Centropyge fisheri – Orange Angelfish
Centropyge fisheri was first described by John Otterbein Snyder in 1904. This species belongs to the family Pomacanthidae, known as the Angelfish. The genus name Centropyge can be broken into two parts. “Kentron” means thorn or spine. “Pyge” means trunk or back. A reference to the four anal fin rays of Centropyge tibicen. The species name fisheri is in honor of zoologist Walter K. Fisher (1878-1953), Stanford University (California, USA). He was part of the cruise of the U.S. Fish Commission research boat Albatross in 1902 that captured the type specimen.
Centropyge fisheri has several common names including Orange Angelfish, Fisher’s Dwarf Angelfish and Hawaii Dwarf Angelfish.
Synonyms for this species are Holacanthus fisheri, Centropyge flavicauda, and Centropyge caudoxanthorus.
Description
Appearance:
Centropyge fisheri has a deep blue to orange-brown coloration with an almost transparent whitish to pale yellow caudal fin. The dorsal, anal and ventral fins have bright blue edges. The maximum overall length is about 8.4 centimeters. The older the fish gets, the more orange-brown the color becomes.
They are sometimes confused with Centropyge bispinosa.
Differences between males and females:
There are no significant physical differences between males and females. They are protogenic hermaphrodites, which means that they begin life as females and can change to males when the social structure requires it. This process is socially controlled; the largest and most dominant fish in a group usually becomes the male. Although males can revert to females, this is a much longer process. During this change, not only the sex organs change, but also secondary sexual characteristics, such as the behavior of the fish
Behavior and temperament:
These fish are somewhat peaceful and can live well with other species, although they can be territorial, especially in smaller aquariums. They often live in small harems with one male and several females and are not particularly shy.
Life expectancy:
No specific information on life expectancy in the wild or in aquaria is known.
Biotope
Centropyge fisheri is found in the Indo-Pacific region, including the coral-rich bottoms of channels, reef slopes and debris-rich areas. They live primarily among coral reefs and share habitat with Juffers and smaller wrasse. The bottom often consists of coral debris and coralline algae.
Diet
In the wild:
They feed mainly on algae, worms and small crustaceans.
In the aquarium:
The diet should consist of spirulina, marine algae, high-quality imperial fish preparations with sponge material, enriched brine shrimp, mysis and other meaty items. It is important to feed them well to prevent them from nibbling on corals.
Reefsafe:
They are reefsafe with caution, as underfed specimens tend to nibble on coral polyps.
The Aquarium
Aquarium Size:
A minimum of about 120 liters is recommended for a single specimen. For a small harem, a larger aquarium is required to minimize territorial behavior.
Fixture:
The aquarium should contain plenty of live rock to provide hiding places. Sand or fine gravel is suitable as substrate.
Water conditions:
The ideal water conditions are a temperature of 20-26°C, a specific salinity of 1.020-1.026, and a pH of 8.1-8.4
Compatibility:
They live well with other peaceful fish such as damselfish and smaller wrasse.
Breeding in the aquarium
No specific information about the breeding of Centropyge fisheri is known.
Particularities
Centropyge fisheri is a protogenous hermaphrodite, which means that they start out as females and can change into males if the social structure requires it. This makes them unique within the family Pomacanthidae.
Conclusion
Centropyge fisheri is a beautiful and relatively small emperor fish suitable for both large and smaller aquariums. They are somewhat peaceful and can live well with other fish, provided they have sufficient space and hiding places. It is important to feed them well to prevent them from nibbling on corals. This species is suitable for aquarists with some experience because of their specific dietary- and environmental needs.
Video
Author
John de Lange
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