🐠 African Flameback Angelfish (Centropyge acanthops)
A Royal-Blue Body Topped With an Orange-to-Yellow Flame Back • A Pale, Near-Transparent Tail • A True Western Indian Ocean Rarity
 
📋 The African Flameback Angelfish, also known as the African Pygmy or Orangeback Angelfish, has a striking royal-blue body topped with a bold orange-to-yellow stripe running from the head along the back to the dorsal fin, and a distinctive pale yellow-to-transparent tail, the reliable feature that sets it apart from the very similar Brazilian Flameback and Cherub Angelfish.
It comes from a narrow stretch of the Western Indian Ocean along the East African coastline, inhabiting coral and rubble areas with dense algae growth at depths down to around 37 metres. In South Africa, it's affectionately nicknamed the "Jumping Bean" or "Bean." Every African Flameback Angelfish we ship is feeding well.
It's one of the smaller Centropyge angelfish, making it a great fit for a variety of tank sizes, though it can be shy at first, hiding in caves and crevices before gradually growing more confident and establishing territory. It's reef safe with caution, and may occasionally nip at SPS corals and some polyp species. It's territorial toward other dwarf angelfish and should be the only Centropyge species present, and it needs frequent feeding, especially in smaller tanks, to stay settled and reef-friendly. It reaches up to 7cm, so a 115L tank suits it well.
 
💡 Highlights
🎨 Royal Blue With an Orange-Yellow Flame Back: A striking, iconic dwarf angelfish
🔍 A Useful Field-ID Feature: Its pale-to-transparent tail distinguishes it from similar species
🌍 A True Western Indian Ocean Rarity: A narrow native range explains its scarcity
⚠️ Reef Safe With Caution: May occasionally nip at SPS corals and some polyps
🐟 Territorial: Should be the only Centropyge species present