ANIMAL: Cherub Angelfish/Cherubfish Centropyge argi Type of Animal: Marine Angelfish Habitat: Coral rubble, reef rubble, coral bottoms, rubble bottoms, rocky areas, sand-gravel areas, sea anemone areas, soft bottom areas (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass), coral areas, rock/coral/oyster reefs, soft bottom reefs/reef edges, sandy bottoms, rubble zones, found at depths of 16-557.74 ft Location(s): W Atlantic from N Carolina through Caribbean & NE coast of South America Appearance: Deep blue to purplish deep oval laterally compressed body w/ orange-yellow head & chest Food/Diet: Marine algae, small shrimp, krill, copepods, zooplankton, phytoplankton, cyclops, vegetable matter, large polyp stone corals, marine worms Status in Wild: Stable Conservation: Breeding in aquaculture & aquariums. Lifestyle: Small schools of a male w/ 1-5 females Additional Info: Called: Male Female Young: Fry Group: School Weight: Male: 1.4-2 lbs Female: 1-1.6 lbs Gestation: 3 days Life Span: 3-5 years Body Length: Male: 2.5-2.8 in Female: 2.3-2.4 in Main predators are larger fish & sharks. These fish dart into sheltered areas if scared. These fish rather popular in aquaculture. Males extremely territorial, sometimes fighting to the death. Maturity reached at around 6 months. These fish are slow swimmers. These fish utilize chemical signals carried in urine/bile to communicate social status. These fish are quite curious but can be rather skittish. Skin mucus provides protection against parasites/infections as well as allowing them to move faster. These fish have very high metabolism. Females lay up to 500 eggs in spawning session. They’re broadcast spawners, releasing eggs/sperm simultaneously into water column. These are very active fish. Dorsal/ventral fins lend stability in swimming, tail fins help it propel through water, & pectoral fins are for locomotion & side-to-side movement. Larval stage lasts about 2.5 months, then transitioning to juvenile stage until maturity. Fun Fact(s): Like all marine angelfish, these fish born female w/ more dominant/larger females becoming males. Most often occurs when there’s no dominant male around so high-ranking female becomes male. Also called Cherub Pygmy Angelfish, Pygmy Cherub Angelfish, Yellowface Pygmy Angelfish, Atlantic Pygmy Angelfish, Caribbean Pygmy Angelfish, & Blue Pygmy Angelfish. Like other dwarf angels, they’re quite difficult to breed in captivity.
