King angelfish

Care at a glance

Overview

Give a king angel at least 570 litres with rock caves and open swimming space at 22 to 27 C and pH 8.1 to 8.4. It is a hardy eater that takes spirulina, marine algae, mysis and angelfish preparations, but it is aggressive, so keep one per tank and choose robust tankmates. It will nip stony and soft corals and clam mantles, making it reef safe only with caution. Add it as one of the last fish so it cannot claim the whole tank.

In the wild

The king angelfish is a bold eastern Pacific angel with a blue-grey body, orange tail and a single white bar. It patrols rocky reefs and cleans parasites off other fish when young. Adults are dominant and territorial. It comes from cooler, productive waters than most tropical angels.

Good to know

Holacanthus passer grows to about 35 cm and ranges along the eastern Pacific coast. Juveniles act as cleaner fish, picking parasites from larger species. It tolerates slightly cooler water than most reef angels.

Common questions

Related species

• 

  African angelfish

  Holacanthus africanus

  17.7 in (45 cm) · 251 gal (950 L)

  17.7 in (45 cm)251 gal (950 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)

• 

  Blue angelfish

  Holacanthus bermudensis

  17.7 in (45 cm) · 251 gal (950 L)

  17.7 in (45 cm)251 gal (950 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)

• 

  Queen angelfish

  Holacanthus ciliaris

  17.7 in (45 cm) · 251 gal (950 L)

  17.7 in (45 cm)251 gal (950 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Rock beauty angelfish

  Holacanthus tricolor

  13.8 in (35 cm) · 90 gal (340 L)

  13.8 in (35 cm)90 gal (340 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)

• 

  Personifer angelfish

  Chaetodontoplus personifer

  13.8 in (35 cm) · 180 gal (680 L)

  13.8 in (35 cm)180 gal (680 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Blueface angelfish

  Pomacanthus xanthometopon

  15 in (38 cm) · 219 gal (830 L)

  15 in (38 cm)219 gal (830 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)