Flame angelfish: Bright orange-red marine angelfish from Pacific reefs

The flame angelfish is a small, vividly coloured marine fish native to Pacific coral reefs. It lives in clear lagoons and reef slopes, feeding on algae and crustaceans. Aquarists value it for its beauty and relative safety around corals when well fed.

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Bright orange-red with purple-blue fin bands
Found in Marshall, Line and Cook Islands
Spawns at dusk by releasing gametes
Lifespan of five to seven years or more
Considered reef safe when well fed

What it is

This marine angelfish displays bright orange-red scales with vertical black markings. Its dorsal and anal fins feature alternating purple-blue and black bands. Specimens from the Marquesas Islands lack these vertical bars. Males are typically larger and show more intense colouration than females. The species belongs to the family Pomacanthidae and inhabits tropical Pacific waters.

Where it lives

The fish lives across various reef systems in Oceania. It is most frequently seen in the Marshall, Line and Cook Islands. Populations also exist in the Hawaiian Islands, though they are less common there. These angelfish prefer the foreslope of coral reefs and clear lagoon environments where visibility is high.

How it lives

Wild individuals eat a mix of algae and small crustaceans. Juveniles primarily consume plankton before switching to adult diets as they mature. In captivity, they may graze on live rock during the day. They are generally shy when first introduced to a tank but gain confidence within a week. Well-fed specimens rarely damage corals.

Breeding and life cycle

These fish form harems in the wild. In large aquariums, keepers can maintain pairs or trios with only one male. Spawning occurs at dusk when the fish rise into the water column. They release eggs and sperm simultaneously as pelagic gametes. Captive breeding has succeeded at facilities like Atoll Farm Aquaculture in Thailand, though raising larvae remains difficult.

A drawing made by EveryFish from what this page says. It is a diagram, not a picture of the real fish.

Fish and people

Aquarists prize this species for its striking appearance. It is often considered safe for reef tanks if provided with adequate nutrition. Diets in captivity include brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, spirulina and seaweed sheets. Underfed individuals may pick at coral or clam mantles. Most deaths in older captive specimens occur without clear cause.

Questions people ask about Flame angelfish

Is the flame angelfish safe for reef tanks?

Yes, it is generally considered reef safe. Individual fish may pick at corals if underfed, but a proper diet of meaty foods and algae usually prevents damage to soft or stony corals.

What does the flame angelfish eat?

In the wild, it consumes algae and crustaceans. Juveniles eat plankton. In aquariums, they accept brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, spirulina, seaweed sheets and pellets.

How do flame angelfish reproduce?

They are broadcast spawners that release eggs and sperm into the water column at dusk. They form harems in the wild and can be kept in groups with one male in large tanks.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Flame angelfish", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryFish rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes, and figures change over time. Nothing here is investment or buying advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-11-15.

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.