Zebra Angelfish

Genicanthus caudovittatus

Also known as Red Sea Swallowtail Angelfish, Zebra Swallowtail Angelfish, Eastern Zebra Angelfish

SaltwaterFish

Zebra Angelfish (Genicanthus caudovittatus) — Zsispeo · CC BY-SA 2.0

Care at a glance

Temperature: 75–82°F (24–28°C)
pH: 8.1–8.4
Adult size: 7.9 in (20 cm)
Minimum tank: 90 gal (340 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Common
Reef safe: Reef safe
Origin: Red Sea and the western Indian Ocean south to South Africa, on outer reef slopes.
Family: Pomacanthidae

Overview

Give it at least 340 litres with open water for cruising and some current at 24 to 28 C. It is peaceful and one of the few angels truly safe with corals, so it fits a mixed reef well and can be kept as a male with one or more females. Feed frequent small meals of mysis, enriched brine, and prepared foods to match its planktivorous diet. It picks at sponges and bryozoans but leaves corals and clams alone.

In the wild

The zebra angelfish is a swallowtail angel that hovers in open water above the reef slope picking plankton, unlike the rock-grazing large angels. Males are barred while females are plainer, and the two swim in loose harems. It has long trailing tail lobes that give the swallowtail name. It is calm and coral-safe.

Good to know

Genicanthus caudovittatus reaches about 20 cm and, like all Genicanthus, is a planktivore rather than a sponge or coral feeder. This diet makes the genus the only reliably reef-safe angelfish. Males and females differ in pattern, and females can change into males.