Venustus Angelfish
The Venustus Angelfish is a beautiful saltwater fish found in the western Pacific Ocean.
They are a good choice for both novice and experienced aquarists and make a great addition to any tank. With their bright colors and playful personality, they will bring joy to your home aquarium.
This guide will discuss everything you need to know about Venustus Angel fish care, diet, and tank mates.
Characteristics
| Scientific Name | Centropyge venustus |
| Common Name | Purple Masked Angelfish, Blue-Backed Angelfish, Purplemask Angelfish |
| Care Level | Expert Only |
| Size | 5 inches |
| Origin | Western Pacific |
| Minimum Tank Size | 55 gallons |
| Lighting | Dim lights until they acclimate |
| Behavior | Semi-aggressive |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Reef Aquarium Compatibility | With Caution |
Venustus Angelfish Origin & Habitat
They exist in the western Pacific Ocean.
They can be found in Taiwan, northern Luzon in the Philippines, and southern Japan’s Ryukyu and Izu Islands.
They are found at depths between 10 and 40 meters (33 and 131 ft).
They are a reclusive and unapproachable cave and overhang species that may be found in solitary individuals positioned upside down on roofs.
Venustus Angelfish History
The Venustus Angelfish was initially described as Holocanthus venustus by Fujio Yasuda and Yoshiaki Tominaga in 1969, with the type locality being Izu Oshima in Sagami Bay.
The specific name venustus means “beautiful.” These angelfish types are sometimes placed in the subgenus Paracentropyge, also considered a distinct genus.
Venustus Angelfish Cost
Venustus Angelfish are difficult to breed and have a relatively low survival rate in the aquarium trade, owing to their delicate requirements.
It’s costly on the market, but it has been developed and nurtured in captivity.
| Size | Price |
| Small: over 1.5-2″ | $249.99 |
| Medium: over 2-3″ | $269.99 |
| Large: over 3-4.5″ | $299.99 |
| XLarge: over 4-5″ | $349.99 |
Venustus Angelfish Features
1. Color
Venustus Angelfish has a blue and yellow coloration.
The lower front of the body is primarily yellow, with a narrow band of blue at the nape separating the yellow patches.
There is also a tiny region of blue that begins near the front of the dorsal fin and covers the rear portion of the body and the caudal fin.
The anal and pelvic fins are blue with yellow edges. However, the blue and yellow hues may be distributed differently from one fish to another.
The dorsal fin has 14 and 16 soft rays, whereas the anal fin has three spines and 15 soft rays.
2. Length
Venustus Angelfish can reach a length of 5 inches when they are completely mature.
How to Care for Venustus Angelfish?
1. Water Parameters
Water Changes
Water changes are significant to the health of your Venustus Angelfish.
It would help if you do a water change of at least 10% every two weeks, but 20% is even better.
Be sure to vacuum the gravel and clean the filter when you do water changes.
Water Temperature
The ideal water temperature for Venustus Angelfish is between 72 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
Ammonia, Nitrite & Nitrate Levels
Watching your aquarium’s ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels is critical because they can be harmful to your fish if they rise too much.
Ammonia and nitrite should be at 0 ppm, and nitrate should be less than 40 ppm.
2. Tank Setup
Tank Size
Venustus Angelfish are aggressive species, so you should provide them with plenty of space to reduce this aggression.
For a single fish, you should have at least a 55-gallon tank. If you plan on keeping more than one fish together, you will need an even larger tank.
The bigger, the better when it comes to Venustus Angelfish tanks!
Lightings
The Venustus Angelfish is a cave and the deep reef slopes dwelling angelfish that, like many deepwater anthias, requires to be re-acclimated to the home aquarium’s bright lights.
Decor
Decorations are also crucial for Venustus Angelfish tanks. Your fish will appreciate plenty of hiding places, so include plenty of rocks and caves in your setup.
Venustus Angelfish Diet
Venustus Angelfish is an omnivore fish and is picky about what it consumes.
In the wild, it consumes naturally eats sponge material, but it may be acclimated then to eat frozen and prepared meals with time and patience.
Because it is a suspicious fish at first, careful frozen and prepared foods is required to educate it to accept new foods properly.
Angelfish Formula, which includes sponge material and frozen mysis shrimp and spirulina, is recommended for the first few days.
Be cautious about the feeding frequency, as overfeeding can lead to water quality problems. Feed your fish three times a day, but only give them as much food as they can consume in 3 minutes.
Venustus Angelfish Compatibility
Venustus Angelfish are aggressive towards other adult Angelfish with similar coloration or form.
However, smaller angelfish individuals will be great citizens since the larger ones will not pay too much attention to them.
Other community angelfish and tank mates should be chosen with care, as the Venustus Angelfish can bully them.
Some good examples of compatible fish are
- Cardinalfish
- Dwarf Gobies
- Fairy Wrasses
- Firefish
Is Venustus Angelfish Reef Safe?
Venustus Angelfish are not reef safe, as they will nip at soft and stony coral reefs, sessile invertebrates, and clam mantles.
Last Words
The Venustus Angelfish is an excellent addition to the home aquarium but should be kept with care.
We hope that you enjoyed this article as much as we did if you have any questions feel free to leave a comment below.
