Gray Angelfish

The gray angelfish is a very large member of the family Pomacathidae that hails from the waters of the Caribbean and South America and can be found as far up as Florida. It is very closely related to the French angelfish which also comes from the same habitats. Its scientific name is pomacanthus arcuatus.

In the wild they have been known to reach lengths of up to 24 inches. That is a massive size for an angelfish. As such, only the largest aquariums should be used to house this species. Nothing less than a 150 gallon is needed. But they really do better with something like a 250 gallon or even a 300 gallon aquarium.

Because they are very similar in appearance to the french angelfish, there may be some confusion to the casual onlooker when it comes to differentiating the two species. As juveniles, it is very hard to tell them apart. The one area you should look at is their tail. French angelfish have rounded tails while gray angels have a much straighter tail. As adults, the differences are evident as only the french angelfish has golden flecks across its main body.

They have hearty appetites and need to be well feed in captivity. Feed them a variety to ensure they are given a varied diet. Frozen meaty foods along with seaweed sheets should be offered. Some great pellets brands to offer are those by Ocean Nutrition and New Life Spectrum. There are a variety of pellet formulas so choose something with a good mix of foods.

Overall, this fish can be a hardy addition to the aquarium once acclimated. Also, they are not reef safe and will go to town on your corals.