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African Flameback Angelfish
Angelfish

African Flameback Angelfish

Centropyge acanthops

A pocket-sized dwarf angel that punches well above its 8 cm: a deep royal-blue body set off by a blazing orange face, back and dorsal fin, with a lemon-yellow tail. One of the hardier, more affordable pygmy angels and a great fit for smaller reefs, it stays busy grazing algae film across the rockwork. Like all Centropyge, it carries the standard caveat — it may sample LPS polyps, soft corals, zoanthids and clam mantles, so it is reef-safe only with an eye kept on it. Keep just one per tank unless the aquarium is very large.

Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Max size
3.1"
Min tank
29 gal
Reef-safe
Reef safe with caution
Diet
Omnivore
Zone
Rockwork, Mid-water
Keep just one per tank — two will fight.
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Tankmates

How African Flameback Angelfish gets on with the rest of the reef, checked pair by pair by the same engine as the live pre-flight.

Best kept apart

A real clash — aggression, predation or a same-genus fight.

Flame AngelfishAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Flame Angelfish are the same genus (Centropyge) and will fight — keep only one.Coral Beauty AngelfishAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Coral Beauty Angelfish are the same genus (Centropyge) and will fight — keep only one.Lemonpeel AngelfishAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Lemonpeel Angelfish are the same genus (Centropyge) and will fight — keep only one.Bicolor AngelfishAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Bicolor Angelfish are the same genus (Centropyge) and will fight — keep only one.Potter's AngelfishAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Potter's Angelfish are the same genus (Centropyge) and will fight — keep only one.Cherub AngelfishAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Cherub Angelfish are the same genus (Centropyge) and will fight — keep only one.Multicolor AngelfishAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Multicolor Angelfish are the same genus (Centropyge) and will fight — keep only one.Rusty AngelfishAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Rusty Angelfish are the same genus (Centropyge) and will fight — keep only one.Antennata LionfishAntennata Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller African Flameback Angelfish.Picasso TriggerfishPicasso Triggerfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller African Flameback Angelfish.Eibli AngelfishAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Eibli Angelfish are the same genus (Centropyge) and will fight — keep only one.Pearlscale AngelfishAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Pearlscale Angelfish are the same genus (Centropyge) and will fight — keep only one.Keyhole AngelfishAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Keyhole Angelfish are the same genus (Centropyge) and will fight — keep only one.Marine BettaMarine Betta has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller African Flameback Angelfish.Dragon WrasseDragon Wrasse has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller African Flameback Angelfish.Volitans LionfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller African Flameback Angelfish.Snowflake MoraySnowflake Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller African Flameback Angelfish.Zebra MorayZebra Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller African Flameback Angelfish.Chainlink MorayChainlink Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller African Flameback Angelfish.Golden Dwarf MorayGolden Dwarf Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller African Flameback Angelfish.

Keep an eye on these

Usually fine, but worth watching in a smaller tank.

Kole TangAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Kole Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Sixline WrasseAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Sixline Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Melanurus WrasseAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Melanurus Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Coral HawkfishAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Coral Hawkfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Springer's DottybackAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Springer's Dottyback both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Purple DottybackAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Purple Dottyback both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Midas BlennyAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Midas Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Longnose HawkfishAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Longnose Hawkfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Bicolor BlennyAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Bicolor Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Red Coris WrasseAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Red Coris Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Flame HawkfishAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Flame Hawkfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Saddleback ClownfishAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Saddleback Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Starry BlennyAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Starry Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Spotted MandarinAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Spotted Mandarin both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Emperor AngelfishAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Emperor Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Regal AngelfishAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Regal Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Fourline WrasseAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Fourline Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Neon DottybackAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Neon Dottyback both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Royal DottybackAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Royal Dottyback both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Queen AngelfishAfrican Flameback Angelfish and Queen Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.