Bicolor Angelfish ( Centropyge bicolor )

Scientific Name : Centropyge bicolor

Reef Compatible : With Caution

Care Level : Intermediate

Disposition : Semi-aggressive

Min. Tank Size : 30 gallons

Mature Size : 6 inches

Diet : Omnivore

Range : Coral Sea, New Caledonia, Fiji

Other Common Names

Two Colored Angelfish, Oriole Angelfish, Blue-and Gold Angelfish, Pacific Rock Beauty Angelfish

Species Description

The Bicolor Angelfish is one of the easiest recognized of the Centropyge and was once thought to be the most difficult to keep alive. Because of the advancement of the marine aquarium hobby, the Bicolor Angelfish does better due to the quality of live rock contained in most aquariums which enables it to freely graze until it learns to accept frozen foods. The specimens collected in places like Fiji and The Coral Sea have proven to be of better quality than those being collected in the Indo-Pacific region. The Bicolor Angelfish is one of the least aggressive of the genus but more than one should still be added at the same time to avoid excess aggression. It is not the best suited dwarf Angelfish for a reef environment since it is well documented that this species likes to pick at clam mantles as well as many different stony or soft corals. It is possible to keep it in a reef tank dominated by mushroom coral and polyps however. They will stay away from other invertebrates such as shrimp, snails and crabs.

Diet

In the wild the Bicolor Angelfish has a varied diet consisting of algae and crustaceans. Be sure to add this specimen to a well established tank and feed frozen mysis shrimp, meaty crustaceans such as shrimp and clams. Be sure to include algae such as spirulina.