Description

Masked Angelfish Genicanthus personatus

Masked Angelfish Genicanthus personatus, is an idolized reef fish which is as beautiful as it is expensive and rarely seen. The stunning marble-white body coloration of the masked angelfish is accentuated by a perimeter of color that gives the masked angelfish a truly angelic appearance. Masked angelfish are endemic to Hawai’i and they are most abundant in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands where most commercial activity including the collection of aquarium fish is strictly prohibited. Where collection of aquarium fish is allowed, the masked angelfish only occurs in extremely deep water at the edge of diving limits. Although the masked angelfish has been bred, it happened only once in captivity and Genicanthus personatus is still one of the most high profile marine aquarium fish in the world.

The Personatus Angelfish is the second most, if not most sought-after fish in the aquarium trade. This fish used to be virtually unattainable due to the deep depths that it lives at, however due to some captive breeding efforts, obtaining this fish is no longer the Herculean task it used to be. The grace and beauty of the Personatus Angelfish will instantly make it a show-stopper in any tank that it is placed in. The fantastic part about this fish, is that it is in the genus Genicanthus, meaning it is completely reef-safe. Please contact the team at Among The Reef if you have any questions on if this may be the right fish for you!

Genicanthus personatus

No other group of reef fish has captivated the aquarium hobby like the colorful and varied angelfish. Among the family Pomacanthidae which includes over 90 species, a few species are iconic in the aquarium hobby and a few them are ambassadors of the marine environment to the general public. Motifs of emperor, flame, peppermint and queen angelfish can be seen reproduced in much of the general literature on coral reefs and the marine environment. Of all the angelfish species, the swallowtail angelfish of the Genicanthus genus receive the least attention in reef and fish aquariums, but since they eat mostly zooplankton and some varied benthic foods, they are very well suited to life in an aquarium. Even in a group of fish that is crowded with extremely bold colors and patterns, the masked angelfish is still highly regarded by all who are informed about the details of this species.

Masked angelfish are protogynous hermaphrodites (they start out life as a female and eventually turn into males) and they are sexually dichromatic (a separate coloration for males and females). A fully grown female masked angelfish has an all white body color, retaining the mostly black tail, yellow pelvic fins and the black mask becomes reduced in size. The amount of black on the female masked angelfish shrinks to a small black patch which may encircle the eyes, with a little black under the lips and a black edging to the gill cover and gill spine.

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