Truly a queen amongst the many beautiful marine angelfishes, the queen angel, Holacanthus ciliaris is especially colorful as a juvenile. Given a healthy individual of not too small or large a size to start with, conditioned to aquarium foods, this species will adapt well to captivity.
Juvenile Queen Angels have bright yellow faces and tails. The mid section of their body is a golden colour, featuring a series of narrow white stripes. Juveniles also sport brilliant blue edging along their dorsal and anal fins. Adult Queen Angelfish also have vibrant yellow faces and tails. However, they have blue bodies, adorned with yellow centred scales. Adults have yellow and blue markings on their fins and wear a beautiful, bright blue ‘crown’ on their head.
Adult Queen Angelfish occur mostly in shallow reef areas in the West Atlantic Ocean. Particularly in the Caribbean sea and the Gulf of Mexico. These angels also live off the coast of Florida and Brazil.
In nature, these fish graze on sessile invertebrates and macroalgae. This makes them risky for marine tanks with coral, as they can nip. However, it may be possible to keep some carefully selected corals in the same tank as the Adult Queen Angelfish. We ask you consult a member of staff if you want for details.
It is important to have plenty of nooks or crannies where your Adult Queen Angelfish can explore and feel at home. Keepers may also want to get a jump guard to stop any accidents.
Adult Queen Angelfish are omnivores and do best when fed a varied diet. They will accept frozen Mysis shrimp and enriched frozen brine shrimp. Adult Queen Angelfish will graze on marine seaweed that can be secured to the side of the tank with clips. Over time they will accept high-quality pellet or flake.
Angelfish can live in a mixed group or alone. Feel free to give us a call with any questions.
