Yellowtail Angelfish (Apolemichthys xanthurus)
| Yellowtail Angelfish Apolemichthys xanthurus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | Yellowtail Angelfish |
| Name Lat. | Apolemichthys xanthurus |
| Family | Angelfishes |
| Family lat. | Pomacanthidae |
| Order | Surgeonfishes |
| Order lat. | Acanthuriformes |
| Origin | Western Indian Ocean |
| Habitat | Coral reefs |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| pH | 8.1-8.4 |
| Hardness | 8-10 °KH |
| Behavior | Semi-aggressive |
| Keeping | Individual, pair |
| Reef Compatible | With caution |
| Care Level | Experts only |
| Life Span | 6-10 years |
| Protection | No |
| Metric Units | |
| Size | 15 cm |
| Temperature | 22-28 °C |
| Salinity | 33-36 ‰ |
| Aquarium | ~ 500 l |
| US Units | |
| Size | 6" |
| Temperature | 72-82 °F |
| Salinity | 1.020-1.025 sg |
| Aquarium | ~ 130 gal |
Distribution and habitat
The distribution area of the swimming Apolemichthys xanthurus is the western Indian Ocean, from Mauritius to the east coast of India and Sri Lanka. There they live on coral-rich reefs up to 20 m depth.
Maintenance
They need a well-structured aquarium with plenty of swimming space and a reef structure (hiding and covering possibilities) with living stones that act like a biological filter and whose growth (sponges, algae, small crustaceans) they can graze on. Only lime-rich, heavy metal-free sands, gravels, stones or sea sand of various grain sizes 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 correspond to 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
In nature they feed mainly on sponges, crustaceans and algae. The food change does not always succeed without problems. The food supply should consist of a combination of live and frozen food, such as mysis, artemia, krill and bosmids as well as algae (e.g. nori, spirulina, kelp), supplemented with over-broiled organic lettuce or spinach, or a standard, vitamin-enriched frozen special food mix for angelfish. High-quality dry food in flake or granule form is also usually accepted after a period of acclimation. 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, meaning that most males develop from functional females and are referred to as "secondary males". External sexual characteristics are not known.
Reproduction and breeding
There are no known reports of successful breeding in the aquarium.
Important
The juvenile fish have 2-3 years a clearly from the adult coloration deviating youth dress. If kept in pairs and fed frequently as well as variedly, they can be maintained even in demanding coral tanks without serious attacks on the corals. In case of boredom due to poorly structured swimming space (few living stones and corals, 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; PATZNER & MOOSLEITNER (1999): Meerwasser Atlas Bd. 6, Mergus Verlag; ENGELMANN (2005): Zootierhaltung - Tiere in menschlicher Obhut: Fische, Verlag Harri Deutsch
- Gemäß § 21 Abs. 5 Tierschutzgesetz idgF