This tiny Africanus angelfish, Holacanthus africanus, is one of the smallest that we’ve ever seen a picture of. The tiny blue gem was recently imported by a Taiwanese marine fish dealer who informed us that this tyke is somewhere between 1.5 and 2 centimeters, or well under an inch long. Once the minuscule Africanus angelfish reaches one inch long he should develop a fully yellow tail and yellow mouth. After a childhood of blue and yellow coloration, this specimen like other Africanus angelfish will go through a long ugly duckling adolescence until he develops into a large adult with yellow brown base coloration and subtle black vermiculations all over the body. A slightly larger and more typically colored juvenile is pictured after the break. Thanks Zach!
Africanus angelfish juvenile is one of the bluest fish in the sea
Jake Adams
Jake Adams has been an avid marine aquarist since the mid 90s and has worked in the retail side of the marine aquarium trade for more than ten years. He has a bachelor’s degree in Marine Science and has been the managing editor of ReefBuilders.com since 2008. Jake is interested in every facet of the marine aquarium hobby from the concepts to the technology, rare fish to exotic corals, and his interests are well documented through a very prolific career of speaking to reef clubs and marine aquarium events, and writing articles for aquarium publications across the globe. His primary interest is in corals which Jake pursues in the aquarium hobby as well as diving the coral reefs of the world.
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