Flame Angelfish

Care Summary

The Flame Angel is one of the most visually striking pygmy angels with its vivid red-orange body and black vertical stripes; Hawaiian-sourced specimens are considered the hardiest. House it in 55+ gallons with plenty of rockwork; it needs territory and grazing substrate to feel secure, and in smaller tanks it tends to be more aggressive and more prone to nipping. Feed a varied diet of mysis, enriched brine, nori, and algae-based pellets twice daily; a flame angel that eats well in a properly sized tank rarely bothers corals, but a hungry one in a nano will. Despite the caution label, many reefers keep flames long-term in mixed reefs; the key is buying captive-bred or tank-raised specimens when available and maintaining consistent feeding.