TankBud

Fisher's angelfish

Centropyge fisheri

Also known as Fisher's Pygmy Angelfish, Fisher's Angel, Fisher's Dwarf Angelfish

SaltwaterFish

Fisher's angelfish (Centropyge fisheri)
Rickard Zerpe · CC BY 2.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–81°F
24–27°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
2.8 in
7 cm
Minimum tank
53 gal
200 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Own kind
One male per tank
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Common
Reef safe
Reef safe with caution
Family
Pomacanthidae
Origin
Hawaiian Islands and the central Pacific, on rubble slopes and reef flats.

Overview

The Fisher's angelfish is a small, mild dwarf angel whose size suits smaller reef tanks. It is a good first dwarf angel.

Did you know

The Fisher's angelfish is one of the few marine angelfish that hobby-scale breeders have raised from egg to adult.

Caring for the Fisher's angelfish

Give a Fisher's angelfish a mature tank of at least 53 gal (200 L), with live rock to graze. Keep the water at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4.

It is hardy and readily takes spirulina, mysis and frozen preparations. It also nibbles algae off the rock.

The Fisher's angelfish is one of the more peaceful and forgiving pygmy angels, and it is safe with community fish. Keep just one dwarf angel per tank, though, since they squabble with their own kind. It is among the more reef-tolerant pygmy angels, but it may still nip corals and clams, so watch it in a reef.

Breeding it is hard. Specialist breeders have bred it in captivity, working with its pelagic larvae.

Good to know

The Fisher's angelfish is one of the smallest dwarf angels, in soft orange-brown with a dusky eye spot. It belongs to the family Pomacanthidae. The species is common and inexpensive in Hawaiian collections. It is also sold as Fisher's pygmy angelfish.

In the wild

Fisher's angelfish live around the Hawaiian Islands and the central Pacific, on rubble slopes and reef flats. They graze algae and pick at the rockwork.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Fisher's angelfish is a mostly peaceful, solitary species that keeps to the middle. Keep only one male per tank. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a Fisher's angelfish need?

A Fisher's angelfish needs at least 53 gal (200 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

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

A Fisher's angelfish is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.

What does a Fisher's angelfish eat?

A Fisher's angelfish readily takes spirulina, mysis and frozen preparations. It also nibbles algae off the rock.

How big does a Fisher's angelfish get?

An adult Fisher's angelfish reaches about 2.8 in (7 cm).

How does a Fisher's angelfish breed?

A Fisher's angelfish is hard to breed. Specialist breeders have managed it in captivity by working with its pelagic larvae.

Related species