Coral Beauty - Centropyge bispinosus

[fishfreek]

[center:ed4e57f7d8]Coral Beauty
Centropyge bispinosus[/center:ed4e57f7d8]

Origin: IndoPacific
Size: 3-4” adult size
Min Tank Size: 30 Gal
Temp: 76-80F
Specific Gravity: 1.020-1.025
[acronym:ed4e57f7d8="Powerhead"]PH[/acronym:ed4e57f7d8]: 8.1-8.4

The coral beauty is a very colorful dwarf angel. This species can be identified by its orange color over the base of its body, dark blue/purple fins, and dark vertical stripes over the body. These stripes can be thin and broken. This fish can be a fragile shipper so it is important to quarantine this fish prior to introducing it into a display aquarium. Once the coral beauty has been acclimated to your aquarium environment it can be a very hearty species. Coral beauty’s can also develop aggression toward other dwarf angels so they should be kept in an aquarium where they are the only dwarf angel species.

The coral beauty can be a rather shy fish so providing plenty of hiding crevices in and around the live rock is best. Often times, the coral beauty is the last fish that visitors looking at my tank will see because this fish will hide behind the live rock, only to peek out from the rocks for brief periods.

The coral beauty should be watched carefully if kept in an aquarium with soft tissue invertebrates as they can develop a taste for these soft polyp corals. If found nipping at corals the only thing that can be done is to either remove the coral or the coral beauty. The coral beauty diet should consists of algae supplemented with meaty prepaired foods. This dwarf angel, like many other small angels have a rather small mouth so its important to make sure that the meaty bits are ground up small enough that the fish can eat it comfortably. My coral beauty eats dried nori as a staple. The coral beauty can be observed picking at live rock as well as picking at the glass and submerged equipment. This picking is often its search for algae that it can eat.




Sources:
Personal Experence
The Conscientious Marine Aqurists by Robert Fenner
http://www.centralpets.com/pages/cri.../SWF1915.shtml
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...=21&pCatId=438

[fishfreek]

Another photo showing its full coloration.

[flanque]

I have one of these and find them to be one of the most beautiful and most enjoyable fish to have or watch. Mine definately has shy times, but can be very much a poser when it wants to be.

I was concerned at the start that being a member of the angel family it would be a little agressive towards some of my more timid fish, and for a while they were somewhat aprehensive, but now will actively dart at the food as equally aggressively as the angel.

I am extremely happy with my coral beauty, and wouldn't trade him for any other fish. At $40AU it's also very affordable.

[Coolfish05]

I used to have one of those. They are cool fish. Good Advice

[AndyH5512]

I recently acquired a coral beauty. What a great addition it is. It picks at algae and is quite stunning to look at. And mine is not shy. It hams it up anytime someone looks at the aquarium. I guess I got lucky with this one!

[aamick1971]

i agree mine hams it up also between her and my yellow tang they are great show offs

[Ziggy953]

I have had mine for over a year now and I agree he is a great fish to watch! I've been very lucky so far and he doesn't mess with any of my corals.

[vietcu]

Mine died a little more than a week after I got one . But it was great looking while I had it.

[cmor1701d]

Sorry to hear about your loss. Was it in QT when it died?
I have had mine for over 5 years now. It was the 3rd fish added to my tank.