🐠 Cortez Angelfish (Pomacanthus zonipectus)
A Muted Grey-Brown Body With a Bold Yellow Band • A Dramatic Juvenile-to-Adult Transformation • A Rare, Notably Hardy Eastern Pacific Find
 
📋 The Cortez Angelfish undergoes one of the more dramatic transformations in the angelfish world. Juveniles are black to dark brown with curved yellow and blue lines running vertically, while adults shift to a muted grey-brown body with a bold yellow patch behind the head and a dark-bordered yellow band, understated compared with some relatives, but textured and striking up close.
It comes from the Sea of Cortez, the Gulf of California, and the tropical Eastern Pacific down to Peru, one of only a handful of angelfish found in this region, uncommon in the trade with import availability that can be as infrequent as monthly. Every Cortez Angelfish we ship is feeding well.
It's not reef safe, and will nip at sponges, clam mantles, and both stony and soft corals, making it best suited to a spacious fish-only or FOWLR aquarium. It's a large angelfish that should be kept alone, avoid pairing it with other angelfish, particularly the similarly patterned juveniles of Gray or French Angelfish. That said, it's notably hardier than many other large angelfish species, making it a reasonable option for less experienced marine keepers who have the tank size to accommodate it. It reaches up to 46cm, so plan on at least 450L, and considerably more for a full-grown adult.
 
💡 Highlights
🎨 Dramatic Juvenile-to-Adult Change: Black-and-yellow-striped juveniles become muted grey-brown adults
💎 Rare: One of very few angelfish species from the Eastern Pacific
⚠️ Not Reef Safe: Will nip sponges, clam mantles, and corals
📏 A Large Species: Can reach up to 46cm at full maturity
💪 Notably Hardy: More forgiving than many other large angelfish