Last updated on February 6th, 2024 at 03:36 am
Asfur angelfish, also known as the Arabian angelfish, is one of the most popular species in the Pomacanthus genus, largely due to its striking coloration and attractive patterns. The fish belongs to the family Pomacanthidae and are found in shallow coastal waters throughout the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, and Persian Gulf regions. Though it’s sometimes sold under the name Pterois volitans, it’s worth noting that it doesn’t belong to the same group or species as Pterois volitans.
Asfur angelfish are wonderful saltwater angelfish that make great additions to any saltwater aquarium. Their bright colors and territorial behavior make them beautiful as well as interesting to watch as they interact with other fish in the tank.
Taking care of your pet fish can be difficult and time-consuming, but it’s also rewarding. Not only are fish cute to look at, but they can also be entertaining and fun to watch as they swim around their tank. Plus, some have been known to have humanlike personalities! If you’re thinking about getting your own fish, but aren’t sure where to start, check out our Asfur angelfish (Arabian angelfish) care guide below!
Origin and description
Arabian angelfish, also known as Asfur angelfish, are among tropical fish breeders’ favorites. They are beautiful when kept in a large aquarium. The body is blue-black with yellow bar. Arabian angelfish should be kept in a large aquarium with a capacity of at least 450 gallons (1,700 liters).
Although they grow to only about 18 inches (45 cm), their extended swimming range demands plenty of swimming space. If you plan on keeping other fish in your tank, keep two angel males for every female because males may become aggressive toward females.
The optimal water temperature for Asfur angelfish is between 72 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit. A pH level ranging from 7.0 to 8.2 will help maintain your angelfish health. You can check your water temperature by making use of a thermo`meter.
Species profile
Asfur angelfish (known locally as Arabian angelfish), is a medium-sized saltwater fish found in tropical oceans. This species belongs to the family Pomacanthidae. The common length of Pomacanthus asfur is 40 cm but they can grow up to 1 m long, and weigh 3-5 kg. They are often found living in pairs, at depths between 20 and 100 metres.
In their natural environment, these fish eat mainly zooplankton, copepods, euphausiids ( krill ), algae, sponges, and pelagic tunicates. The Arabian angelfish was first imported into Europe in 1926. When it was first exported from Oman, nearly all of them were dying within 24 hours due to poor packaging that did not take into account the rapid changes in temperature from air freighting them from Oman.
After several months of investigation, it was discovered that all species of live food sold on market stalls had anti-freeze added to them.
Scientific name
The scientific name of the Asfur angelfish is Pomacanthus asfur
Habitat
The Arabian angelfish is a species native to reef environments. They prefer to live in marine aquaria containing water with a pH between 8.1 and 8.4, a water hardness between 8 and 25 dH, and alkalinity between 7.5 and 10 dKH. Water temperature should be kept between 23 and 26 °C (73 to 79 °F).
Asfur angelfish requires at least two or three companions of its own kind. It will not school together with other Pomacanthids unless all fish are close in size; otherwise, dominance disputes may occur resulting in injury or death of smaller individuals, which tend to not take refuge among the branching corals and thus are exposed to danger more often than other fish.
Asfur angelfish size
The average size of an adult fish is usually 18 inches.
Asfur angelfish tank size
Angelfish are big fish, so they need big tanks. Angelfish are best kept in a tank of at least 200 gallons or more with plenty of hiding places and swimming room for each individual fish.
Asfur angelfish tank set up
Asfur angelfish are a more advanced fish. If you want to keep them, make sure you have at least a 200 L tank with plenty of hiding places, either in caves or aquarium decor, and some algae on rocks/plants. Also, make sure that they have a lot of algae in their diet so it’s important to feed them often.
The temperature should be kept between 24°C to 26°C with a pH of 7.8 – 8.6 and dKH at 8 to 12. It is also recommended to use dechlorinator because these angels tend to cause nitrate spikes if there is too much food available and not enough filtration.
You can feed them bloodworms, daphnia, or some other type of seafood pellets. They will accept flakes but only as a treat so don’t overfeed them! The algae eater needs lots of water circulation so take care when putting your filter(s).
It is also recommended that you put your heater under one side of the substrate where it won’t be covered by sand to avoid overheating.
Asfur angelfish tank mates
Arabian angelfish can be kept with other medium-to-large-sized peaceful fish such as African cichlids and catfish, but there are a few that should be avoided. The Angelfish is best kept by itself.
Despite having a mutualistic relationship with gobies and cardinalfish in their natural habitat, they will not thrive in an aquarium environment if housed with these fish. Also, avoid housing them with Loricariid catfish or they will become stressed and ill very quickly.
Breeding
If a female is present in an aquarium with a male, then spawning will occur. Remove other fish from your tank to reduce pollution and make sure that there are plenty of hiding places for eggs. Collect these eggs daily to prevent them from being eaten by other fish.
Carefully place them in a hatching device, even an egg carton will work fine, as long as you keep it at 80 degrees fahrenheit so they can hatch. If you fail to do so they will eventually go into fungus mode and die off. The parents should be removed after eggs have been laid so that they do not eat their young.
This has been known to happen especially if more than one pair of adults are present in a small space where everyone feels threatened.
Are Asfur angelfish aggressive or peaceful?
Asfur angelfish are known to be relatively aggressive towards other angelfish, but in larger aquariums or with enough tankmates, they tend to become more docile. However, if you’re keeping them in an aquarium smaller than 200 gallons, it’s best to get at least three angels of the same species. In smaller tanks, angelfish tend to become territorial and may fight with each other. They have also been known to nip at clownfish, but these instances are rare.
Asfur angelfish care
This species is an active, mid-dwelling reef fish. It should be housed in a tank of at least 200 gallons with plenty of swimming room and places to hide. The temperature should be between 72° – 82°F, with a specific gravity of 1.020 – 1.025 and a pH of 8.0 – 8.4; changes to these conditions must be made gradually to prevent shock to your fish as they are very sensitive to water changes.
Lighting should include both warm white light (~7500K) and actinic blue/violet light (~420nm); it’s important to provide shelter from strong lighting if you plan on keeping plants in your aquarium. Mature adults require meaty foods several times per day including mollusks, crustaceans, and some plant matter for added coloration.
What do Asfur angelfish eat?
Their diet consists of hard-shelled marine crustaceans, mollusks, and worms. The average adult can consume about 2% of its body weight each day. To feed your fish, you can purchase pellets specifically designed for angelfish or feeder shrimp from a pet store. Some hobbyists have even reported that dried seaweed makes an excellent snack as well.
Keep in mind that it’s always important to rinse off any food before feeding it to your angel. This will remove excess salt and help prevent dangerous bacteria build up in their digestive tract. Angelfish should only be fed once every other day or so unless they’re preparing to spawn; during breeding, they should be fed daily.
Water parameters
If your tap water is not suitable for marine aquarium use, you can buy a RO or RO/DI system to treat your water. The recommended salinity is 1.025 – 1.026 SG, or 25ppt – 26ppt. You will also need to adjust specific gravity as necessary to keep fish healthy and thriving.
Do not use distilled water in your aquarium; it lacks minerals that are essential for good health in fish and other marine creatures. Routine testing of both saltwater and freshwater aquariums using either an API master kit or Salifert test kits is highly recommended for optimal water quality. This reduces the risk of disease and keeps everyone happy.
Asfur angelfish lifespan
The Arabian angelfish has a lifespan of between 15 and 20 years.
Parasites and diseases
Diseases can be caused by poor water quality, overcrowding, and not enough hiding places. If you have quarantined your fish properly there should be no parasites in their bodies. Make sure your tank has live rock and is established for at least six months before you add fish.
This will ensure there are no parasites in your tank. Do a full water change weekly to keep nitrates low which also keeps disease from spreading. Also, remove any uneaten food from your tank as it may contain toxins that could harm your fish.
Clean your filter frequently because dirty filters harbor bacteria, viruses, and other harmful organisms that may result in illness or death of aquarium inhabitants. The best way to avoid disease is to stay on top of it when symptoms appear. Get sick fish into quarantine tanks quickly so they don’t infect other fish.
Predators
The Asfur Angelfish is preyed upon by a wide variety of other fish, so it is best to keep it in a species-only tank. Large fish will also eat young angels, so if you’re housing any large fish be sure to separate them from your angel and remove any smaller specimens before they reach maturity.
Angelfish are best kept with other members of their own species or peaceful, non-aggressive tankmates. Given their passive nature, these fish shouldn’t have any issues getting along with others. Keep them in an established tank of at least 3 months old for best results and compatibility.
Do Asfur angelfish make good pets?
If you can get past their differences, Arabian angelfish make wonderful additions to any aquarium. Not only are they beautiful and striking to look at, but they’re also quite engaging and active fish. They are social in nature and best kept in groups of three or more; however, unless you have a massive tank, it’s not recommended that you keep them with other similarly sized fish due to their aggressive behavior towards similarly-sized peers.