Black (Grey) Angelfish

Also known as the Grey Angelfish or Gray Angelfish

The Black Angelfish, commonly called the Grey Angelfish, is a robust and elegant marine species featuring a deep grey to charcoal body with white to yellow scale highlights that create a subtle chain-mail pattern. Native to the Western Atlantic and Caribbean, this large and hardy angelfish is known for its graceful swimming style, relatively peaceful temperament for its size, and striking appearance that intensifies with maturity, making it an excellent centerpiece for spacious marine aquariums.

Key Features

• Scientific Name: Pomacanthus arcuatus
• Common Names: Black Angelfish, Grey Angelfish, Gray Angelfish
• Adult Size: Up to 18–24 inches (typically 15–18 inches in aquariums)
• Lifespan: 15–25+ years with proper care
• Temperament: Semi-aggressive; generally less aggressive than many other large angels
• Reef Compatibility: Not reef-safe – will consume corals, anemones, clams, and sessile invertebrates
• Minimum Tank Size: 250 gallons (minimum); 300–500+ gallons preferred for full-grown adults
• Experience Level: Intermediate to advanced

Habitat & Tank Requirements

• Tank Environment: Requires extensive rockwork with large caves, overhangs, and substantial open swimming areas. Grey Angels are powerful, graceful swimmers that need both secure territories and ample space for their elegant cruising behavior.
• Water Parameters:
  • Temperature: 72–78°F (22–26°C)
  • Salinity: 1.023–1.025
  • pH: 8.1–8.4
  • Ammonia/Nitrite: 0 ppm
  • Nitrate: <20 ppm
  • dKH: 8–12
• Aquascape: Substantial live rock formations are essential for grazing, shelter, and territorial establishment. Rockwork must be extremely stable and secure to accommodate this very large, powerful fish. Ensure generous swimming space to showcase their graceful movement.
• Compatibility: Should be the only large angelfish in the system due to territorial behavior toward other angels. Can coexist peacefully with other large, robust fish such as tangs, large wrasses, groupers, snappers, and carefully selected triggers. Generally more peaceful than French Angels, Passer Angels, or other aggressive large species. Avoid housing with other angels or overly passive species. Best added as one of the last fish to reduce territorial disputes, though they are relatively mild-mannered for their size.

Diet & Feeding

Grey Angelfish are omnivores with hearty appetites requiring substantial, varied nutrition:

• Meaty Foods: Mysis shrimp, chopped clams, mussels, squid, scallops, krill, prawns, marine fish flesh, silversides, chopped shrimp
• Plant Matter: Marine algae, nori sheets, spirulina flakes and pellets, fresh blanched vegetables (zucchini, broccoli, spinach, romaine lettuce)
• Specialty Items: High-quality angelfish preparations containing sponge material (absolutely essential for long-term health, preventing HLLE, and maintaining vibrant scale highlights)
• Commercial Foods: Large angelfish pellets, frozen angel and butterfly formulas, herbivore foods
• Feeding Schedule: Feed 2–3 times daily in generous portions. Grey Angels have high metabolic demands and robust appetites, requiring frequent substantial feedings to maintain health, coloration, and proper body weight.

Notes & Considerations

• Behavior: Grey Angels are confident, graceful, and relatively peaceful for their size. They display moderate territorial instincts but are generally less aggressive than many other large angels. Once established, they become highly interactive, often recognizing their keeper and calmly approaching during feeding times. Their slow, elegant swimming style creates a mesmerizing display that enhances their appeal as display fish.
• Distinctive Coloration: Adults display deep grey to charcoal grey body coloration with distinctive white to pale yellow scale edges that create a beautiful chain-mail or reticulated pattern. The mouth area often shows yellow highlights, and the pectoral fins have yellow-orange coloration. While not as boldly colored as some angels, the subtle elegance and intricate scale pattern create a sophisticated, understated beauty. Well-maintained specimens display excellent contrast and definition in their scale patterns.
• Juvenile vs. Adult Coloration: Juveniles display dramatically different coloration—bright yellow bodies with vertical blue bars and stripes. The transformation to adult grey coloration begins around 4–6 inches and continues gradually. Full adult coloration typically develops between 8–12 inches. The juvenile form is strikingly beautiful but completely different from adults.
• Hardy Caribbean Species: Grey Angels are among the hardiest large angelfish species. Caribbean/Western Atlantic angels are generally more robust and forgiving than many Indo-Pacific species. They adapt well to captive life, handle shipping stress relatively well, and are more tolerant of minor water parameter fluctuations, making them excellent choices for aquarists stepping up to large angels.
• Peaceful Nature: Notable for being one of the more peaceful large angelfish. While they will defend territories and shouldn’t be housed with other angels, they rarely show excessive aggression toward other fish species. This makes tank mate selection easier and reduces the risk of bullying peaceful community fish.
• Coral Compatibility: Highly destructive to reef environments. Will readily consume soft corals, LPS, SPS, zoanthids, clam mantles, anemones, tube worms, and ornamental invertebrates. Suitable only for fish-only or FOWLR (Fish Only With Live Rock) systems.
• Tank Size Critical: These are very large fish that require substantial space. Inadequate space leads to stunted growth, stress, aggression, and health problems. Their graceful swimming patterns require long swimming runs to fully appreciate. Cramped conditions diminish their beauty and health.
• Acclimation: Generally hardy and resilient. Proper drip acclimation and stable water quality are important, though Grey Angels are typically less delicate than many other large angel species. They adapt well and usually become bold and confident within days of introduction.
• Growth Rate: Moderate growers when well-fed. Can reach 12–14 inches within 2–3 years in optimal conditions with generous feeding and proper space. Eventually become very large fish requiring spacious accommodations.
• Gender: Sexual dimorphism is not externally visible. Grey Angels are protogynous hermaphrodites. Captive breeding is extremely rare and not commercially viable.
• Disease Susceptibility: Generally hardy but susceptible to HLLE (Head and Lateral Line Erosion) if diet lacks proper nutrition with sponge material or if water quality declines. Also susceptible to marine ich and velvet under stress, though typically more resistant than delicate species. Maintaining excellent water quality and a comprehensive diet prevents most health issues.
• Water Quality: Appreciates excellent water quality and strong filtration due to large size, heavy feeding, and metabolic waste production. Regular water changes (15–20% weekly or biweekly) and efficient protein skimming are important for maintaining health and clear scale pattern definition.
• Personality: Calm, intelligent, and interactive. Many Grey Angels develop strong bonds with their keepers, displaying recognition behaviors and gentle begging during feeding times. Their peaceful demeanor and graceful movement make them charismatic long-term companions that are more “relaxing” to watch than hyperactive or aggressive species.
• Elegant Movement: Grey Angels move with slow, deliberate grace rather than darting or rushing. Their swimming style is almost meditative—smooth, flowing movements that showcase their size and elegant form. This creates a peaceful, impressive visual display.
• Longevity Investment: With proper care, Grey Angels can live 15–25+ years, making them true long-term companions. Some specimens in public aquariums have lived 30+ years. They represent a multi-decade commitment.
• Comparison to French Angels: Often compared to the closely related French Angelfish (Pomacanthus paru). Grey Angels have lighter, more silvery coloration with distinct scale patterns, while French Angels are darker with yellow scale edges and more yellow facial coloration. Greys are generally considered slightly more peaceful and easier to maintain.
• Tank Dominance: Will establish themselves as prominent fish but rarely bully extensively. Their size commands respect, but their temperament is relatively mild. They coexist well with other large, confident species.
• Show Quality: Grey Angels are excellent showpiece fish suitable for display aquariums in homes, offices, or public settings. Their large size, elegant movement, and understated beauty create a sophisticated presence. They’re less “flashy” than Queens or Emperors but equally impressive in their own way.
• Beginner Large Angel: Often recommended as one of the best “first large angelfish” due to: Caribbean hardiness, relatively peaceful nature, straightforward care, good feeding response, and forgiving temperament. Represents an excellent introduction to keeping very large angels.

Why Choose a Quarantined Black (Grey) Angelfish?

Our quarantined Grey Angelfish are healthy, disease-free, and eating well before sale. This process makes sure you get a strong, vibrant, and parasite-free fish with good color and condition. Because they grow large and live long, starting with a healthy, well-adjusted fish is important for success. Our quarantine helps you invest in a beautiful, peaceful, and hardy angelfish that will be a stunning centerpiece in a large marine tank for many years.