Description

The Flagfin Angelfish, also referred to as the Threespot Angelfish, is a brilliant yellow with blue lips, a dark blue-black dorsal spot where the head joins the body, and a light tan spot behind the eye. This beautiful fish usually fares poorly in the home aquarium. Chances of keeping it successfully are increased in a reef-type system with plenty of invertebrate-encrusted live rock. Younger specimens tend to acclimate better.

Provide plenty of other hiding places in a 125 gallon tank or larger as the Flagfin Angelfish is quite shy early on and should be the only angel in the tank. Not a good reef dweller, the Flagfin Angelfish is prone to nip at sessile invertebrates (soft and stony corals) and clam mantles.

This is a difficult angelfish to keep due to its dietary requirement of sponges and its poor ability to adapt to other foods. Expert aquarists may have success by providing a mixed fare of sponge-containing frozen angelfish rations, vitamin-enriched brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, a plethora of plant material, and live rock for grazing and hiding.