Cherub Angelfish

About

The cherub pygmy angelfish (Centropyge argi) is one of the smallest marine angelfish you'll encounter in the hobby, but it punches well above its weight in personality. Native to the western Atlantic, from Bermuda and Florida down through the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico to French Guiana, it lives naturally among rubble zones and rocky areas, darting into crevices the moment anything startles it. That same skittishness shows up in new tank introductions. Expect your cherub to spend a fair amount of time tucked into the rockwork at first, though most individuals settle down once they feel secure. In the wild, pairs share a home range without actively defending it as exclusive territory, which is a useful thing to know when planning tankmates. The bigger behavioral concern is aggression toward other dwarf angels. The cherub is generally peaceful with unrelated species but tends to be a real problem for any other Centropyge sharing the same space. For that reason, it's usually best added last to an established system. A well-structured reef with plenty of hiding spots suits it well. Diet in captivity centers on algae and meaty foods, and while it rates as intermediate in care, a reasonably experienced keeper with a mature setup should find it manageable.