Bellus Angelfish (Male)

Overview

Physical Overview

• Size: Males can reach a maximum length of about 7 inches (18 cm), generally slightly larger than the females.
• Body Shape: Like other angelfish in its genus, it has a flat, oval-shaped, and deep body. Mature males might also develop a more rounded profile, potentially with a slight nuchal hump (a crown on the forehead).
• Fins: It has large, trailing dorsal and anal fins. The tail (caudal fin) tapers into the body and is lyre-shaped (forked) in mature males. 

Coloration and Markings

• Mid-body stripe: A prominent yellow or gold horizontal stripe runs through the middle of its body.
• Dorsal/Anal fin edges: The yellow/orange stripe extends along the base and edge of the dorsal (top) fin and borders the anal (bottom rear) fin.
• Face markings: The face features bright blue-violet markings.
• Ventral Fins: The long, stringy pelvic (ventral) fins on the underside are typically forked or frayed at the tips. 

Bellus Angelfish are best housed as a male-female pair or small harem of one male and few females in a 125-gallon or larger aquarium, and are ideal candidates for the deep-water reef aquarium. Acclimation will be facilitated by a dimly-lit tank, but these fishes seem to adapt well to the intense lighting in most modern reef aquariums. The tank should have multiple hiding places and live rock for grazing. Do not keep two males in the same tank as fighting will ensue.

The Bellus Angelfish are hermaphroditic and have the ability to change sex from female to male, and males can even revert back to female if no females are present in the aquarium. They are difficult to breed, but many seasoned veteran aquarists have successfully observed these fishes spawning on a regular basis in very large home aquariums.

Approximate Purchase Size: Female: Small: Under 1-1/2″; Medium: 1-1/2″ to 2-1/4″; Large: 2-1/4″ to 3″, Male: Small: 3″ to 3-1/2″, Medium: 3-1/2″ to 4-1/4″, Large: 4-1/4″ to 5″