TankBud

Vermiculated angelfish

Chaetodontoplus mesoleucus

Also known as Singapore Angelfish, Vermiculated Angel, Mesoleucus Angelfish

SaltwaterFish

Vermiculated angelfish (Chaetodontoplus mesoleucus)
BEDO (Thailand) · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–81°F
24–27°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
7.1 in
18 cm
Minimum tank
66 gal
250 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Own kind
One per tank
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Common
Reef safe
Reef safe with caution
Family
Pomacanthidae
Origin
Indo-West Pacific from the eastern Indian Ocean to the western Pacific, on coastal and lagoon reefs with live rock.

Overview

The vermiculated angelfish is a mid-sized marine angel that suits a fish-only tank with live rock. It needs a little experience.

Did you know

The vermiculated angelfish was first bred and raised in a hatchery in 2025. That makes it one of the most recently captive-bred marine angelfish.

Caring for the vermiculated angelfish

Provide the vermiculated angelfish with a mature tank of at least 66 gal (250 L), with lots of live rock for grazing. It is shy and likes to weave in and out of the rockwork. Some fish settle in quickly, while others stay timid. Introduce it as a juvenile for the best chance of acclimation.

The water should run at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C), with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. It can be a picky eater at first, so offer spirulina, angelfish preparations, mysis and plenty of algae-covered rock.

Keep one vermiculated angelfish per tank, with calm, non-aggressive tank mates. It nips many corals, so add it to a reef only with caution. Breeding it is hard.

Good to know

The vermiculated angelfish, Chaetodontoplus mesoleucus, is a marine angel in the family Pomacanthidae. It shares its genus with the scribbled and greytail angels. It has a white front, a black-barred face and fine, maze-like scribbling on the rear body. That worm-like pattern gives it the vermiculated name.

In the wild

The vermiculated angelfish lives on coastal and lagoon reefs with live rock, from the eastern Indian Ocean to the western Pacific. It grazes the rock for algae, diatoms and small growth.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The vermiculated angelfish is a mostly peaceful, solitary species that keeps to the middle. Keep one per tank of its own kind. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a vermiculated angelfish need?

A vermiculated angelfish needs at least 66 gal (250 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a vermiculated angelfish need?

A vermiculated angelfish is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.

What does a vermiculated angelfish eat?

A vermiculated angelfish eats spirulina, angelfish preparations and mysis, and it grazes algae-covered rock. It can be a picky eater at first.

How big does a vermiculated angelfish get?

An adult vermiculated angelfish reaches about 7.1 in (18 cm).

Related species