Townsend Angelfish
If you’re looking for a truly unique fish to add to your aquarium, the Townsend Angelfish is definitely worth considering.
These beautiful creatures live in the western Atlantic from North Carolina to Bermuda, into the Bahamas, and from Florida to the Gulf of Mexico.
However, they are not very known in the aquarium trade and are considered to be fairly rare fish. So, if you’re lucky enough to find one for sale, be prepared for an amazing addition to your tank!
This guide will go over everything you need to know about the Townsend Angelfish, including their appearance, temperament, diet, and more.
Townsend Angelfish Origin & Habitat
Origin
The Townsend Angelfishes, one of the most visible elements in shallow tropical reef systems, is notorious for hybridization among sibling species.
The hybrid of the Blue and Queen angelfishes (commonly known as the Townsend angelfish or “H. Townsend”) has been documented in the western Atlantic Ocean as a resident of the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, Bahamas, and Bermuda, where the parental taxa coexist.
However, research has been conducted on the parental species’ geographic distribution and found that H. bermudensis has a considerably broader distribution than previously supposed, including the central Caribbean Sea and South America.
Habitat
The habitat of the Townsend Angelfish includes areas of sponges, coral, or rock at depths between 2 and 93 meters (6.6 and 305.1 feet).
It is a daytime species that hides within the reef at night. Juveniles select habitats with more excellent protection, such as bays, channels, and inshore reefs.
Townsend Angelfish Behavior
Townsend Angelfish is an aggressive fish, and the adult can make a thumping sound to warn predators and startle divers.
If you added any new fish to your aquarium, the Townsend Angelfish would not hesitate to target and harass this fresh fish without prejudice.
So, the Townsend Angelfish is recommended to be the final fish added to any aquarium.
Townsend Angelfish Features
1. Appearance
The body of the Townsend Angelfish is deeply compressed laterally, with a deep, oval-shaped form. It has a short, pointed snout with tiny teeth, similar to those on a brush.
2. Color
Juveniles
The anterior portion of the juvenile body is yellowish, changing to brownish-yellow halfway along.
Their caudal, pectoral, and pelvic fins are a brilliant yellow. They have numerous vertical white bars on the body with blue margins around the dorsal and anal fins.
Adults
The primary body color is bluish yellowish, with a brilliant yellow face.
They have blue highlights on the chest and forehead and blue and yellow pectoral fins, with yellow margins on the tail.
The margin of the dorsal and anal fins is also yellow, and the long streamers are. The 15 spines on the dorsal fin and 19-21 soft rays on the anal fin distinguish these angelfish types from others.
3. Length
The Townsend Angelfish or Bermuda Blue Angelfish size can reach 18 inches.
Townsend Angelfish Diet
This species eats sponges almost exclusively, except for a few instances where they have been seen eating tunicates, corals, and algae.
The young fish act as cleaners, feeding on ectoparasites plucked from the skin of other fish that use communal cleaning stations.
Also, aquarists have successfully fed the Townsend Angelfish at home with a diet that includes meaty and algae-based items.
Are Townsend Angelfish Reef Safe?
It is not a reef-safe fish, as it will eat small invertebrates.
Townsend Angelfish Breeding
Townsend angelfish adults are most often seen in pairs and stick together all year. This has been taken to imply that they are monogamous.
They reproduce by slowly swimming up in the water column, bringing their bellies together, and releasing large quantities of eggs and milt.
The female may lay between 25 and 75 thousand eggs at once, with a maximum possible output of ten million during each breeding season.
As a buoyancy aid, a tiny amount of oil is present in each transparent, pelagic egg.
The eggs take 15 to 20 hours to hatch, and the newborns are called pre-larval stage tadpoles connected to a big yolk sac but lack functioning fins, eyes, or guts.
Around 48 hours after laying, the yolk is absorbed, at which point pro-large changes into genuine larvae and begins feeding on plankton.
The youngsters progress rapidly. They grow up in three to four weeks, and they settle on the seabed in subsequent weeks as they grow.
Juveniles are fiercely territorial and will fight to protect the sites where they have established a cleaning station.
Townsend Angelfish Diseases and Treatment
There are no known diseases specific to Townsend Angelfish.
However, like any other fish, they are still susceptible to the same infections and diseases that can affect any saltwater fish.
These include white spot disease, ichthyophthirius multifiliis (ich), velvet disease, and several bacterial and viral infections.
The best way to prevent these diseases is to maintain a clean and healthy aquarium.
In the case of an infection, the fish should be treated with the appropriate medication.
Last Words
The Townsend Angelfish is a beautiful fish that can add some color and excitement to your aquarium!
Please do your research before adding one to your tank, as they can be aggressive towards other fish.
Thanks for reading, and do not forget to share this article with fellow fish enthusiasts!
If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below.
