{"product_id":"african-flameback-angelfish-centropyge-acanthops-saltwater","title":"African Flameback Angelfish (Centropyge acanthops)","description":"\u003cdiv style=\"font-family:Georgia,serif;color:#1a1a1a;max-width:860px;line-height:1.7;\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"background:#E0F7FA;border-left:4px solid #006064;padding:10px 14px;margin:0 0 14px;font-size:0.95em;\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIn-store pickup only.\u003c\/strong\u003e Your order is reserved, we hold off on bagging until you arrive so it stays healthy in its display tank.\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eAfrican Flameback Angelfish\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eCentropyge acanthops\u003c\/em\u003e) packs the color of a full-size angel into a fish barely three inches long. A blazing orange saddle runs from the face back over the dorsal, a deep sapphire blue covers the flanks, and the tail is a clean pale yellow. It is one of the smallest and most affordable dwarf angels in the hobby, and one of the boldest: expect it out in the open picking at rockwork all day rather than sulking in a cave. Care level is intermediate and temperament is semi-aggressive. Browse the rest of our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/collections\/fish\"\u003elive fish\u003c\/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/collections\/salt-water\"\u003esaltwater supplies\u003c\/a\u003e to round out the tank.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"margin:14px 0 4px;font-size:1.05em;font-weight:600;line-height:1.25;border-left:4px solid #006064;padding-left:8px;\"\u003eCare Guide\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTank size:\u003c\/strong\u003e 30 gallons is the honest minimum, 55 gallons or more is better. The fish is tiny, but it grazes constantly and wants territory to patrol.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLive rock is not optional:\u003c\/strong\u003e this is a grazing fish. Mature rock covered in film algae and microfauna is what keeps it fed between meals and what keeps it from getting bored and picking at corals. A brand new sterile tank is the wrong home for one.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWater parameters:\u003c\/strong\u003e 72 to 78°F, pH 8.1 to 8.4, salinity 1.020 to 1.025, alkalinity 8 to 12 dKH. Dwarf angels dislike swinging parameters and poor water quality more than most reef fish.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFeeding:\u003c\/strong\u003e omnivore with a strong vegetarian streak. Feed three times a day in a young tank. Rotate \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/tlf-seaveggies-purple-seaweed\"\u003edried seaweed on a clip\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/ocean-nutrition-frozen-formula-two\"\u003eFormula Two\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/sfbb-angel-butterfly-cube-3-5oz\"\u003eangel and butterfly frozen blends\u003c\/a\u003e, and meaty items like \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/piscine-energetics-pe-mysis\"\u003ePE Mysis\u003c\/a\u003e. A well fed angel is a far lower coral risk than a hungry one.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAquascape:\u003c\/strong\u003e plenty of caves, overhangs, and swim-through rockwork. They bolt for cover when startled and settle in much faster in a tank with good hiding options.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLid:\u003c\/strong\u003e recommended. Startled dwarf angels can carpet surf.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAcclimation:\u003c\/strong\u003e introduce to a mature, stable system and give the fish a quiet first week. Wild-collected angels can be shy for a few days before they start grazing openly.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"margin:14px 0 4px;font-size:1.05em;font-weight:600;line-height:1.25;border-left:4px solid #006064;padding-left:8px;\"\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;max-width:640px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eScientific name\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eCentropyge acanthops\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCommon names\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003eAfrican Flameback Angelfish, Orangeback Angelfish, African Pygmy Angel\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003eWestern Indian Ocean, East Africa to Madagascar and the Seychelles, 20 to 130 feet deep\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMax size\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003eAbout 3 inches (7 to 8 cm)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCare level\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003eIntermediate\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTemperament\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003eSemi-aggressive\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMinimum tank\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e30 gallons, 55 gallons preferred\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReef safe\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003eWith caution, see Compatibility below\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTemperature\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e72 to 78°F\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSalinity\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e1.020 to 1.025\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiet\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003eOmnivore, algae grazer\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePickup\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"border:1px solid #B2EBF2;padding:6px 10px;\"\u003eIn-store only\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"margin:14px 0 4px;font-size:1.05em;font-weight:600;line-height:1.25;border-left:4px solid #006064;padding-left:8px;\"\u003eCompatibility\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReef safe with caution, and we mean the caution part.\u003c\/strong\u003e Some Flamebacks live in mixed reefs for years and never touch a coral. Others develop a taste for LPS flesh, clam mantles, or zoanthids and never unlearn it. There is no way to know in advance which fish you have. If your tank is built around expensive corals, understand that you are accepting a real risk. Keeping the fish well fed with plenty of algae, and adding it to a tank with established grazing surfaces, tilts the odds heavily in your favor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith fish it is easygoing. It ignores most unrelated tankmates and gets along with clownfish, gobies, blennies, wrasses, and chromis. The exception is its own kind: \u003cstrong\u003ekeep only one dwarf angel per tank\u003c\/strong\u003e unless the system is very large, and avoid pairing it with our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/coral-beauty-angelfish-centropyge-bispinosa-saltwater\"\u003eCoral Beauty\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/flame-angel\"\u003eFlame Angel\u003c\/a\u003e, or \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/eibli-angelfish-medium\"\u003eEibli Angel\u003c\/a\u003e. Two \u003cem\u003eCentropyge\u003c\/em\u003e in one tank usually ends with one of them dead. Add it after peaceful fish are settled but before anything else territorial.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"margin:14px 0 4px;font-size:1.05em;font-weight:600;line-height:1.25;border-left:4px solid #006064;padding-left:8px;\"\u003eRecommended Foods \u0026amp; Supplies\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/sfbb-angel-butterfly-cube-3-5oz\"\u003eSFBB Angel \u0026amp; Butterfly Frozen Cube\u003c\/a\u003e, formulated for exactly this fish\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/tlf-seaveggies-purple-seaweed\"\u003eTwo Little Fishies SeaVeggies Purple Seaweed\u003c\/a\u003e plus a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/sea-veggies-floating-clip-single\"\u003efeeding clip\u003c\/a\u003e for daily grazing\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/ocean-nutrition-frozen-formula-two\"\u003eOcean Nutrition Formula Two\u003c\/a\u003e, the herbivore-weighted staple\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/brightwell-angelixir-amino-acid-food-soak\"\u003eBrightwell AngeLixir\u003c\/a\u003e, an amino acid soak made for marine angels and butterflies\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/caribsea-moani-dry-live-rock\"\u003eCaribSea Moani Live Rock\u003c\/a\u003e to build the grazing surfaces this fish depends on\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 style=\"margin:14px 0 4px;font-size:1.05em;font-weight:600;line-height:1.25;border-left:4px solid #006064;padding-left:8px;\"\u003eFAQ\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this the same as a Brazilian Flameback?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo. They look similar, but the Brazilian Flameback (\u003cem\u003eCentropyge aurantonotus\u003c\/em\u003e) has a dark blue tail, while this African species has a pale yellow one. The African Flameback is also the smaller and more affordable of the two.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill it eat my corals?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt might. Individual temperament varies and there is no reliable way to predict it. Keep it well fed with algae and greens, add it to a mature tank with grazing surfaces, and most Flamebacks leave corals alone. If you are not willing to accept any risk, a blenny or goby is the safer pick.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan I keep two together?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNot in a normal home tank. Dwarf angels are territorial with each other and one will almost always kill the other. One per system unless you are running a very large aquarium.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDo I need a big tank for a three inch fish?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes, more than you would expect. The size requirement is about grazing area and territory, not swimming room. A 30 gallon with plenty of mature live rock beats a bare 55 every time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Squeaky's Aquatics","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48982981640411,"sku":"FANFL600AF-4","price":89.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0767\/5209\/3403\/files\/c85beb67-19b3-433c-95d0-43c8db3d2010.png?v=1785009758","url":"https:\/\/squeakysaquatics.com\/products\/african-flameback-angelfish-centropyge-acanthops-saltwater","provider":"Squeaky's Aquatics","version":"1.0","type":"link"}