All fish / Pomacanthidae

Scribbled Angelfish

Chaetodontoplus duboulayi

Also known as scribbled angel, duboulayi angelfish, duboulay's angelfish, du boulay's angelfish, scribble angelfish, スクリブルドエンゼル, 杜氏刺蝶鱼, 澳洲神仙

A large angelfish with a dark blue body covered in fine bright blue scribbles, a yellow tail and a yellow band behind the head. Males show the bolder pattern, and it is prized as one of the most striking angels from Australian waters.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

22 cm

Temperature

22 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

500 litres

Keep as

Keep singly or as a mated pair

Diet

Omnivore: sponge-based frozen foods, mysis, chopped seafood, spirulina and quality angelfish pellets

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 15 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Northern Australia, southern New Guinea and eastern Indonesia (Aru Islands)

Breeding

It is a pelagic egg scatterer that spawns in pairs at dusk. Captive breeding is rare and the larvae are very hard to rear at home.

Good to know

It may nip at sessile invertebrates and corals, so it is not reef safe. Being mainly exported from Australia, it tends to be expensive and needs a large, mature tank.