Hotumatua Angel (Centropyge hotumatua) Care Guide
Centropyge hotumatua is a dwarf angelfish from the remote southeastern Pacific, ranging around Easter Island, Pitcairn and Rapa. It is rarely seen in the aquarium trade.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Centropyge hotumatua is a small marine angelfish of the family Pomacanthidae. According to FishBase it reaches about 10.0 cm in total length and is restricted to the southeastern Pacific, where it occurs around Rapa, Pitcairn and Easter islands. The limited range makes it one of the least collected dwarf angels, and it is rarely exported through the aquarium trade.
Taxonomy
- Family: Pomacanthidae
- Genus: Centropyge
- Scientific name: Centropyge hotumatua
Habitat
FishBase records the species as marine, reef-associated and non-migratory in subtropical waters at depths of roughly 14-50 m. It inhabits areas with coral or rock bottoms that offer numerous crevices. Reefs.com describes it as effectively endemic to Easter Island with additional sightings at neighbouring islands such as Pitcairn and the Gambier Archipelago.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 300 L (79 gal)
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- dKH (carbonate hardness): 8-12
- Lifespan: 8-15 years
Diet
FishBase reports that this species feeds on filamentous algae in the wild. In captivity an omnivorous regime is appropriate, combining algae-based foods with small meaty items offered through frequent small feedings.
Compatibility
It is a mid-water, semi-aggressive dwarf angel. FishBase notes that the species forms harems of 3-7 individuals in the wild. In aquaria it is generally kept with tangs, clownfish, wrasses and gobies, while other Centropyge angels and aggressive damsels are best avoided to limit territorial conflict.
Reef compatibility
As a Centropyge species it is considered reef-compatible with caution, since dwarf angels may nip at coral polyps and clam mantles. Stable reef chemistry with specific gravity around 1.024-1.026 and carbonate hardness of 8-12 dKH supports the species.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 2009), as reported by FishBase.
Centropyge hotumatua (Hotumatua Angel) Breeding Guide
Overview
Centropyge hotumatua is a small dwarf angelfish of the subtropical Eastern Pacific, recorded from the Austral Islands including Rapa, Pitcairn and Easter Island. It reaches about 10 cm at depths between roughly 14 and 50 m over coral and rocky bottoms with abundant crevices, feeding on filamentous algae. It is rarely exported through the aquarium trade and is not bred by hobbyists.
Sexing
As a protogynous dwarf angel, the species matures as female, and the dominant female in a group becomes male when the resident male is lost. Functional sex tracks social rank rather than fixed external markers, so juveniles cannot be reliably sexed by sight.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Centropyge hotumatua forms harems of three to seven individuals. Reproduction follows the genus pattern: the male courts each female through the late afternoon, and at dusk a female ascends into the water column with the male nuzzling her vent before releasing pelagic eggs near the top of the rise. The eggs float upward on an oil droplet into surface plankton.
Egg & Fry Care
Eggs in this genus are transparent, spherical and about 0.6-0.7 mm across. Larvae hatch tiny, use the yolk sac within roughly three days, and then need extremely small first foods such as copepod nauplii because rotifers are too large for the first-feeding mouth. There is no parental care, and larval rearing is the principal obstacle to captive production.
Common Challenges
- The species is rarely collected, so even broodstock is hard to source.
- Pelagic eggs disperse on release and cannot be collected from a display.
- First-feeding larvae need live copepod nauplii rather than rotifers.
- No captive rearing of this species has been documented.