Watanabei Angelfish

The Watanabei angelfish is one of the smaller species of the genus Genicanthus. Both sexes have a light blue background and carry a broad dark band on each of the dorsal and anal fins. Males have about eight thin black horizontal stripes on the lower two-thirds of the body; females are unstriped and carry a vertical black band running over the eye, small spots on the forehead and black bands on both edges of the tail. In the wild it lives in harems of 2–5 individuals on current-swept outer reef walls at 20–80 meters. Specimens are wild-collected.

• At least 400 liters for a single specimen or a pair; plenty of open swimming space.
• Salinity specific gravity 1.023–1.026, pH 8.1–8.4, temperature 24–27°C.
• Since it comes from deep water, dim light and calm tankmates during the first days.
• Reef-safe: It generally leaves corals and invertebrates alone.

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

Peaceful; it gets along with most reef fish. Males are aggressive towards each other. It is a species that starts out female; in a group made up of females, the dominant individual turns into a male.

Good companions: Anthias, fairy wrasses, calm tangs, clownfish and cardinalfish.

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