French Angelfish

Overview

This large, elegant fish is an icon of the Caribbean and has a reputation for surviving extremely well in captive systems. Observing the chromatic metamorphosis from black-and-yellow striped juvenile to handsome adult with gold-rimmed scales is a memorable experience for the fishkeeper.

Feeding

Omnivore. Feed meaty and algae-based foods several times a day. Will graze on algae. Frozen sponge-based angelfish rations may be eaten with relish.

Aquarium Compatibility

This species is not overly aggressive, but can be somewhat rowdy in certain venues. It will occasionally chase smaller, passive species, but usually does not harm tankmates if space is not in short supply. It is best to add less aggressive species before it. Juvenile French Angelfish have bold personalities and are well-known for their cleaning behaviors in the wild. The young fish will perform a fluttering swimming display to attract potential clients—including large snappers, surgeonfishes and even moray eels—to be groomed of parasites and other unwanted attachments.

Breeding/Propagation

Egg scatterers that produce pelagic eggs, often in midwater mating rituals. Both eggs and larvae that drift with plankton in the water column and settle back onto a reef at about the time of metamorphosis. These are among the most challenging types of marine fishes to propagate in captivity.

Notes

Keep only one per tank, unless you have a very large system and can acquire a pair. It is risky to keep this fish with clams, large-polyped stony corals and some soft corals.