Emperor angelfish
Pomacanthus imperator
Also known as Imperator Angelfish, Imperial Angelfish
SaltwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 73–81°F
- 23–27°C
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Adult size
- 15 in
- 38 cm
- Minimum tank
- 185 gal
- 700 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Own kind
- One male per tank
- Tankmates
- With caution
- Swim level
- Middle
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Difficulty
- Difficult
- Breeding
- Hard
- Rarity
- Common
- Reef safe
- Not reef safe
- Family
- Pomacanthidae
- Origin
- Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea and East Africa to the Hawaiian, Line, and Tuamotu islands, north to southern Japan and south to the Great Barrier Reef
Overview
The emperor angelfish is a large, demanding angel for a very big, mature saltwater tank. It is a difficult fish, for experienced keepers only.
Did you know
A juvenile emperor angelfish wears a blue-and-white bullseye pattern, nothing like the striped adult. Hobbyists sometimes buy the two color phases thinking they are different fish.
Caring for the emperor angelfish
Give an emperor angelfish a very large, mature tank of at least 185 gal (700 L). Arrange abundant live rock into caves and overhangs for grazing and shelter. It is a large, active and deliberate swimmer that needs a spacious tank.
Keep the water at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C) with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. It is sensitive to water quality and prone to feeding and disease problems if rushed. It grazes constantly on sponges, algae and encrusting life, so feed a varied, sponge-rich diet. Captive-bred emperors are now available, and they adapt better than wild-caught fish.
The emperor angelfish is mostly peaceful, but adults become highly territorial, especially toward other angelfish. Keep one per tank unless the system is enormous. It is not reef safe, and breeding it is hard.
Good to know
The emperor angelfish is one of the largest marine angelfish, in the family Pomacanthidae. Juveniles are dark blue with concentric white and electric-blue rings. Adults develop yellow-and-blue horizontal stripes with a dark mask. This dramatic change in color once led early ichthyologists to describe the two forms as separate species. It also goes by imperator angelfish and imperial angelfish.
In the wild
Emperor angelfish live on clear, coral-rich reefs, channels and outer slopes across the Indo-Pacific, from shallow reef flats to about 100 meters. Their range runs from the Red Sea and East Africa to the Hawaiian, Line and Tuamotu islands. Juveniles hide in caves and holes on the reef, while adults roam open reef territory.
Common questions
What size tank does an emperor angelfish need?
An emperor angelfish needs at least 185 gal (700 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does an emperor angelfish need?
An emperor angelfish is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.
What does an emperor angelfish eat?
An emperor angelfish grazes constantly on sponges, algae and encrusting life. In the tank, feed it a varied, sponge-rich diet.
How big does an emperor angelfish get?
An adult emperor angelfish reaches about 15 in (38 cm).
Related species
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