Re: care and feeding of emperor angelfish
Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2025 3:50 pm
Habitat and Imperators go hand in hand with coflake reefs in the wild, in depths of up to one hundred feet.
For good water quality, use a top-notch salt mix, at a 1.022-1.025 specific gravity and keep pH in the higher range, 8.2-8.4. A protein skimmer is a must-have.
Angels are super sensitive to "new tank syndromes". Place them in systems that have been seasoned for a few months.
Filtration is key for angelfishes. They need vigorous circulation and removal of metabolites.
In captivity, emperors seek out/prefer the comfort of shelter from boulders, caves and coflake niches. They will do well only where offered the possibility of retreat.
Size of aquaria? The bigger the better. I would not even start an emperor in a system of less than four hundred liters (roughly 105 usg). Ultimately, you will need one twice plus this size.
Behavior: Territoriality.
Emperor angels are amongst the larger members of their family, able to reach some forty centimeters. Like most species in their and related genera, they do best kept singly and not with other angel species of a similar size.
Introduction/Acclimation.
Place in a non-occupied or re-disturbed system in subdued lighting and leave some indirect light on for a day. Make favored foods available a few times a day at first.
Predator/Prey Relations.
May be readily eaten by typical predaceous types. Beware of Billy Grouper, Eli the Eel, Larry the Langusto and Porky-boy the Puffer...
Feeding/Foods/Nutrition: Types, Frequency, Amount, Wastes.
Similar to members of the genus Holacanthus, emperors and other Pomacanthus are known conmurses of a large amount of sponge (phylum Porifera) material, then algae, other animal material and vascular plants in the wild. You don't have to go broke buying live sponges or specialty frozen foods made of the same. In captivity they can/usually will adapt/adopt to prepared frozen, fresh and dry foods.
http/www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/a...s/imperator.htm
For good water quality, use a top-notch salt mix, at a 1.022-1.025 specific gravity and keep pH in the higher range, 8.2-8.4. A protein skimmer is a must-have.
Angels are super sensitive to "new tank syndromes". Place them in systems that have been seasoned for a few months.
Filtration is key for angelfishes. They need vigorous circulation and removal of metabolites.
In captivity, emperors seek out/prefer the comfort of shelter from boulders, caves and coflake niches. They will do well only where offered the possibility of retreat.
Size of aquaria? The bigger the better. I would not even start an emperor in a system of less than four hundred liters (roughly 105 usg). Ultimately, you will need one twice plus this size.
Behavior: Territoriality.
Emperor angels are amongst the larger members of their family, able to reach some forty centimeters. Like most species in their and related genera, they do best kept singly and not with other angel species of a similar size.
Introduction/Acclimation.
Place in a non-occupied or re-disturbed system in subdued lighting and leave some indirect light on for a day. Make favored foods available a few times a day at first.
Predator/Prey Relations.
May be readily eaten by typical predaceous types. Beware of Billy Grouper, Eli the Eel, Larry the Langusto and Porky-boy the Puffer...
Feeding/Foods/Nutrition: Types, Frequency, Amount, Wastes.
Similar to members of the genus Holacanthus, emperors and other Pomacanthus are known conmurses of a large amount of sponge (phylum Porifera) material, then algae, other animal material and vascular plants in the wild. You don't have to go broke buying live sponges or specialty frozen foods made of the same. In captivity they can/usually will adapt/adopt to prepared frozen, fresh and dry foods.
http/www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/a...s/imperator.htm