Centropyge


Centropyge is a genus of fish in the family Pomacanthidae found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean. These species do not exceed 15 cm in length and live in haremic structures with one dominant male and multiple females. Although it is hard to identify their gender; females are often shorter and more round finned. Like many other reef fish and all marine angelfish, this genus is protogynous hermaphrodite, meaning that they start their adult lives as females and the dominant individual in a group can change to a male within days. A reversal of this sex change is possible if the social status of the individual changes, it is however a process that requires much more time.

In aquaria

This genus prefer matured reef tanks due to the usually high water quality and the often used "live rock". In nature most species feed on algae, sponges and small benthic invertebrates. Having an abundance of well cured live rock will help to supplement their diet. This is also in the interest of the aquarist, as underfed Centropyge angels may nip at corals and sessile invertebrates. The difficulty of keeping varies from species to species, as does their rarity and correspondingly their price. These species are social that live in loose groups in the wild. So if multiple this genus is kept to a tank, they will establish a pecking order. To reduce the stresses of establishing the dominance in the group it is wise to choose semi-adult specimens or specimens of different size. Dwarf angels can be quite shy initially, hiding in corals, caves and crevices but become more outgoing when they have established their territory - if they are kept with appropriate tank mates and in appropriately sized tanks.

Species

There are currently 35 recognized species in this genus:
ImageScientific nameCommon nameDistribution
Centropyge abei G. R. Allen, Young & P. L. Colin, 2006Abe's pygmy angelfishwestern Pacific Ocean, amongst the islands of Indonesia and Palau
Centropyge acanthops Orange-back pygmy angelfisheast coast of Africa,
Centropyge argi Woods & Kanazawa, 1951Cherub pygmy angelfishthe Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, North to North Carolina.
Centropyge aurantia J. E. Randall & Wass, 1974Golden pygmy angelfishthe western Pacific Ocean: Indonesia and the Great Barrier Reef.
Centropyge aurantonotus W. E. Burgess, 1974Flame-back pygmy angelfishsouthern Caribbean Sea and the coastal waters of Brazil
Centropyge bicolor Bicolor pygmy angelfishIndo-Pacific region: including East Africa, Southern Japan, Australia, and even Fiji.
Centropyge bispinosa Two-spined pygmy angelfishIndo-Pacific
Centropyge boylei Pyle & J. E. Randall, 1992Peppermint pygmy angelfisheastern-central Pacific around the Cook Islands and Rarotonga
Centropyge cocosensis K. N. Shen, C. W. Chang, Delrieu-Trottin & Borsa, 2016Cocos pygmy angelfishEastern Indian Ocean: Cocos Islands and Christmas Island.
Centropyge colini Smith-Vaniz & J. E. Randall, 1974Cocos-Keeling angelfishIndo-west Pacific Ocean, including around the Cocos Islands
Centropyge debelius Pyle, 1990Blue Mauritius pygmy angelfishWestern Indian Ocean: Mauritius, Réunion, and the Aldabra Group.
Centropyge deborae K. N. Shen, H. C. Ho & C. W. Chang, 2012Blue velvet pygmy angelfishFiji
Centropyge eibli Klausewitz, 1963Black-tail pygmy angelfishthe Indo-Pacific.
Centropyge ferrugata J. E. Randall & W. E. Burgess, 1972Rusty pygmy angelfishWestern Pacific Ocean
Centropyge fisheri Orange pygmy angelfishHawaii.
Centropyge flavipectoralis J. E. Randall & Klausewitz, 1977Yellow-fin pygmy angelfishIndian Ocean
Centropyge flavissima Lemon-peel pygmy angelfishIndo-Pacific region
Centropyge heraldi Woods & L. P. Schultz, 1953Yellow pygmy angelfishPacific Ocean
Centropyge hotumatua J. E. Randall & D. K. Caldwell, 1973Black-ear pygmy angelfishEastern Pacific: Austral, Pitcairn and Easter islands.
Centropyge interrupta Japanese pygmy angelfishOgasawara Islands south of Japan.
Centropyge joculator Smith-Vaniz & J. E. Randall, 1974Yellow-head pygmy angelfishEastern Indian Ocean: Cocos and Christmas Islands.
Centropyge loriculus Flame pygmy angelfishreefs of Oceania, most common in Marshall, Line, and Cook Islands
Centropyge multicolor J. E. Randall & Wass, 1974Multicolor pygmy angelfishPacific Ocean
Centropyge multispinis Dusky pygmy angelfishtropical waters of the Indo-Pacific
Centropyge nahackyi Kosaki, 1989Nahacky's pygmy angelfishEastern Central Pacific: Johnston Atoll. Strays reported from the Hawaiian Islands.
Centropyge narcosis Pyle & J. E. Randall, 1993Narc pygmy angelfishCook Islands-
Centropyge nigriocellus Woods & L. P. Schultz, 1953Black-spot pygmy angelfishPacific Ocean near American Samoa; Cook Islands; Guam; Kiribati ; Marshall Islands; Micronesia, Federated States of ; Nauru; New Caledonia; Northern Mariana Islands; Papua New Guinea; Samoa; Tokelau; Tuvalu; United States Minor Outlying Islands
Centropyge nox Midnight pygmy angelfishWestern Pacific: Ryukyu Islands to Indonesia, the Solomon Islands, the Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia-
Centropyge potteri Russet pygmy angelfishJohnston Atoll and the Hawaiian Islands in the central Pacific Ocean
Centropyge resplendens Lubbock & Sankey, 1975Resplendent pygmy angelfishAscension Island
Centropyge shepardi J. E. Randall & Yasuda, 1979Mango pygmy angelfishNorthern Marianas Islands, Guam, and the Ogasawara Islands.
Centropyge tibicen Key-hole pygmy angelfishIndo-Pacific
Centropyge venusta Purple-mask pygmy angelfishWestern Pacific
Centropyge vrolikii Pearl-scale angelfishIndo-West Pacific area
Centropyge woodheadi Kuiter, 1998Black-fin pygmy angelfishSouthwestern Pacific: from the Great Barrier Reef to the Gambier archipelago.-