The Stunning Lemonpeel Angelfish

Adding the Lemonpeel Angelfish to Your Aquarium

Nippy, our aquacultured Lemonpeel, resides in our community aquarium. Click to learn more about the biology of Lemonpeels

The Lemonpeel Angelfish is an elegant addition to any saltwater aquarium. With its bright yellow body, electric blue eye rings and trim on its fins combined with a vibrant personality, this fish can become the crown jewel of your tank. Keeping a Lemonpeel Angelfish requires proper planning and care to ensure it thrives and is a good fit with your corals, inverts and fish.

Understanding

Native to the Indo-Pacific region, the

Lemonpeel Angelfish inhabits the seaward side coral reefs and shallow lagoons. In the wild, it feeds primarily on algae, making it an essential part of the reef’s ecosystem, but it is an omnivore. They can grow to about 5.5 inches in length and are very territorial with all angelfish, including other Lemonpeels.

Compatibility and Behavior

I have found them to be territorial with other Lemonpeels and with other species of

dwarf angelfish, and may kill a newcomer. Be very careful when adding more than one Lemonpeel to an aquarium. When adding more to an aquarium make sure that the aquarium is large enough, with plenty of space to hide and that they are fed well.

I have 5 Aquacultured Lemonpeels and 1 Flame Angelfish in a 360 gallon community aquarium. My success with having multiple angelfish in a single aquarium seems to partially have come from by adding them in as juveniles. And although they are adults now the relationships may change as time passes.

Although they are listed as semi-aggressive I have found them to be peaceful with non-angelfish species. I have had success housing them with gobies, clownfish, tangs, wrasses, anthias, jawfish, damselfish, blennies, & filefish.

The card has detailed biology information. Learn more in the Angel Cipher

Reef Compatibility

Exercise caution if you’re considering a reef tank. Lemonpeel Angelfish are known to nip at large-polyped stony corals and the mantels of clams. If you’re determined to keep them in a reef setup, monitor their behavior closely.

Mine are kept in a reef tank with clams, zoa and other polyp corals. They don't nip the clams, they do nip the large polys a little, causing the large polyps to keep they tips pulled in, and they don't touch the zoa. I feed them a varied diet with lots of seaweed and algae and mysis to keep them happy. I did have one Lemonpeel in particular that was nipping too much and I removed her from the reef aquarium for about a 2 months and then put her back in and she has been behaved ever since.

Feeding Your Lemonpeel Angelfish

Diet: Omnivore

While they primarily consume algae, Lemonpeel angelfish also need a varied diet to stay healthy. I feed mine:

• Purple & Green Seaweed sheets of the brand "Two Little Fishes" that we buy in bulk from Bulk Reef Supply.

• Live brine shrimp, which we hatch from eggs that we buy from Brine Shrimp Direct.

• Frozen Mini Marine Mysis Shrimp, 1LB, of the brand V20 Aquarium Foods from Bulk Reef Supply.

• High-quality marine angelfish pellets and flakes

• Feed small amounts 2-3 times daily to prevent overfeeding and water quality issues.

5 Lemonpeels and 1 Flame Angels in a community aquarium

Setting Up the Ideal Tank Environment

To mimic their natural habitat, you need to create a suitable tank environment:

• Care Level: Moderate
  

• Tank Size: A minimum of 70 gallons is recommended for a single Lemonpeel Angelfish.

  
  

• Water Quality: The key is to maintain stable water parameters. The less variation you have over a short-time period (24 hours), the better your fish and corals will do.

  • Temperature of 72-78°F. Mine 78.1 to 78.6

  • Salinity of 1.021-1.025. Mine 1.022 -1.026

  • pH of 8.1-8.4. Mine 8.09 to 8.31

  • Alkalinity of 8-12. Mine 8.5 to 9.6

    
    

• Water Movement: Provide medium to high waterflow throughout the daytime. This replicates their natural environment of living in the seaward side of coral reefs.

  
  

• Aquascaping: Provide plenty of rock for grazing on algae and hiding spots. They appreciate crevices and caves where it can retreat and sleep during the night.

  
  

• Lighting: Moderate to high lighting will encourage algae growth, which these fish naturally graze on.

  
  

Tips for a Happy and Healthy Fish

1. Quarantine New Fish: Always quarantine new additions to prevent introducing diseases to your main tank.

2. Monitor for Health Issues: Look for signs of stress or illness, such as loss of appetite, faded coloration, or erratic swimming.

3. Regular Maintenance: Keep the tank clean with regular water changes and test water parameters weekly. We test our water continuously using Neptune Apex to monitor salinity, temp, pH, alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium levels.

4. Observe Behavior: Ensure your Lemonpeel Angelfish is active, eating well, and not overly harassed by tankmates.

   
   

Wrap-up

The Lemonpeel Angelfish is a captivating and rewarding species to keep in a saltwater aquarium. With proper care and attention, this vibrant fish can thrive and become a source of endless enjoyment. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced aquarist, adding this stunning angelfish to your tank is sure to brighten up your underwater world!