The cherubfish, or pygmy angelfish is a gentle omnivorousmarine angelfish, with a metallic blue body and yellow to orange colouration in parts of the head only. It is native to the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, North to North Carolina. It has a maximum length of 8 cm. It is easily confused with the orangeback angelfish, but in the latter the orange stripe extends across the back. When kept in an aquarium, cherubfish are distributed throughout the tank. They prefer reef tanks to fish only tanks. But like other angel fish, they are not completely 100% reef-safe. Results vary among individual fish and tank qualities, so caution is recommended when adding this fish to a coral tank. The Cherubfish or Pygmy Angelfish Centropyge argi are beautiful little fish. This wonderful dwarf angel has all the good looks of its larger cousins, making a great substitution for a large angelfish for those who don't have 200 gallons of tank space. With a deep blue body, yellow or orangish face, and blue rings around its eyes, the colors of the Cherub Angelfish are rich and vibrant similar to the Asfur, Maculosus, and even Bluegirdled Angelfish. You can get the same color combo in a "fun size" for your smaller tank. Cherub Pygmy Angelfish are intelligent, active, and hardy as well. Look for a specimen that will take an aggressive stance, such as a raisedorsal fin, and pay rapt attention as you approach the tank. If it does dart into a cave, it should come right back out to size you up promptly. Their color should be rich, not faded, and they should be very interested in their surroundings and very difficult to catch. This Atlantic Pygmy Angelfish spends a good amount of time hiding from predators in the wild, so plenty of hiding spaces will make them happy. These fish favor an established reef environment with plenty of nooks and crannies to graze for food. These are very pugnacious little fish, so house Pygmy Angelfish with more aggressive tank mates. Cherub Pygmy Angelfish will spawn in captivity and they are now being raised in captivity, thus helping to preserve our ocean reefs. Though raising the larvae is quite another task. These dwarf angelfish are paired according to size, not color. All are born female, then the larger fish becomes male. To make a pair is possible by buying a larger Cherub Angel and a smaller Cherub Angel, and within a few months they hopefully will assume their roles as male and female. This spit-fire Cherubfish can be very protective of its territory, so docile fish beware. In a reef environment, Pygmy Angelfish should avoid noxious soft corals as well as most mushrooms. A tank raised individual that is well fed may not even recognize corals as a snack. It's actually the mucous on the coral that they eat, not the flesh of the coral. Nevertheless, nipping will cause the coral to retract and eventually die from the stress.
