Also Known As: Flame Angelfish, Dwarf Flame Angel Compatibility and BehaviorThe Flame Angel (Centropyge loricula) is exactly the kind of fish its name promises, one of the most brightly, vividly colored dwarf angels in the hobby. A fiery orange-red body is crossed by four to five bold vertical black bars, with electric blue trim tracing the edges of the dorsal and anal fins, and the exact look varies a bit by collection locality, some specimens showing a deeper red base with thicker bars, others running more orange with thinner striping. Temperament and reef safety go hand in hand here, so it lands at reef safe with caution: most individuals coexist peacefully with corals and inverts, but some will nip soft corals, stony coral polyps, zoanthids, or clam mantles, especially when their grazing needs aren't fully met. It can be territorial and is typically kept one per tank, since two Flames, or other dwarf angels, housed together tend to fight unless the aquarium is large enough for separate territories. It settles in best introduced to an established tank after your less assertive fish, and generally gets along with peaceful to semi-aggressive community fish like clownfish, gobies, wrasses, and damsels. Aquarium RequirementsThis is a grazing fish at heart, so a mature tank is the real requirement. It wants abundant live rock with caves, ledges, and plenty of natural grazing surface, and a well-established system that's been running several months provides the richest algae and biofilm to pick at while helping it settle in with minimal stress. Moderate to strong, multidirectional flow with some calmer pockets behind the rock mimics its natural reef habitat, and consistent water quality keeps that vibrant color intact over time. Because its diet leans so heavily toward algae, the single best thing you can do to protect your corals is give it a daily grazing station: a nori or seaweed clip keeps it occupied and noticeably reduces the odds of coral nipping. Round that out with spirulina-based flakes or pellets and supplement with frozen mysis and enriched brine a few times a week. SpecificationsApproximate Size: Sm: 1–1.5", SMd: 1.5–2", Md: 2–2.5", Lg: 2.5–3", XL: 3–3.5"Diet: Omnivore with a strong herbivore lean; daily marine algae and nori, spirulina-based flakes or pellets, supplemented with frozen mysis and enriched brine shrimp 2–3 times weeklyOrigin: Central and Western PacificCare Level: ModerateReef Safe: With cautionTemperament: Semi-aggressiveMinimum Tank Size: 75 gallons for Sm specimensSpecial Considerations: Reef safe with caution, as some individuals nip LPS, soft corals, zoanthids, or clam mantles, so a daily nori grazing station helps keep it satisfied; territorial toward other dwarf angels, so best kept one per tank unless the aquarium is very large
