Many saltwater aquarists are inspired to take up the hobby after observing the beauty of an angelfish or the stunning, almost extraterrestrial, growth forms of coral species. Or both. Unfortunately, many angelfishes are incompatible with a reef tank, so keeping the two together is not a good idea. There is, however, one genus of angelfishes that is indeed quite suitable for the reef tank, and it is this genus I want to discuss today.
Angelfishes from the genus Genicanthus are commonly called swallowtail or lyretail angelfish because of their distinctive tailfins, and they make great reef aquarium angelfishes. If you look closely, you will see that the species in this genus have small mouths. This is because these fishes are planktavores that feed primarily on plankton in the water column—not coral!
The upside to keeping angelfishes from the genus Genicanthus does not stop with their feeding habits, however. These fishes are, generally-speaking, long-lived and peaceful animals that make great community reef fishes, and their small size means they don’t require the massive amount of space that some of the other angelfishes require. Do be cautious when adding a Genicanthus angelfish to a reef tank housing smaller planktavores (especially certain gobies and wrasses), as the smaller fishes may be harassed as they compete for the same foodstuff.
Another great attribute to angelfishes from the genus Genicanthus is that they may be kept successfully in small groups. The aquarist may plan to keep one male with one or more females. Theses angelfishes, are known for their dramatic sexual dimorphism and dichromatism (in short, males and females are different in shape and color), which makes keeping a pair or small harem both behaviorally interesting and aesthetically appealing.
Members of the genus are generally parasite and disease resistant, but they should, like all fishes, be properly acclimated and quarantined.
Of the Genicanthus angelfishes most commonly available to the tropical marine aquarist, the bellus angelfish (G. bellus), the Watanabei’s angelfish (G. Watanabei), the Lamarck’s angelfish (G. Lamarck), and the swallowtail angelfish (G. melanospilus) are some of my personal favorites. If you are looking for the ideal reef-compatible angelfish, look no further than the angelfishes from the genus Genicanthus.
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