Pearl-Scaled (Half-Black) Angelfish — Centropyge vrolikii
Common Names:
Pearl-Scaled Angelfish, Half-Black Angelfish, Vrolikii Angelfish
Description:
This dwarf angelfish features a captivating bicolor pattern—glossy black posterior body fading to a pearly white to gray-green front, with highlights of orange near the gill and eye areas Saltwater FishAquariumDomain.
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Semi-aggressive — best kept singly or in very large setups LiveAquariaSaltwater Fish
Maximum Size: Approximately 10 cm (4 inches) LiveAquariaSaltwater Fish
Tank Requirements:
Diet & Nutrition:
Omnivorous diet that should be heavily supplemented with algae and marine plant matter:
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Spirulina, marine algae, high-quality angelfish preparations
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Frozen or live mysis and brine shrimp
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Access to live rock for grazing algae
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Reef Compatibility:
Reef compatibility: With caution — may pick at soft corals, stony polyps, clam mantles, and Zoanthids LiveAquariaSaltwater FishAquariumDomain. Best housed in FOWLR or mixed systems with robust, less delicate invertebrates.
Behavior & Tankmates:
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Semi-aggressive towards other dwarf angelfish—should be the only one of its species unless in a very large tank LiveAquariaSaltwater Fish
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Generally compatible with peaceful, similarly sized marine fish like tangs, blennies, gobies, and chromis.
Quick Snapshot (Store-Ready Format)
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Species: Pearl-Scaled (Half-Black) Angelfish — Centropyge vrolikii
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Size: ~4 in / 10 cm
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Tank Size: ≥70 gal
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Temperature: 22–26 °C (72–78 °F)
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Salinity: 1.020–1.025 sg
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Diet: Omnivore—Spirulina, marine algae, mysis/brine shrimp, grazing
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Care: Moderate; semi-aggressive
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Reef Safe? With Caution (may nip corals)