TankBud

Eibli angelfish

Centropyge eibli

Also known as Red Stripe Angelfish, Blacktail Angelfish, Orangeline Angelfish

SaltwaterFish

Eibli angelfish (Centropyge eibli)
portioid · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
5.9 in
15 cm
Minimum tank
55 gal
210 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Own kind
One male per tank
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Common
Reef safe
Reef safe with caution
Family
Pomacanthidae
Origin
Eastern Indian Ocean to the western Pacific, from Christmas Island and Indonesia across to the Philippines and the Great Barrier Reef

Overview

The Eibli angelfish is a grazing dwarf angel for a stable, established saltwater tank. It needs a keeper with some saltwater experience.

Did you know

The Eibli angelfish's fine, wavy orange stripes over a gray body give it the trade name red stripe angelfish. In the tank, though, the overall look reads more amber and gray than red.

Caring for the Eibli angelfish

Give an Eibli angelfish a stable, established tank of at least 55 gal (210 L). It needs abundant live rock, an established algae film and plenty of hiding spots to settle into. It settles in slowly, so give it time to acclimate.

Keep the water at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. It is an omnivorous grazer that needs steady algae growth in the tank. Add at least two small feedings a day of algae-based and meaty foods.

The Eibli angelfish is mostly peaceful, but it will not tolerate another dwarf angel in the same tank. It is reef safe with caution, since it can nip LPS polyps, soft corals or clam mantles. Many stay out of the coral, but the risk climbs if it is underfed. Breeding it is hard.

Good to know

The Eibli angelfish is a dwarf angel on the larger side for its genus, in the family Pomacanthidae. It is a protogynous hermaphrodite that lives in small harems led by one male. An adult also has an orange eye-ring and a black tail edged in blue. Juveniles start out a lighter greenish-gray with the same black tail before the stripes develop. It also goes by blacktail angelfish and orangeline angelfish.

In the wild

The Eibli angelfish lives on outer reef slopes and drop-offs with strong current and rich coral growth. Its range runs from Christmas Island and Indonesia across to the Philippines and the Great Barrier Reef. It grazes algae off rock and rubble through the day and keeps close to structure it can retreat into.

Common questions

What size tank does an Eibli angelfish need?

An Eibli angelfish needs at least 55 gal (210 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does an Eibli angelfish need?

An Eibli angelfish is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.

What does an Eibli angelfish eat?

An Eibli angelfish is an omnivorous grazer that needs steady algae growth in the tank. Give it at least two small feedings a day of algae-based and meaty foods.

How big does an Eibli angelfish get?

An adult Eibli angelfish reaches about 5.9 in (15 cm).

Related species