Identification:
The Midnight Angelfish (Centropyge nox) is also known as the Black Pygmy Angelfish and the Black Nox Angelfish. They are coal black color over their entire body. One of the less aggressive of the Dwarf angel family, the Midnight Angelfish is one addition that is more likely to behave itself in the home aquarium. The requirements are important for the fish's health. You must have a mature tank that is a minimum of 70 gallons with plenty of live rock and algae growth. The Midnight Angel starts out as a shy fish that requires lots of hiding places in a rocky Aqua-scaped aquarium with lots of caves/crevices and ample amounts of live rock for grazing on microalgae and diatoms. Place the rock work with multiple places to hide so they will feel secure enough to come out often. This will provide security, and the more secure it feels, the more it will come out into the open. The Half-Black Angelfish is tolerant of other dwarf Angelfish and will share territory providing suitable space is provided (150 gallons or more).
The Midnight Angel can be kept with other Dwarf Angels providing they are introduced simultaneously and that the others are not one of the more aggressive of the genus. While they should not harm non-sessile invertebrates such as shrimp, snails or crabs. They may occasionally nip at SPS corals and some species of polyp corals, zoanthids, and clam mantles. Although, if you start with a younger angel, say a small or medium, and they are well fed on a diet of Spirulina, marine algae, high-quality angelfish preparations, mysis or large chunks of raw meaty frozen shrimp, squid, clam, and mussels they tend not to bother corals too much.
All Midnight Angelfish are born female and can be paired according to size, not necessarily color. The larger fish becomes male, so making a pair is possible by buying a larger Half Black Angelfish and a smaller one, and within a few months hopefully they will assume their roles as male and female. Dwarf angelfish will spawn in captivity and some are now being raised, yet raising the larvae is quite a difficult task.
Food and Diet:
Dwarf Angelfish are omnivore's. In the wild it feeds primarily on algae, but it will also ingest tiny animals living in the algae. In captivity their diet will be mostly algae, but also offer some other proteins. Feeding them a variety of good foods is important. Offer various types of fresh and dried marine algae, spirulina enriched foods, mysis shrimp, shaved shrimp and other high-quality meaty foods, angelfish preparations, and flakes or pellets designed for algae eating fish. There are several good commercial foods available including Formula II and Angel Formula. Feed several times a day even if natural foods are present.
Recommended amount of drip acclimation time:
3+ hours
Approximate Purchase Size:
Small: 1" to 2" Medium: 2" to 3 inch Large: 3 inch to 4 inch
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