Eared Angel (Pomacanthus chrysurus) Care Guide
Pomacanthus chrysurus, the goldtail angelfish, is a Western Indian Ocean angel that is seldom seen in the aquarium trade.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Pomacanthus chrysurus, the goldtail or eared angelfish, is a marine angel of the family Pomacanthidae. FishBase records a maximum length of about 33.0 cm standard length and notes that juveniles display stripes on the head. It is seldom seen in the aquarium trade.
Taxonomy
- Family: Pomacanthidae
- Genus: Pomacanthus
- Scientific name: Pomacanthus chrysurus
Habitat
FishBase reports a Western Indian Ocean range from the Gulf of Aden to Natal, South Africa, including the Seychelles, Comoros and Madagascar. It is marine, reef-associated and non-migratory, inhabiting coral-rich reefs at depths of about 1-25 m in tropical waters.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 1000 L (264 gal)
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- dKH (carbonate hardness): 8-12
- Lifespan: 15-25 years
Diet
FishBase gives the species a trophic level of about 2.6, indicating omnivorous feeding. In aquaria a varied diet including sponge-based angelfish foods, marine algae and meaty foods is appropriate, offered in frequent feedings.
Compatibility
This is a large, semi-aggressive angel best housed in spacious systems. Suitable companions include tangs in large tanks, triggers and large wrasses, while small or timid fish may be intimidated.
Reef compatibility
Large Pomacanthus angels generally pick at sessile invertebrates, so this species is not considered reliably reef-safe and may damage corals, sponges and tunicates. It is best kept in fish-only systems. Maintain specific gravity around 1.024-1.026 and carbonate hardness of 8-12 dKH.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 2009), as reported by FishBase. FishBase notes low resilience with a population doubling time of about 4.5-14 years.
Eared Angel (Pomacanthus chrysurus): Breeding Guide
Overview
Pomacanthus chrysurus, the Goldtail or Eared angel, is restricted to the Western Indian Ocean from the Gulf of Aden to Natal in South Africa, including the Seychelles, Comoros and Madagascar. FishBase lists a maximum standard length of about 33 cm and a depth range of roughly 1 to 25 m on coral-rich reefs.
FishBase records a low trophic level for the species and notes that it is seldom seen in the aquarium trade. Juveniles carry stripes on the head, a typical Pomacanthus feature, before transforming to the adult pattern.
Sexing
There is no documented external colour difference between the sexes. As in the genus, a breeding pair would normally be formed by growing young fish together rather than by visual sexing.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Detailed spawning has not been documented for this rarely studied species in the consulted sources. As a large Pomacanthus, it is expected to be an oviparous, pelagic pair spawner that rises off the reef to release eggs and sperm into open water, in line with its close relatives.
Related large angels spawn at dusk, so twilight is the expected trigger; species-specific timing for P. chrysurus is not available.
Egg & Fry Care
Following the genus pattern, the eggs would be pelagic and float into the plankton, hatching into minute larvae that depend on natural ocean micro-plankton during a long larval phase.
Because the eggs disperse in open water and the larvae need ocean plankton, there is no nest to manage, and the consulted sources report no captive rearing of this species.
Common Challenges
- The species is rare in the trade, so obtaining a compatible pair is difficult.
- Pelagic eggs and larvae require micro-plankton feeds unavailable in aquaria.
- Large adult size and a sponge-leaning diet make conditioning broodstock impractical at home.