Swallowtail Angelfish: Fish Species Profile

Origin and Distribution

This angelfish species is found spherical Fiji, Indonesia, and Vanuatu islands inside the Pacific Ocean. This species inhabits cheap to deep waters on steep slopes. A single male is generally seen with plenty of females.

Colors and Markings

The swallowtail angelfish could be known as a blackspot angelfish as a result of black spot located on the male’s breast. The female is yellow dorsally and light-weight blue ventrally. The caudal fin is marine-blue highlighted by a darkish, blue-black edging on the best and bottom. The male is marked with a group of vertical crimson stripes defending the entire pale-colored physique. The tail of the male is forked and is yellow with blue edges.

Swallowtails have small mouths lined with three or 4 rows of small bristle-like tooth, often with concepts which have three elements. Their tooth are shorter than the rest of the members of the Pomacanthidae family, clearly a reflection of their feeding methods of selecting prey out of the water column versus eradicating algae from coral’s encrusting rubble.

Tank gauges

Swallowtails will not assault the overwhelming majority of fish, as they’re fairly peaceful themselves, nevertheless may chase after small peaceful planktivores like Anthias fish.

Be careful to not mix swallowtail angelfish with fish that are outwardly aggressive. They could be dominated by larger aggressors. Such aggressive fish embody triggerfish, big angelfish, and most surgeonfish.

Males will battle with males from their species, completely different Genicanthus genus males, and folks fish which have associated coloration. To avoid points, protect this fish alone, as a mated pair, or as a small group of females with one male in a much bigger aquarium.

Absolute best tankmates embody clownfish, blennies, gobies, chromis, butterflyfish, small lionfish, and eels.

Swallowtail Angelfish Habitat and Care

Throughout the aquarium commerce, the swallowtail angelfish is taken under consideration fragile and as a consequence of this truth troublesome to ship. Nonetheless, if you’ll uncover a healthful specimen, it is going to settle into aquarium life fairly shortly.

As a consequence of its measurement and stuck roaming nature, the minimal aquarium measurement suggested for this fish is a minimal of 125 gallons. It is best to produce quite a few hiding places. Any such angelfish makes a superb reef dweller that will not nip at stony and easy corals (sessile invertebrates).

Current areas of sturdy water movement inside the aquarium in the middle of the day. Use pumps on timers which may be turned off after 8 to 10 hours. Correctly-oxygenated water is ideal. Lids are important as this fish may attempt to leap out of open aquariums.

Swallowtail Angelfish Weight-reduction plan and Feeding

Naturally a planktivore, that’s an angelfish that often dines on diatom and filamentous algae in aquariums. It must be fed a special weight reduction program of meaty fares, similar to finely chopped up to date shrimp and frozen silversides, frozen brine and mysis shrimp, and marine algae-based meals similar to dried seaweed (nori), enriched flake meals, or pellets containing spirulina that are suitably sized for angelfish.

This fish will gulp meals from the water’s ground and can swallow air on the same time. It is not unusual for the fish to show into bloated, resulting in it displaying to be struggling whereas swimming head down. Nonetheless do not fret, it removes this trapped air by expelling bubbles from its mouth and anus. In numerous phrases, it burps and farts. Feeding sinking meals will help forestall it from ingesting air on the ground.

Gender Variations

That’s considered one of some angelfishes that will merely be acknowledged as male or female, as a consequence of their distinct variations in look (known as sexual dimorphism).

The male is marked with skinny, darkish vertical bands that cowl the physique from the head to the place the dorsal and anal fins end. It has a yellow band on the bottom of the tail.

The female is blue, fading from darker on the top to lighter near the tail. The dorsal fin is often yellow, fading into the midsection of the physique. The white tail is printed in black.

This species of fish is known as a protogynous hermaphrodite, which suggests it is a female when it hatches. Then, if there is no dominant male presence inside the on the spot setting, the dominant female of the native group will spontaneously flip right into a male. Swallowtail angelfish reportedly take as a lot as 30 days to complete this intercourse change.

Breeding the Swallowtail Angelfish

Males entice females to mate with plenty of completely completely different actions or fin gestures. Swallowtail angelfish males roll onto their sides or backs in entrance of females, or place themselves instantly in entrance of the female and tremble or quiver their caudal fin. If the male is worthwhile in his preliminary makes an try to lure a female, he continues the mating ritual.

Whereas positioned alongside the female, the male’s full physique will vibrate or quiver excitedly. The female will then extend all of her fins as a sign of encouragement. After a few seconds of the male nuzzling his head near the rear of the female, the pair will roll onto their sides and launch their eggs and sperm.

Additional Pet Fish Species and Extra Evaluation

If swallowtail angelfish attraction to you, and you are interested in some appropriate fish in your aquarium, study up on:

Attempt additional fish breed profiles for additional data on completely different saltwater fish.