Image 1 of 1
Image 1 of 1
Image 1 of 1
Image 1 of 1
The Female Japanese Swallowtail Angelfish (Genicanthus melanospilos), also known as the Blackspot Angelfish or Swallowtail Angelfish, is an elegant and highly desirable marine species featuring a sleek, elongated silvery-grey body with a bright yellow dorsal area and a deeply forked, lyreshaped tail fin. Unlike almost all other marine angelfish, this species exhibits extreme sexual dimorphism, with females lacking the dark vertical stripes found on males, and it belongs to the only truly reef-safe angelfish genus.
Tank Requirements
Minimum Tank Size: 125 gallons or larger; as an active, open-water swimmer, it requires a long tank layout to accommodate its constant swimming patterns.
Aquarium Decor: Open upper swimming channels paired with deep rockwork caves and ledges where it can safely retreat and sleep at night.
Temperature: 72°F – 78°F (22°C – 26°C).
Salinity (Specific Gravity): 1.020 – 1.025.
pH Range: 8.1 – 8.4.
Care and Feeding
Diet: Omnivorous planktivore; unlike rock-grazing angels, it feeds directly from the water column and requires frequent, small daily feedings of vitamin-enriched mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, finely chopped seafood, and plankton-rich frozen cubes.
Reef Safe Rating: Reef safe; because it is a pelagic open-water feeder that naturally consumes zooplankton, it will completely ignore stony corals, soft corals, zoanthids, and clam mantles.
Temperament: Peaceful; it is one of the most docile angelfish species and is an excellent citizen in reef communities, though it can be kept in pairs or small harems if the female is introduced before or alongside the male.
The Female Japanese Swallowtail Angelfish (Genicanthus melanospilos), also known as the Blackspot Angelfish or Swallowtail Angelfish, is an elegant and highly desirable marine species featuring a sleek, elongated silvery-grey body with a bright yellow dorsal area and a deeply forked, lyreshaped tail fin. Unlike almost all other marine angelfish, this species exhibits extreme sexual dimorphism, with females lacking the dark vertical stripes found on males, and it belongs to the only truly reef-safe angelfish genus.
Tank Requirements
Minimum Tank Size: 125 gallons or larger; as an active, open-water swimmer, it requires a long tank layout to accommodate its constant swimming patterns.
Aquarium Decor: Open upper swimming channels paired with deep rockwork caves and ledges where it can safely retreat and sleep at night.
Temperature: 72°F – 78°F (22°C – 26°C).
Salinity (Specific Gravity): 1.020 – 1.025.
pH Range: 8.1 – 8.4.
Care and Feeding
Diet: Omnivorous planktivore; unlike rock-grazing angels, it feeds directly from the water column and requires frequent, small daily feedings of vitamin-enriched mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, finely chopped seafood, and plankton-rich frozen cubes.
Reef Safe Rating: Reef safe; because it is a pelagic open-water feeder that naturally consumes zooplankton, it will completely ignore stony corals, soft corals, zoanthids, and clam mantles.
Temperament: Peaceful; it is one of the most docile angelfish species and is an excellent citizen in reef communities, though it can be kept in pairs or small harems if the female is introduced before or alongside the male.