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Basics

Scientific Name: Pomacanthus imperator

Family: Pomacanthidae

Origin: Indo-Pacific, Africa, Red Sea, New Caledonia, Maldives, Hawaii, Sri Lanka, Fiji

Quick Facts

• Care Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Semi-aggressive
• Lifespan: 10-15 years or longer
• Reef Compatible: With Caution
• Water Conditions: Pomacanthus imperator
• Maximum Size: 1'3" (16")
• Diet: Omnivore
• Minimum Tank Size: 125 gallons

Overview

The Emperor Angelfish is a popular, interesting aquarium fish prized for it's bright colors, active personality and it's drastic color change from juvenile to adulthood. As a juvenile, it's body is electric blue with circular white stripes all along it's body. The tail and dorsal fin are also white. When it begins to change to it's adult coloration, the process can take many months or up to a year depending on the individual specimen, as well as it's diet and stress levels. As an adult, it is an equally beautiful fish, possessing a blue body with thin, bright yellow horizontal stripes and a yellow tail fin. The underside and half of the face will be a striking jet black, and a black mask will cover it's eyes, outlined in vibrant blue. 

It requires a large tank with plenty of swimming space--the larger than the minimum recommended size the better--with plenty of live rock to graze on and to hide in. It will nip at soft corals and clam mantles but can sometimes be kept with some small-polyped stony corals or more noxious soft corals successfully. It should be fed spirulina, marine algae, frozen and other meaty preparations. Food full of vitamins specifically for enhancing color is also recommended to keep it vibrant as it transitions from juvenile to adult.