Golden Angelfish

Centropyge aurantia - The Golden Angelfish is a dwarf angelfish species with a tiger stripe pattern on a bright golden orange body and a blue eye-ring. This species is not commonly seen in captivity, and wild caught specimens are delicate. Captive bred Golden Angelfish are rare and highly sought after because they are hardier and better adapted to life in captivity. 

Their ideal diet should include high quality pellets like Easy Reefs DKI pellets and Masstick, Tdo pellets, frozen mysis, frozen Spirulina brine shrimp, and frozen angelfish diets containing sponge. 

Captive bred Golden Angelfish when young may be kept and grown in smaller aquariums, and adult Golden Angelfish ideally should be housed in an aquarium of 55 gallons or more. This species is territorial with its own kind and other dwarf angelfish. They are reef safe with caution, as they may pick at and irritate fleshy LPS and soft corals like Xenia. Keeping them well fed decreases the risk of their picking on ornamental invertebrates. 

Care

Though the captive bred individuals are easier to keep, this species is still sensitive to changing/swinging water parameters, immature aquariums, poor water conditions, and bullying. This species does best when kept in a very mature, stable aquarium with lots of rock work for hiding and grazing. If you plan to quarantine your new angelfish, take a look at our article about how to keep the parameters stable and the tank free of detritus and organic matter at all times in a quarantine tank. Use an acrylic acclimation box to introduce these small fish to your display aquarium. Please also be sure to follow our important acclimation procedure.