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
PH: 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/critterpages/fish/saltwater_fish/SWF1915.shtml
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=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]

coral beauty

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.

 

[Jimbo7]

Bought one with a Yellow Tang with a buy one get one 1/2 off sale. It is always out and him and the yellow tang are best friends, always swimming together and stuff. I also got lucky where he hasn't bothered any of my soft corals but i will always be watching!

 

[catmel]

I just bought mine about a week and a half ago, he is the most shy little thing. He stays in the upper 'corner' of the pot I have in my QT tank.. I can only hope he gets a bit more adventerous in the main tank.. hes so pretty

 

[Chisel]

Mine was all over the tank from day one. Gets a bit shy for the camera but otherwise is almost never in her cave during the day.

 

[bablu]

There's a video that may be of some use for you on coral fish at SaltwaterHub - Water Tests Introduction and Temperature I've been finding the site useful.

 

[jessicasmarine]

Bought one today best looking fish in my AQ, not near as shy as I thought he'd be

 

[Sqasnatch]

When I got mine he was a major scrapper. Ended out having to take him out and puttin him in a tank with bigger fish that could hold there own

 

[Txcachem]

I love my coral beauty. She is a doll. She and my sailfin tank are best buds. She is a bit shy bit is getting better.

 

[Gregcoyote]

I have had a coral beauty in my 300 gallon reef for over 5 years. He loves to pick on the live rock and has turned a deep blue with vivid orange coloration. He is a bit shy, but sitting several feet away he is comfortable coming out with the other reef fish. He has a 6 year old flame angel and a 2 year old black tail angel as tank mates. Because my reef incorporates a corner, they can keep out of each others sight whenever there is tension. Having a bent tank has had it's advantages as many if these fish are fine living together as long as they can get away from each other. These angels have left my coral alone for the most part, with occasional picking, that as long as aren't damaging the polyps, doesn't do any harm. As a diver I studied these fish on the reef and the coral seem to be pretty use to them if the coral is otherwise healthy. I did have a lemon peel angel that caused coral damage and had to go live elsewhere.

Question, how do Sail Fin Tangs and Yellow Tangs get along? Been a long time since I had a Sail Fin Tang and I want to see if one likes the bit of green bubble algae I have.

 

[Ericwm]

I love my coral beauty as well. One question about their behavior, does anyone else's coral beauty HATE to be cleaned by their cleaner shrimp? Any time my shrimp gets near him he gets a little aggressive and either swims off of shoves the shrimp out of the way. I have seen this happen for a couple weeks now with no harm but it is weird. I thought fish liked to be cleaned.

 

[ddoss]

Mine loves to be cleaned he lines up with the tangs.

 

[Elmo1287]

I've had mine for about 6 months bought for the colors http://youtu.be/GESnxHU1hbk