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Blue AngelfishCorn Sugar ~ Isabelita Azul Family: Pomacanthidae
Be the first to add a comment! A most beautiful angelfish found in the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, Bermuda and the Bahamas. Very similar to the Queen angelfish, H. ciliaris, they differ primarily in color pattern. To compare, see the Queen angelfish.Naturally occuring hybrids of the Queen and the Blue angelfish are not uncommon. The coloration of some hybrids consists of blotches of color very much like the freshwater Koi species. Other hybrids can be completely blue or completely green. A description of Holacanthus townsendi was actually based on a hybrid between the Queen and the Blue angelfish. The juvenile Blue Angel is quite different from that of the adult. Juveniles are dark blue with a yellow tail, a yellow area around the pectoral fins, and brilliant blue vertical bars on the body. Juvenile Queen and Blue angelfish are extremely difficult to tell apart, but the Blue angelfish juvenile will often have more curvature to the vertical bars. For more Information on keeping marine fish see:
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| Geographic Distribution Holacanthus bermudensis |
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| Data provided by FishBase.org |
Taxonomy
Holocanthus bermudensis, the blue angelfish, was originally described
by Goode in 1876. It has previously been referred to as Holocanthus
isabelita and Holocanthus ciliaris bermudensis, which appear
in some of the older publications.
Maintenance difficulty:
The Blue Angelfish is moderately difficult to keep.
Maintenance:
This angelfish survives mainly on sponges so make sure you
can get an angel formula with sponge in it. It is important that you feed
angelfish all kinds of live, frozen, and prepared formula foods. Best
to feed small amounts several times a day. A good formula that can be
made at home consists of mussels, shrimp, squid, and spinach.
Habitat: Natural geographic location:
Gulf of Mexico, the southern coast of Florida, Bermuda and
the Bahamas. The Blue Angelfish is found in shallow waters to depths up
to 60 meters (200 ft.)
Natural Foods:
Eats mainly sponges with small amounts of algae, tunicates,
and corals. A wide variety of sponges is eaten. Juveniles are a cleaner
fish that have been known to clean other fish of external parasites. Juveniles
are also extremely territorial, probably as a result of their setting
up territories as cleaning stations. It is interesting to note that predators
and cleaner fish enjoy a sort of "truce" in the cleaners territory.
![]() Blue Angelfish (juvenile) Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy Frank Schneidewind |
Social Behaviors:
Found singly or in pairs, adult Blue angelfish are almost
always found as breeding pairs.
Sexual differences:
Unknown.
Light: Recommended light levels:
No special requirements.
Breeding/Reproduction:
Adult blue angels are generally found in pairs year round, so it
is assumed that the male and the female have a monogamous relationship.
Pairs will spawn by slowly rising up in the water column while bringing
their bellies close together, and releasing large amounts of eggs and
sperm. A female can release anywhere from 25 to 75 thousand eggs each
evening. This can total as many as ten million eggs for the duration
of the spawning cycle. The eggs are transparent, pelagic, and each contains
a single drop of oil to provide buoyancy. The eggs will hatch in 15 to
20 hours. At this point the "pre-larval" angelfish is attached
to a large yolk sac, has no functional fins, no eyes, or gut. After about
48 hours the yolk is absorbed during which time the fish develops into
true larvae and begins to feed on plankton in the water column. Growth
is rapid and 3 to 4 weeks after hatching the fish will reach about 15-20mm
and will settle on the bottom.
Breeding, to our knowledge, has not been accomplished in captivity. See Breeding Marine Fish for more information about marine fish breeding in general.
Temperature:
No special requirements. Normal temperatures for marine fish
lies between 75 and 79 degrees.
Length/Diameter of fish:
Blue Angelfish adults can grow to 45 cm (18 inches).
Minimum Tank Length/Size:
A minimum 100 gallon aquarium is recommended.
Water Movement: Weak, Moderate, Strong
No special requirements.
Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom
No special requirements, in the wild they are a benthic species
hanging around the bottom in areas of sponge, coral, and rock.
Availability:
This fish is generally rarely available and is expensive.
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