TankBud

Colin's angelfish

Centropyge colini

Also known as Colini Angelfish, Cocos-Keeling Angelfish

SaltwaterFish

Colin's angelfish (Centropyge colini)
Poseidon822 · CC0

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
3.5 in
9 cm
Minimum tank
55 gal
210 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Rare
Reef safe
Reef safe with caution
Family
Pomacanthidae
Origin
Eastern Indian Ocean and western Pacific

Overview

The Colin's angelfish is a retiring cave dweller for a calm, mature saltwater tank. It needs an experienced keeper.

Did you know

Wild-caught Colin's angelfish refused food so often that many keepers swore off the species entirely. Its reputation only began to recover once captive-bred juveniles raised on prepared foods reached the trade.

Caring for the Colin's angelfish

Give a Colin's angelfish a mature tank of at least 55 gal (210 L), with heavy rockwork and shaded retreats. Keep the tank calm, with no bullies.

Hold the water at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C), with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. It grazes constantly, so feed several small meals a day of small pellets, mysis and sponge-based angel foods.

The Colin's angelfish is mostly peaceful, but choose its tank mates with caution. It can pick lightly at fleshy corals, so it is reef safe only with caution. Keep it well fed. Breeding it is hard.

Good to know

The Colin's angelfish is a member of the family Pomacanthidae. It is lemon yellow, with a wash of royal blue along the back and dorsal fin. It was described in 1974 from specimens collected at nearly 70 meters off the Cocos-Keeling Islands. That depth explains how it stayed unknown for so long. It is also sold as the Cocos-Keeling angelfish.

In the wild

The Colin's angelfish is patchily distributed from the Cocos-Keeling Islands and Indonesia east to Palau, the Marshall Islands and Fiji. It lives on steep outer reef slopes from roughly 20 to 70 meters. It shelters in caves and crevices and often hangs upside down beneath ledges.

Common questions

What size tank does a Colin's angelfish need?

A Colin's angelfish needs at least 55 gal (210 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Colin's angelfish need?

A Colin's angelfish is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.

What does a Colin's angelfish eat?

A Colin's angelfish grazes constantly. Feed it several small meals a day of small pellets, mysis and sponge-based angel foods.

How big does a Colin's angelfish get?

An adult Colin's angelfish reaches about 3.5 in (9 cm).

Related species