Dr. Hiroyuki Tanaka, Japan
Info
Centropyge loriclua (Günther, 1874)
The flame dwarf angelfish is a species of the angelfish family (Pomacanthidae). In older publications the species name Centropyge loriculus was often used, but this is incorrect.
Centropyge loricula lives in lagoons and on outer reefs in water depths from 3 to 60 meters.
Centropyge loriclua with its rich red color dress is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful dwarf emperors and is also very popular among aquarists.
It is basically easy to care for and if the following information is followed, the pecking at corals, which is inherent to many dwarf emperors, should also be kept within limits. We ourselves have always had good luck with the Dwarf Emperor and hardly any coral damage.
Sex and mating
The Dwarf Emperor is female from birth. If two fish are put together, then the more dominant animal becomes the male (=protogynous hermaphrodite).
It is best to put two fish of different sizes at the same time. If a fish is already present, then the new fish should be either much smaller or larger. If a larger fish is added, which would be an advantage, then the internal aggression is not as pronounced. The difference in size can be an advantage when pairing up, but there will still be scuffles until the sexing is complete.
From our point of view no dwarf emperor should be kept alone, because they also live in the nature in the group. Therefore you should keep at least 2 animals. In the group one observes then as a rule always 1 male with several females.
With Centropyge loricula you can recognize the sex difference well by the back and anus fin, I quote Joachim Großkopf: Males with pointedly extended back and anus fin, mostly with strong black and blue markings in this area. In females and juveniles the fin margins are almost completely straight. Significantly more males are imported. Males become very aggressive against other newly introduced Centropyge. Two males often do not tolerate each other even in larger aquariums.
See also the link to the article of Joachim Großkopf where this was documented very well. With this it should be possible for everyone to distinguish males from females. (if the animals have a certain size) If you add a second animal you should choose the newer animal much smaller, and leaving this animal in the fish trap for one night helps to reduce possible aggression of the first stocked animal, especially if a new female is to be added!
Dwarf Angelfish in general.... require a well-structured tank, primarily with lots of columns and the resulting overhangs. They love to swim in the reef near the superstructure, as they are less likely to swim openly in the open space of the aquarium.
From our own experience, dwarf angelfish actually eat a lot of food that we offer. From flakes to frozen food, as well as various other (bananas, algae, nori leaves, dandelion, etc.) Flake food should have as high a vegetable content as possible.
In Hawaiii the fish have been bred in the meantime, unfortunately not yet on a commercial scale.
Synonyms:
Centropyge flammeus Woods & Schultz, 1953
Centropyge loriculus (Günther, 1874)
Holacanthus loriculus Günther, 1874
Classification: Biota > Animalia (Kingdom) > Chordata (Phylum) > Vertebrata (Subphylum) > Gnathostomata (Superclass) > Pisces (Superclass) > Actinopterygii (Class) > Perciformes (Order) > Pomacanthidae (Family) > Centropyge (Genus)
The flame dwarf angelfish is a species of the angelfish family (Pomacanthidae). In older publications the species name Centropyge loriculus was often used, but this is incorrect.
Centropyge loricula lives in lagoons and on outer reefs in water depths from 3 to 60 meters.
Centropyge loriclua with its rich red color dress is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful dwarf emperors and is also very popular among aquarists.
It is basically easy to care for and if the following information is followed, the pecking at corals, which is inherent to many dwarf emperors, should also be kept within limits. We ourselves have always had good luck with the Dwarf Emperor and hardly any coral damage.
Sex and mating
The Dwarf Emperor is female from birth. If two fish are put together, then the more dominant animal becomes the male (=protogynous hermaphrodite).
It is best to put two fish of different sizes at the same time. If a fish is already present, then the new fish should be either much smaller or larger. If a larger fish is added, which would be an advantage, then the internal aggression is not as pronounced. The difference in size can be an advantage when pairing up, but there will still be scuffles until the sexing is complete.
From our point of view no dwarf emperor should be kept alone, because they also live in the nature in the group. Therefore you should keep at least 2 animals. In the group one observes then as a rule always 1 male with several females.
With Centropyge loricula you can recognize the sex difference well by the back and anus fin, I quote Joachim Großkopf: Males with pointedly extended back and anus fin, mostly with strong black and blue markings in this area. In females and juveniles the fin margins are almost completely straight. Significantly more males are imported. Males become very aggressive against other newly introduced Centropyge. Two males often do not tolerate each other even in larger aquariums.
See also the link to the article of Joachim Großkopf where this was documented very well. With this it should be possible for everyone to distinguish males from females. (if the animals have a certain size) If you add a second animal you should choose the newer animal much smaller, and leaving this animal in the fish trap for one night helps to reduce possible aggression of the first stocked animal, especially if a new female is to be added!
Dwarf Angelfish in general.... require a well-structured tank, primarily with lots of columns and the resulting overhangs. They love to swim in the reef near the superstructure, as they are less likely to swim openly in the open space of the aquarium.
From our own experience, dwarf angelfish actually eat a lot of food that we offer. From flakes to frozen food, as well as various other (bananas, algae, nori leaves, dandelion, etc.) Flake food should have as high a vegetable content as possible.
In Hawaiii the fish have been bred in the meantime, unfortunately not yet on a commercial scale.
Synonyms:
Centropyge flammeus Woods & Schultz, 1953
Centropyge loriculus (Günther, 1874)
Holacanthus loriculus Günther, 1874
Classification: Biota > Animalia (Kingdom) > Chordata (Phylum) > Vertebrata (Subphylum) > Gnathostomata (Superclass) > Pisces (Superclass) > Actinopterygii (Class) > Perciformes (Order) > Pomacanthidae (Family) > Centropyge (Genus)
