Apolemichthys trimaculatus Care Guide
Apolemichthys trimaculatus is a yellow Indo-Pacific marine angelfish that feeds heavily on sponges and tunicates, making it demanding to keep.
Overview
Apolemichthys trimaculatus is a marine angelfish with a bright yellow body, blue lips, a black margin on the anal fin and dark spots on the forehead and behind the operculum. It was originally described as Holacanthus trimaculatus by Cuvier in 1831, with a type locality in the Molucca Islands. The species reaches a maximum total length of about 26 cm.
Taxonomy
- Family: Pomacanthidae
- Genus: Apolemichthys
- Scientific name: Apolemichthys trimaculatus
- Original description: Holacanthus trimaculatus Cuvier, 1831
Habitat
The species has a wide Indo-West Pacific range, from East Africa to Samoa and from southern Japan south to Australia. It is reef-associated and lives on outer coral reef slopes and drop-offs. FishBase records a depth range of about 3-60 m, while Wikipedia cites 10-80 m; juveniles tend to remain deeper than about 25 m and are secretive, whereas adults occur in small, loose groups.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 600 L
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- GH/dKH: 8-12
- Lifespan: 10-15 years
- Water type: marine, reef setup with live rock
Diet
In the wild this angelfish feeds mainly on sponges and tunicates, with some crustaceans also taken; FishBase reports a low trophic level of about 2.6. This specialised, sponge-dominated diet is the main reason the species is considered difficult to maintain, as captive diets must include sponge-based and other angelfish preparations to meet its needs.
Compatibility
Adults form small, loosely organised groups with several females per male and are diurnal; males are territorial. In aquaria it is housed with robust but non-aggressive reef fish. Because it grazes sponges and similar sessile invertebrates, it is not fully reef-safe and may nip corals and clams.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 2009).