All fish / Pomacanthidae

Pearlscale Angelfish

Centropyge vrolikii

Also known as pearl-scaled angelfish, half black angelfish, vroliks angelfish, pearlscale pygmy angelfish, centropyge vroliki, grey pygmy angelfish, ナメラヤッコ, 福氏刺尻鱼, 黑尾仙

A dwarf angelfish whose pale grey front fades into a dark rear half, with an orange-edged eye and gill spine and a fine orange margin on the tail. It is hardy for a dwarf angel and adds activity to a rocky reef tank.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

10 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

Keep singly, or as one mated pair in a large tank

Diet

Omnivore: algae and spirulina-based foods, mysis, brine shrimp, chopped seafood and quality marine pellets

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Pacific and eastern Indian Ocean: Indonesia, Philippines, Japan to Australia, Melanesia and Micronesia

Breeding

A protogynous hermaphrodite that spawns in pairs at dusk, releasing floating eggs. It has rarely been reared in captivity because the tiny larvae need very small live food.

Good to know

It may nip clams, large-polyp stony corals and soft coral, so it is not fully reef safe. It hybridises with the lemonpeel angelfish (C. flavissima) and does not tolerate other dwarf angels in small tanks.