Royal Angelfish (Pygoplites diacanthus)
| Royal Angelfish Pygoplites diacanthus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | Royal Angelfish |
| Name Lat. | Pygoplites diacanthus |
| Family | Angelfishes |
| Family lat. | Pomacanthidae |
| Order | Surgeonfishes |
| Order lat. | Acanthuriformes |
| Origin | Indo-West Pacific |
| Habitat | Lagoons, seaward reefs |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| pH | 8.1-8.4 |
| Hardness | 8-10 °KH |
| Behavior | Semi-aggressive |
| Keeping | Individual, pair |
| Reef Compatible | With caution |
| Care Level | Difficult |
| Life Span | 10-15 years |
| Protection | No |
| Metric Units | |
| Size | 25 cm |
| Temperature | 22-28 °C |
| Salinity | 33-36 ‰ |
| Aquarium | ~ 750 l |
| US Units | |
| Size | 10" |
| Temperature | 72-82 °F |
| Salinity | 1.020-1.025 sg |
| Aquarium | ~ 200 gal |
Distribution and habitat
The distribution area of the swimming Pygoplites diacanthus is the Red Sea and the Indo-Pacific, from East Africa via Indonesia and Australia to Polynesia. There they live in coral-rich lagoons with rich sponge and mussel populations and on outer reefs near caves up to 50 m depth.
Maintenance
They need a well-structured aquarium with a lot of swimming space and a reef structure (shelters, crevices) with living stones that they can graze on (sponges, algae, small crustaceans) and that act like a biological filter, as well as fine-grained sand surfaces. Only substrates rich in lime and free of heavy metals may be used as substrate. Filters, skimmers and heaters are necessary to ensure water quality, as well as pumps to simulate tides, swells and bottom currents. Lighting must match the species-appropriate day-night rhythm of the animals
| Salinity: 33-36 ‰ | pH value: 8.1-8.4 |
| Carbonate hardness: 8-10 °KH | Nitrate content: 2-8 mg/l |
| phosphate content: 0.01-0.1 mg/l | nitrite content: 0.0-0.05 mg/l |
For salinity, an average value should be aimed for, which may only vary slightly by +/- 0.5 ‰. Ammonia and ammonium must not be measurable. Special attention must be paid to constantly good water quality.
Diet
They are permanent eaters, feeding on small crustaceans, algae and sponges. The change of feed does not always succeed without problems. The food supply should consist of a commercially available, vitamin-enriched frozen special food mix for angelfish or a combination of chopped squid, crab and mussel meat with live and frozen food such as mysis, krill and Artemia as well as live bosmids or cyclops, which also serve to keep them busy. They also need plenty of algae or seaweed (e.g. nori, spirulina, kelp). High-quality dry food in flake or granule form is also usually accepted.
It is recommended to feed small portions several times a day (3-5 times). Regular and varied feeding promotes health and increases resistance.
Behaviour and compatibility
It is recommended to keep them in pairs. To avoid ranking fights, two different sized or two juvenile animals should be placed in the aquarium at the same time. The dominant, larger animal always develops into the male. They are territorial and can be aggressive towards other angelfish. Towards other fish they usually behave peacefully.
Sex dimorphism
They are protogynous hermaphrodites, i.e. most males develop from functional females. No external distinguishing characteristics are known.
Reproduction and breeding
There are no known reports of successful breeding in the aquarium.
Important
The juvenile fish have a distinctly different juvenile coloration from the adult for 2-3 years. As coral reef dwellers, they should not be kept in a fish-only aquarium. When kept in pairs and fed frequently as well as variedly, they can be maintained in challenging coral tanks without serious attacks on the corals. In case of boredom due to poorly structured swimming space (few living stones, low reef surface) they often develop stereotypies.
If different species are kept together, care should be taken to ensure that the fish match each other in terms of water quality and temperature requirements and social behavior, and that the setup meets the needs of all species kept together. New fish to be introduced must be acclimated slowly to the water in the aquarium
Further literature can be found in your pet store.
References
Text: Werner Winter; Image: Franz Lowak
Source: KUITER, DEBELIUS (2007): Atlas der Meeresfische: Die Fische an den Küsten der Weltmeere, Kosmos Verlag; ENGELMANN (2005): Zootierhaltung - Tiere in menschlicher Obhut: Fische, Verlag Harri Deutsch
- Gemäß § 21 Abs. 5 Tierschutzgesetz idgF