Half-Black Angelfish
Centropyge vroliki
Also known as Pearlscale Angelfish, Half-Black Pygmy Angelfish, Vrolik's Angelfish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 72–79°F (22–26°C)
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Adult size
- 3.9 in (10 cm)
- Minimum tank
- 55 gal (210 L)
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Hard
- Rarity
- Common
- Reef safe
- Reef safe with caution
- Origin
- Indo-West Pacific, from Christmas Island and Indonesia through the Philippines and Micronesia to the Marshall Islands, north to Japan and south to the Great Barrier Reef
- Family
- Pomacanthidae
Overview
A steady grazer that does best with an established tank offering constant algae growth plus small feedings of algae-based and meaty foods several times a day. It is generally one of the calmer readily available dwarf angels toward non-angelfish tankmates but will still fight other Centropyge, so keep only one per tank. Reef keepers rate it caution: most stay out of trouble, but some nip soft coral polyps, zoanthids, or clam mantles.
In the wild
Lives on reef flats, lagoons, and outer reef slopes across a wide swath of the Indo-West Pacific, sheltering in rubble and coral debris and grazing algae off any exposed hard surface. It is one of the more adaptable dwarf angels in terms of habitat, turning up from shallow flats down onto deeper slopes. A tank needs mature live rock with plenty of nooks and a healthy algae film for it to work over.
Good to know
Centropyge vroliki reaches about 10 cm and, like other Centropyge, is a protogynous hermaphrodite living in loose harems where the largest female becomes male if needed. Its front half is pale and finely speckled while the rear half is solid dark grey to black, a two-tone split that gives rise to both the half-black and pearlscale common names.
Did you know
The finely reticulated, pearl-like pattern on its dark rear half, visible up close, is what earns it the alternate name pearlscale angelfish and helps separate it from a few very similar half-black-patterned Centropyge.
Where to buy
Some links may not be the exact species or variety.
- LiveAquaria Freshwater and saltwater fish, inverts and corals
- Saltwaterfish.com Marine fish, corals and inverts shipped overnight
- Biota Captive-bred marine fish, corals and clams shipped direct
…or ask your local fish store.
Appears in
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Related species
Coral Beauty Angelfish
Centropyge bispinosa3.9 in (10 cm)50 gal (190 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Flame Angelfish
Centropyge loriculus3.9 in (10 cm)50 gal (190 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Herald's Angelfish
Centropyge heraldi3.9 in (10 cm)55 gal (210 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Rusty Angelfish
Centropyge ferrugata3.9 in (10 cm)30 gal (115 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Joculator Angelfish
Centropyge joculator3.5 in (9 cm)70 gal (265 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Multicolor Angelfish
Centropyge multicolor3.5 in (9 cm)70 gal (265 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)