The Flame Angelfish or Centropyge Loriculus in scientific terms is one of the most striking species of angel fish. So, don’t miss this opportunity to know everything about them.
Table Of Content
Taxonomy
Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii ( Bony fish) Order: Perciformes Family: Pomacanthidae Genre: Centropyge Species: C. loricula
Flame Angelfish Main Characteristics
Their body is flattened and laterally compressed with rounded fins. The color of the head, body and fins ranges from orange red to bright red. In some occasions, the body’s central area is more orange than the distal parts.
Flame angelfish have a black spot from the beginning of the dorsal fin to the base of the pectoral fins, and a variable number, (between 0 and 7), of vertical black bands on the sides of the body.
Some specimens of these striking fish have black spots on the dorsal and anal fins. The anal fin and the last half of the dorsal fin are black, with blue margins. The caudal fin and the pectorals are orange translucent. We invite you to read our article the anatomy of fish to learn more about such a topic
Size
Flame angel fish are small fish which in very few occasions reach more than 10 cm in length.
Feeding Flame Angel Fish
Flame angel fish are omnivorous fish although dry food combined with spirulina, seaweed and artemia would be an ideal diet for them.There are also some specific preparations for angel fish like cichlid flakes or pellets as well as some liquid supplements that could also be added to the common foods.
During their first days in the aquarium you must feed them on live foods or, at most, with frozen food. Young specimens adapt easily to the frozen food, accepting in short time dry food.
Reproducing Flame Angel Fish
Reproducing Flame Angel Fish in captivity has been successful on rare occasions, in which perseverance and economic support have been fundamental. In nature, reproduction occurs after sunset.
The females usually wait for the male’s arrival, which will choose his preferred partner. The fertilized eggs ascend to the surface of the Ocean, mixing with the plankton. There is no exact way to be able to make a couple. The only known experience is to mix two specimens with big difference in size and expect them to get along.
Let’s take a break to see them again.
Reproducing them in an aquarium requires a very pure water (0 ppm of any nitrogenous compound) and a fish tank of about 500 liters. They’re hermaphrodite animals. Couples are formed by joining two different size specimens introduced at the same time in the same aquarium.
The male usually looks for the female in her territory and, after a characteristic dance she scatters the eggs in the water column so that the male fertilize them later. The eggs rise to the surface of the water immediately, being highly recommended to protect them well to prevent adults from devouring them.
Hatching occurs after four days, and fingerlings should be fed Rotifers until they are adequately sized to devour newly hatched Artemias. Any abrupt variation of the water conditions, as well as the slightest contamination by nitrogen, could eliminate all the fry in a short time, so you have to keep the water always very pure and with very stable parameters
Difficulty Degree:
Experienced Breeders.
Flame Angel Fish in Aquariums
The main problem of flame angel fish’s adaptation to captivity is the stress that will derive for the appearance of parasites. To reduce this problem the aquarium must be equipped with enough live rock to provide safety and plenty of land to hide and peck at.
Although flame angel fish adapt quickly to frozen food, the constant pecking of small algae and invertebrates is essential for their development. Their tolerance for sessile invertebrates will depend in part on the specimen’s own character.
There will be specimens fully compatible with the facilities called reef populated with coral and others will be totally intransigent and will predate on certain colonies of polyps.
Flame Angel Fish And Other Fish Species
The Centropyge Loriculus are a territorial species that can become very aggressive with other angel fish or other animals of similar coloration. Not having similar species and provide the aquarium with sufficient decoration will mitigate the angel fish aggressive behavior.
The choice of the animal also plays an important role. Young Animals not more than 6 cm in size will be better adapted to the community life of the aquarium.
Temperature
Between 24 and 28 ºC.
Here they are