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Queen AngelfishFamily: Pomacanthidae Holacanthus ciliarisPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy David BroughLatest Reader Comment - See More I personally have a Queen (Juvenile), and its beautiful coloration makes it my favorite fish. David A most beautiful angelfish, a "queenly" specimen indeed is the Queen Angelfish!Because the Queen Angelfish can grow up to 18" (45 cm), is rather difficult to keep, is found by itself or in pairs, and needs mainly sponges to survive, it is not a fish that will be seen in many community aquariums. But it is a gorgeous fish! For more Information on keeping marine fish see: |
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Taxonomy The queen angelfish was first described and named in 1758 by Linnaeus, with an original name of Chaetodon ciliaris. This fish was later given a new scientific name of Holacanthus ciliaris (Linnaeus, 1758).
Maintenance difficulty: The Queen 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: Western Atlantic coral reefs from Brazil to Florida, the Bahamas, and the Gulf or Mexico. The Queen Angelfish is found at depths up to 70 meters (230 ft.)
Natural Foods: Eats mainly sponges with small amounts of algae, tunicates, hydroids, and bryozoans. A wide variety of sponges is eaten. Juveniles have been known to clean other fish of external parasites.
Social Behaviors: Found singly or in pairs.
Light: Recommended light levels: No special requirements.
Breeding/Reproduction:
Adult Queen 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 and pelagic, floating in the water column. 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: Queen 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.
Availability: This fish is occasionally available and is expensive. ($50 - $100)
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