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
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Common
Reef safe: Reef safe with caution
Origin: Hawaiian Islands and the central Pacific, on rubble slopes and reef flats.
Family: Pomacanthidae

Overview

This is a good first dwarf angel for a mature 200 litre or larger tank with live rock for grazing at 24 to 27 C. It is hardy and takes spirulina, mysis and frozen preparations readily while nibbling algae. Keep just one dwarf angel per tank, since they squabble with their own kind. It is among the more reef-tolerant pygmy angels but may still nip corals and clams, so watch it in a reef.

In the wild

Fisher's angelfish is a small, mild dwarf angel in soft orange-brown with a dusky eye spot. It stays low over rubble and reef flats, grazing algae and picking at rockwork. It is one of the more peaceful and forgiving pygmy angels. Its small size suits smaller reef tanks.

Good to know

Centropyge fisheri is one of the smallest dwarf angels at around 7 cm. It has been bred in captivity by specialist breeders working with pelagic larvae. The species is common and inexpensive in Hawaiian collections.