasites are killed before the fish is placed for sale.

In conclusion, the Coral Beauty Angelfish makes a beautiful addition to any tank, and it’s hardiness and adaptability make it the perfect choice for beginner aquarists. The key to raising healthy Coral Beauties is to keep them in a tank large enough that they can feel safe, protected, and are not in competition for food.

Thanks for reading!