Bellus Angelfish

The bellus angelfish is one of the species of the genus Genicanthus with the most striking difference between the sexes. Females and juveniles carry bold black bands on their gray-bluish bodies: one runs down from the nape over the eye, the other runs along the back and meets it at the start of the dorsal fin. Males are paler and have golden-yellow horizontal lines on their flanks. In the wild it lives in harems of 3–7 individuals on deep outer reef walls with currents, at depths such as 50–100 meters. Specimens are wild-collected; because they come from deep water, their first weeks are delicate and they need a dim, calm start.

• At least 400 liters for a single specimen or a pair; 600 liters or more for a harem, with plenty of open water.
• Salinity specific gravity 1.023–1.026, pH 8.1–8.4, temperature 24–27°C; high oxygen.
• Dimmed light during the first weeks and shaded rock overhangs.
• Reef-safe: Because it eats plankton, it generally leaves corals and invertebrates alone.

A plankton-focused omnivore. Offer frozen mysis, enriched brine shrimp, copepods, small granules and foods containing spirulina in small amounts 2–3 times a day.

Peaceful and somewhat timid. Males are aggressive towards each other and towards males of other Genicanthus species; one male with one or two females is the most harmonious arrangement.

Good companions: Anthias, fairy and flasher wrasses, calm tangs, dwarf angelfish (in a large aquarium), cardinalfish.

Avoid: A second male Genicanthus, aggressive large angelfish and triggerfish, lionfish.