All fish / Pomacanthidae

Bellus Angelfish

Genicanthus bellus

Also known as bellus angel, ornate angelfish, ornate swallowtail angelfish, bellus lyretail angelfish, beautiful angelfish, bellus swallowtail angel, トサヤッコ, 美丽月蝶, 燕尾神仙

A plankton-eating swallowtail angelfish with strong differences between the sexes: females are pale grey-white with black and blue stripes, while males are silvery with yellow-orange stripes along the back and flanks. It is valued as one of the few angelfish that is generally safe with corals, swimming openly in the water column.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

15 cm

Temperature

22 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

400 litres

Keep as

One male with one or more females, or singly

Diet

Omnivore: zooplankton-type foods such as mysis, krill, enriched brine shrimp, plus marine flakes and pellets with algae content

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-West Pacific: Philippines, Indonesia, Palau, Guam, Fiji, Cocos-Keeling, Japan

Breeding

A protogynous hermaphrodite that lives in harems, with the dominant female able to change into a male. It spawns in the water column at dusk, but captive breeding is rarely achieved in home aquariums.

Good to know

Collected from deeper reefs, so imports can be delicate and need careful acclimation and a calm, well-established tank with plenty of swimming space. Males may squabble, so keep only one male per tank.