Ready for the next large angelfish? Check out the Passer Angelfish. Back to Angelfish, Large — Overview. Open the Main Menu.

A good 'first choice' for a large angelfish, the Maculosus Angelfish is also referred to as the Yellowbar Angelfish, Yellow-band Angelfish, Map Angelfish, or Blue Moon Angelfish. In its juvenile form, at 2", it is deep blue with several white vertical bars. The body is surrounded by a metallic blue, and it has a bright yellow tail. As the fish matures and grows, a bright vertical bar will appear, and the white vertical stripes will disappear. A neon blue irregular pattern will start to show when the fish attains a length of 3-4", the center vertical stripe will turn a vivid yellow, and the tail a transparent yellow. As an adult, the fish will eventually turn a gorgeous blue with a large vertical yellow bar midbody. The caudal fin is transparent yellow, which distinguishes it from the Asfur Angelfish, which has a bold yellow tail and dark purple body.

The Maculosus Angelfish is hardy and grows up to a foot in length, so it should be kept in a 100 gallon or larger tank with only one specimen per tank. It is not a good candidate for a reef aquarium since it is prone to nip at stony and soft corals (sessile invertebrates) and clam mantles.

As a member of the Pomacanthidae family, the Maculosus Angelfish is hermaphroditic, difficult to breed, and indistinguishable in color variations from male to female.

The diet of the Maculosus Angelfish should include Spirulina, marine algae, quality meaty items, and high-quality angelfish preparations containing sponges.