Your Majesty
Pomacanthus navarchus has, and deserves, multiple common names, but in our opinion, the one that best suits it is the Majestic Angel. It lives up to this moniker in every way. They are stunningly colored and patterned both as juveniles and adults and the transformation between these stages is just as jaw-dropping as the colors themselves. You may also have seen it labeled as the Blue Girdled Angel, a name which is just as common, and so on our website, you'll see it listed with both names. Less frequently, you may see it referred to as the Navarchus Angel or the Bluestone Angel.
As of right now, the vast majority of all Angelfish in aquariums are still wild caught, and this includes the Majestic Angels. They are a species with excellent wild reproduction, over a diverse wild range and sustainable harvest for aquarium keeping has been happening for decades. With all that being said, more stunning advancements from the biologists and friends at Bali Aquarich, we're proud to be able to offer you aquacultured specimens as well! Bali Aquarich is (predictably) located in Bali, where they have a more than 430,000 square foot facility. They breed more than 30 species of marine fish there, both for food and for ornamental marine markets.
The Majestic angel is a great fish for captivity; it complements its stunning looks with a not overly huge maximum size (rarely getting much bigger than eight to ten inches). They're good aquarium mates for most fish and have an even temperament, though they might be territorial with other Angelfish, especially ones of similar size. They've got good durability, and while wild specimens can sometimes take a while to get adjusted to captive feeding, the aquacultured versions come here already eating! These captive Angels have all the same great characteristics of the wild ones, plus some benefits. It hasn't uncommon for other captive bred Angelfish we've gotten from Bali Aquarich to have some aberrant colors or patterns too!
All the angels in the genus Pomacanthus are grazers, nibbling on nearly everything in their path as they swim along. While they seem to mostly consume sponges and tunicates, a vital part of their diet is also the wide variety of small invertebrates living on and in those sponges. This diet and habitat means they are usually found in relatively shallow water, from 10 feet down to about 100. They're usually around protected reefs with an abundance of sponge and coral growth. An important aspect of keeping any Pomacanthus is a well-rounded diet. Here we feed them a variety frozen meaty food from Gamma, including their Vegetarian Diet product. They also get Nutramar's Algae and Color Boost formula in both Pellets and Shots. This offers a wide spectrum of nutrients and minerals that the Angels might otherwise lack, the Shots have the added benefit of being able to stick them to glass or rocks for the Angels to graze on! A word of caution in feeding is that internet abounds with advice to feed Angel's things like spinach and lettuce. Avoid all land-based plants when feeding your Magestic Angels. If you'd like to feed them something to pick on, we suggest Nutramar Ogo or Nori.
While this isn't a huge fish, they are still big, and very active, and so you should plant on having an aquarium that will be large enough for it when it's ten inches long. We suggest a minimum of 180 gallons (and more is always better), with an emphasis on footprint over depth (meaning longer and wider rather than taller). They will appreciate lots of flow and likewise, strong filtration. All Angels love having plenty of rocks to swim around, graze on and hide in. Majestic Angels don't need a substrate, and are good candidates for bare bottom tanks, but if you like the look of sand, by all means utilize it. Lighting can be as intense or dim as you choose.
Other aquarium parameters should be familiar to everyone keeping marine aquariums. Pomacanthus navarchus are not an incredibly delicate fish, but this being said, they will be their healthiest, most brilliantly colorful selves in aquariums that are well maintained and stable. Shoot for specific gravity of at least 1.021 and up to 1.026. A good temperature for this fish is in the 75-degree Fahrenheit range, and a pH of 8 to 8.4, and stable, will keep them happy for a good long time. Individual fish can be acclimated to salinities that are a thousandth or two lower and temperatures that are cooler, down to 70 degrees or so. They are somewhat intolerant of nutrient build up, so keep that tank clean and don't fall behind on water changes.
The size and activity level of Majestic Angels means they are probably not well suited to keeping with small, timid fish that may be scared into hiding through mealtimes. On the other end of that spectrum, we suggest avoiding overly aggressive fish like large triggers and puffers. While these Majestics are aquacultured, and haven't seen a coral in their lives, the foraging behavior still lingers in much the same way that an aquacultured clownfish still looks for a host. Maybe many generations in the future, Majestic Angels will leave behind their wild habits and diet entirely, but until that time, they should not be kept in reef style aquaria. They may not necessarily target coral polyps, but they will sample them, often to the detriment or even death of the coral. All P. navarchus Angels love clams, sponges, and feather dusters, and will eat them. Avoid keeping these things in your tank, unless you intend for them to be food.
Pomacanthus navarchus is a shockingly beautiful, incredibly sustainable choice when it comes to getting the pièce de resistance for your home aquarium. If you're a home aquarist looking for a flagship fish, is a (perhaps, the) perfect showpiece. Ask your Local Fish Store about getting you one of these aquacultured, gorgeous fish from Quality Marine.