Cherub Angelfish

[Ryan]

Anyone have one of these. I am making a fish list for my new tank (30*16*16) I plan on having it built in the summer for when i move out for college. you know something to get my mind off things. So i was wondering if that tank was big enough and if they are easy to keep? What do you feed them? I know they are potential coral eaters but i will chance it one coral at a time.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

I've had a cherub for 1.5 years & it's one of my favourite fish. I found them reef safe (dwarf angels are generally a better bet than mid-sized ones). It was in with pulsing xenias & other soft & LPS corals. When I had a digita frag, the cherub also left it alone.

Cherubs are little pigs & will eat most anything. Flakes, frzen brine, mysis, & blood worms. Lots of personality & spunk. It would take on my yellow tang (4x its size).

Highly recommend this spp. But safest bet is to keep it well fed & slowly introduce corals into the tank. I didn't have any problems with mine but there are always ones that don't read the books about how they're reef-safe

Anthony

[Dale D]

I have one in my 130g reef and haven't seen it pick at any corals. Alots of LPS and soft corals in with it. The only thing it ever bothered was my golden angel when I first introduced it to the tank. He now leaves the golden alone. He eats just about every type of food I put in the tank.

[Ryan]

Great guys thanks. Dale thats the kind of tank i want a few LPS but mostly softies. Do you think i could keep a pair. I know they pair like clowns so i was thinking of keeping the pair. Do you think they could safley duke it out in a 20 long

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Ryan,
If you are incredibly lucky & get a male & a female, then 2 cherubs might pair off (although 20g is a bit small for 2 dwarf angels). If you're unlucky & choose 2 males, they will fight like crazy, especially in a small 20g. Mine would take on yellow tangs & maroon clowns 3-4 times bigger than it & not back down. It's generally a peaceful fish but it won't take any attitude from anybody. With 2 males, you would have them fighting for territory & dominance all the time. You should research if there is any sexual dimorphism (physical dif. between the sexes) before you even attempt putting 2 into a 20g. JMO.

Anthony

If you stick with one, you'll really love having this bright, spunky jewel swimming around in your tank.

[Dale D]

One should be OK in a 20G, although most references I have read call for 30G for one. With the possibility of keeping a pair in 30G if you are lucky enough to get a pair. Two males will fight.

To increase the chances of getting a pair you should pick two with as great a difference in size between them as possible and introduce them to the tank at the same time. Sort of like you would with clownfish. Only in this case the larger is usually the male and not the female.

I've also read that in some species of Centropyge angels there may be a slight difference in the appearance of the soft dorsal and soft anal fins between males and females.

The male may have soft dorsal and soft anal fins that are slightly more pointed (less rounded) than the female.

[StirCrazy]

Um, you do realize that the tank he mentions works out to 33 gal not 20.

Steve

[Ryan]

I thought dwarf and pygmy angelfish pair like clowns. All are born female then a male dominated the harem. Once the male dies the lead female takes over. This is how i read it in most of my SW books. I am at school right now otherwise i would list them.