Potter's angelfish

About

Potter's angelfish (Centropyge potteri) is one of those fish that draws people in the moment they see it. A warm mosaic of orange and rust broken up by irregular blue-black vertical barring, with a tail that fades into a deeper, moodier blue. It's almost entirely a Hawaiian fish, found from the main island chain out to Johnston Atoll, where it lives along seaward reef slopes, picking its way through rock, rubble, and coral in search of algae and detritus. In the wild, pairs are monogamous and home-ranging rather than territorial, which is a nice piece of natural history trivia. Spawning happens near the full moon around dusk, peaking from mid-winter through spring. In the aquarium, this species has a well-earned reputation as one of the more demanding dwarf angels. The transition period after introduction can be rough. Expect the fish to hide and refuse food for a week or more before it settles in. A mature, well-established reef or FOWLR tank with plenty of live rock and natural algae growth gives it the best chance. Experienced keepers tend to do well with it, but this is not an ideal choice if you're still building confidence with marines. Like most Centropyge, it may nip at corals.