Cherub Angelfish : A guide to keeping the most endearing of all dwarf angelfish, Centropyge Argi

The most endearing member of the genus Centropyge (Dwarf angelfish family). Centropyge argi is everything regular sized dwarf angelfish (flame angelfish, coral beauty angel etc) are, except in a really small package. They are sold in sizes ranging from an inch to 3 inches. At 3 inches, this angelfish is a fully grown adult and will not get any larger.

They also go by other names such as the Atlantic Pygmy Angelfish, Pygmy Angelfish or the Cherub Pygmy Angelfish. They are a deep royal blue throughout with a yellow face and neon blue linings on their dorsal and anal fins.

They come from te Carribean Ocean, from the Gulf of Mexico, South America and Florida. Price from $20 to $30 USD per specimen, they are a very affordable dwarf angelfish for any marine aquarium big or small. They are commonly offered on the market, and their price reflects that fact.

Despite their size they are a feisty little ball of aggression and can usually defend themselves against larger more aggressive fishes, but they must have space to retreat and hide. Do not add two cherub angelfish into a small tank, one of them will most likely sustain serious injuries. I’ve heard of cherub angelfish harrassing a smaller one in a 30 gallon tank until they die. If you want a pair of them, you have two options. Purchase a mated pair or add them both to the aquarium (large one) at the same time and pray they pair up.

Due to their small size the cherub angelfish can actually be housed in aquariums as small as 20 gallons. That makes centropyge argi the perfect angel for those interested in dwarf angelfish but do not have large tanks to house them. Of course it is recommended that you get the biggest tank you can for your fish. But smaller specimens under 1.5 inches should do fine in a 20 gallon.

Centropyge argi are grazers in their natural habitat. They constantly scan the rock for food items throughout the day, much like surgeonfish. They feed on detritus, tiny crustaceans and a wide variety of algae.

They should be given a balanced diet in a saltwater aquarium. They should be fed a wide range of foods for variety. Never feed them a specific type of food for too long. Although there have been people that have fed them new life spectrum pellets for months at a time with no ill effects. They seemed very healthy in fact. They should be offered a good pellet brand like New Life Spectrum, a balanced frozen food with both meat and algae (Formula two, Mysis Shrimp, Krill) and algae/nori sheets if possible.

The perfect food for dwarf angels is the Pygmy Angel Formula by Ocean Nutrition. A wide range of ingredients are used. They are shrimp, algae, krill, vitamins and trace elements, kelp, squid and much more. Prior to freezing, the cubes are mixed with these ingredients. Pygmy Angel Formula is only available in frozen form i believe.

Personally, i think brine shrimp should never be fed as they don’t offer much nutritionally. Frozen adult brine shrimp contain mostly roughage, which is nothing more than fibre. Foods that are far superior like krill or mysis shrimp also have fibre. When feeding your dwarf angelfish brine shrimp, always choose a type that has been enriched. Enriched brine shrimp are simply artemia that were stuffed with a nutritious food (like spirulina) and then frozen. So are simply a vessel housing nutrition.

As long as their yolk sacs are still intact, newly hatched brine shrimp are a nutritious food to offer. Once their yolk sacs are used up, they don’t offer much apart from roughage.