Joculator angelfish
Centropyge joculator
Also known as Cocos Pygmy Angelfish, Cocos-Keeling Angelfish, Joculator Angel, Yellowhead Angelfish
SaltwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–81°F
- 24–27°C
- pH
- 8.1–8.4
- Adult size
- 3.5 in
- 9 cm
- Minimum tank
- 70 gal
- 265 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Own kind
- One male per tank
- Tankmates
- With caution
- Swim level
- Middle
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Hard
- Rarity
- Very rare
- Reef safe
- Reef safe with caution
- Family
- Pomacanthidae
- Origin
- Eastern Indian Ocean, endemic to the Cocos-Keeling and Christmas Islands, on outer reef slopes.
Overview
The Joculator angelfish is a dwarf angel that grazes the rock in a mature saltwater tank. Keepers with a little experience do best with it.
Did you know
The Joculator angelfish lives on just two remote island groups. Nearly every one in the hobby traces back to that small patch of ocean.
Caring for the Joculator angelfish
Give the Joculator angelfish a mature tank of at least 70 gal (265 L). Aquascape it with generous live rock and open swimming gaps.
Keep the water at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) and a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. It is a hardy fish once settled. Feed spirulina, mysis and quality angelfish preparations, and let it graze the rock for algae.
The Joculator angelfish is solitary and mostly peaceful. Pick its tank mates with caution, and keep only one dwarf angel per tank. It may nip corals and clam mantles, so treat it as reef safe with caution. Breeding it is hard.
Good to know
Centropyge joculator is a dwarf angel in the family Pomacanthidae, also known as the Cocos pygmy angelfish, Cocos-Keeling angelfish or yellowhead angelfish. It has a yellow-orange face and body split by a blue-black bar. Like other Centropyge, it is a protogynous hermaphrodite. Its limited range and difficult collection keep it among the more expensive dwarf angels.
In the wild
The Joculator angelfish is endemic to the eastern Indian Ocean, where it is found only around the Cocos-Keeling and Christmas Islands. It lives on outer reef slopes. It grazes reef rock and darts among crevices.
Common questions
What size tank does a Joculator angelfish need?
A Joculator angelfish needs at least 70 gal (265 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a Joculator angelfish need?
A Joculator angelfish is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.
What does a Joculator angelfish eat?
A Joculator angelfish eats spirulina, mysis and quality angelfish preparations. It also grazes the rock for algae.
How big does a Joculator angelfish get?
An adult Joculator angelfish reaches about 3.5 in (9 cm).
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