The Coral Beauty : Care and Requirements of the popular Centropyge Bispinosus

Commonly available, the Coral Beauty Angel is a much cheaper dwarf angel than much of its cousins. They can be had for as little as $15 on the market. It is very popular angel (not as popular as the Flame Angel though), the combination of flame like coloration on a deep blue body plus the price is bound to make this angel a popular fish among hobbyists.

Two spined angelfish and Dusky angelfish are two names the coral beauty also goes by. These dwarf angelfish are collected heavily for the trade as they are common throughout the Indo-Pacific.

Cyanide has been known to be used when collecting specimens from the Philippines. Specimens collected from the Philippines tend to poorly in captivity, no surprises there. Fish caught with cyanide tend to have “goosed” coloration, meaning brighter than usual colors. They’ve been known to die suddenly after doing alright for a few weeks.

The coral beauty angel can reach up to 4 inches in the wild so in the interest of allowing it room to breathe i’d suggest at least a 50 gallon. The recommended size for them is 75 gallons or larger.

They are not as aggressive as its other cousins and generally ignores species from outside its genus. But it is aggressive towards other dwarf angels and the same species so avoid putting two coral beauty angelfish in the a small tank. If you insist on having two coral beauty angelfish then you can either ensure the aquarium is large enough or you could buy a mated pair if you’re lucky. Not likely though. Torn fins are a common occurrence between two fighting dwarf angelfish.

Angelfish from the genus centropyge are all grazers in the wild. Like surgeonfish, they scan the rock throughout the day for food. They feed on detritus, tiny crustaceans and a wide variety of algae.

A well balanced diet should be given in a saltwater aquarium. A wide range of foods should be given, variety is important. Feeding them a specific food for too long can be detrimental to their health. Although there are some hobbyists that feed them new life spectrum pellets for prolonged periods of time with no ill effects. They all looked very healthy in fact.

They should be offered a good pellet brand like New Life Spectrum, a balanced frozen food with both meat and algae (Formula two, Mysis Shrimp, Krill) and algae/nori sheets if possible.

Ocean Nutrition produces the perfect food for dwarf angels, Pygmy Angel Formula. It closely resembles their natural diet in the wild with a whole slew of ingredients that include krill, algae, kelp, shrimp, squid, vitamins and trace minerals plus many others. Prior to freezing, the cubes are mixed with these ingredients. Pygmy Angel Formula is only available in frozen form i believe.

Gabriela Desouyez has been in the ornamental fish trade for over 20 years, giving her hands on experience with a wide range of marine fishes. Do visit her hubpage for a video and picture guide on the Coral Beauty Angel and another popular angelfish, the stunning Flame Angel Facts.