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Flagfin Angelfish

Apolemichthys trimaculatus

Also known as Threespot Angelfish, Three-spot Angelfish

SaltwaterFish
Flagfin Angelfish (Apolemichthys trimaculatus)
Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–81°F (23–27°C)
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
10.2 in (26 cm)
Minimum tank
100 gal (380 L)
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Common
Reef safe
Reef safe with caution
Origin
Indo-Pacific, from East Africa to Samoa, north to southern Japan and south to Australia
Family
Pomacanthidae

Overview

Flagfin angelfish are mostly peaceful once settled in, though shy and slow to come out at first, and they do not tolerate other angelfish. Feed a sponge-based angelfish preparation along with spirulina and marine algae several times a day; this species leans on sponge in its natural diet more than most, and it is not a fish for a young, understocked tank. Reef keepers should treat it with caution, not confidence: a hungry flagfin will pick at soft and stony corals and clam mantles, so it does best in a fish-only or FOWLR setup.

In the wild

Flagfin angelfish live on Indo-Pacific lagoon and seaward reefs from East Africa to Samoa, usually near coral growth from about 3 to 60 meters. Juveniles are secretive and stay below 25 meters, while adults form small, loose groups at moderate depth. A tank needs to be well established with a strong algae film and good water movement, since this species arrives shy and needs a head start of food already growing on the rock.

Good to know

Apolemichthys trimaculatus reaches about 26 cm. It has a bright yellow body with blue-edged scales, blue lips, and the dark spots near the eyes and forehead that give the species its threespot and flagfin names, though how many spots show up varies between individual fish and populations. It is shy when first introduced and grows bolder, occasionally sparring with similarly shaped fish, only once it has settled into a tank.

Did you know

A Bali-based angelfish hatchery achieved the first captive-bred flagfin angelfish, notable because wild adults are among the pickiest eaters in the family and can waste away in a new tank if they never learn to accept prepared food.

Where to buy

Some links may not be the exact species or variety.

…or ask your local fish store.

Appears in

Saltwater fish · Saltwater angelfish · Advanced fish

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