Fun Peppermint Angelfish Facts For Kids

A collection of distinctive and unique vibrant-looking saltwater fishes are an enthralling addition to any fish-keeper aquarium. One such fish is the peppermint angelfish (Paracentropyge boylei), a rare brightly colored angelfish, popularly known as the Holy Grail in the pet fish business sector.

The peppermint angelfish was formally described a few years back. Charles (Chip) Boyle discovered this species of angelfish. They are often caught at a depth of 300-400 feet.

Interestingly, these peculiar and uncommon fish species are not for beginner fish keepers. So, before you purchase this fish and bring it to your house, make sure you have learned the basics as a beginner. If you have just brought a fish tank, start with beginner fish.

Since peppermint angelfish is a rare deepwater species that is very difficult to catch, its price is very high. So plan well to take care of this fish properly.

Search more about this beautiful species and learn the facts. Build up your knowledge furthermore with spotted catfish facts and milkfish facts.

Peppermint Angelfish Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a peppermint angelfish?

In the wild, the peppermint angelfish (Paracentropyge boylei) is a shy type and prefers to hide around cliffs and reefs in the Central, eastern, and southern regions of the Pacific Ocean. They rarely swim out to the water column.

Therefore, it becomes challenging to find them as they reside in rocky caves and near the corals. If you want to keep a peppermint angelfish as a pet, it must be handled with care due to the change in water temperature from the depths to the surface.

Another characteristic of the peppermint angelfish species is that they protect their territory against intruders. Those with eggs and young ones sometimes fight to the death to protect themselves.

When a predator is sighted, they tend to hide away near reefs and corals or flee when needed. The Centropyge boylei species usually protect themselves by biting and flickering their gills a bit.

Peppermint angelfish chase each other when playing or when trying to protect themselves.

What class of animal does a peppermint angelfish belong to?

Peppermint angelfish (Paracentropyge boylei) is a fish species. It belongs to the class Actinopterygii, and the family is Pomacanthidae.

How many peppermint angelfish are there in the world?

The exact number of peppermint angelfish (Paracentropyge boylei) is unknown since they are found in deep ocean waters. However, in 2011, only one peppermint angelfish was available to make its first public display in Waikiki Aquarium. The Smithsonian Institute research expedition team captured the peppermint angelfish.

Where does a peppermint angelfish live?

Peppermint angelfish (Paracentropyge boylei) live in the ocean. The Centropyge boylei is found on the eastern, central, and south Pacific oceans floor. They were mainly recorded in the Cook Islands and Rarotonga. Although, it is possible to find them in other regions of the Pacific Ocean.

What is a peppermint angelfish's habitat?

The Centropyge boylei is found at a depth of 300-400 feet, often residing near corals, rocky caves, and reefs. Their diet comprises sponges, crustaceans, detritus, and tunicates in this depth.

Trained divers can only reach the peppermint angelfish with special breathing equipment known as a rebreather to reach such depths and avoid surrendering to the bends known as decompression sickness or DCS.

Once divers reach the depth of the ocean floor around 300-400 feet, they have a limited time, so it becomes challenging for them to capture and collect this colorful species in the extreme depths of the ocean floor where the light rarely reaches.

If you are fortunate enough to get a peppermint angelfish in your fish tank, here are a few things you must consider to provide them with a home-like native habitat. The Centropyge boylei live in the depths of the ocean floor where the water temperature is cold, so keep them in temperatures around 71-72 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Centropyge boylei usually hide if they get startled or threatened, in rocks, corals, and vegetation.

They are found near lower-flowing water, so make sure you offer them a tank with fluctuating water flow. Also, feeding them with a proper diet should be of the utmost concern.

Who do peppermint angelfishes live with?

Peppermint angelfish live in pairs or with their family or in groups and schools of their kind.

How long does a peppermint angelfish live?

The average lifespan of the peppermint angelfish (Centropyge boylei) is 10-15 years.

How do they reproduce?

Peppermint angelfish are known to breed through spawning. It is the process by which females release unfertilized eggs and spermatozoa by the males in the water to fertilize the eggs.

The Centropyge boylei fish reaches sexual maturity when they are 6-12 months old. When a breeding pair is ready to spawn, they will choose a site and clean the surface. Then, the female Centropyge boylei fish deposit the eggs in fine lines.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of peppermint angelfish (Centropyge boylei) is the Least concern.

Peppermint Angelfish Fun Facts

What do peppermint angelfishes look like?

The peppermint angelfish is a tiny little colorful fish belonging to the family Pomacanthidae. This fish has a length of 2.8 in (7 cm).

Centropyge boylei has an oval-shaped body with five vertical white strips on top of reddish-orange background. These strips extend to the fins. The anal and dorsal fins have white stripes, while the caudal fin is semi-transparent. Their cute little face and chin are white.

Angelfish are very common in marine aquariums, but peppermint angelfish is scarce. Since the peppermint angelfish lives in the deep cold temperature ocean waters, those who have the opportunity to keep the peppermint angelfish as a pet need to set the tank temperature at 72.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, after seven weeks, gradually increase the temperature to 74.5 degrees Fahrenheit.

How cute are they?

As the name suggests, peppermint angelfish get their name from the striking reddish-orange body color with five white stripes. The caudal fin is translucent.

How do they communicate?

The peppermint angelfish communicate using chemical signals in the urine and bile; they are released into the water. Other methods to communicate with each other include visual, auditory, and olfactory.

The vibration of objects in and around them also allows the fish to know of an approaching enemy.

How big is a peppermint angelfish?

The peppermint angelfish has a length of 2.8 in (7 cm). Thus, the peppermint angelfish length is two times bigger than the Leopoldi angelfish.

How fast can a peppermint angelfish move?

The peppermint angelfish may move gracefully in a school, in pairs, or with the family. However, the exact speed is not mentioned.

How much does a peppermint angelfish weigh?

The peppermint angelfish weight is not recorded. However, gray angelfish, the largest angelfish, weighs around four pounds.

What are the male and female names of the species?

Female species are known as female peppermint angelfish, and males are known as male peppermint angelfish.

What would you call a baby peppermint angelfish?

A baby peppermint angelfish is known as fry.

What do they eat?

The peppermint angelfish (Paracentropyge boylei) are found at depths of 300-400 feet. They primarily reside near rocks and corals. Their diet consists of worms, sponges, tunicates, crustaceans, and detritus in the wild. They sometimes nip at some corals.

If you have them as a pet in your fish tank, feed them with algae-rich food. You can even feed the Paracentropyge boylei frozen food.

Make sure the Paracentropyge boylei receives the right amount of food. Also, please note their feeding response, like what they like to eat and the food brand. The feeding response is significant for the survival of this species.

Are they poisonous?

No, the peppermint angelfish species are not poisonous.

Would they make a good pet?

Yes, a peppermint angelfish would make a good pet. They recognize their owners and can remember their faces for months or years. The peppermint angelfish marine fish species are also known to develop bonds with their owners. But this bond is different from that of dogs or cats.

These vibrantly colored reddish-orange fish with white stripes always hide near the reefs. As of March 2019, only one peppermint angelfish marine species was available for display at the Waikiki Aquarium. If you have them as a pet feeding them should be the primary concern.

Did you know...

The rarest angelfish is the black phantom angelfish. It is an uncommon marine fish species found in the extreme depths of the ocean waters in the northern Philippines. It is believed to be much rare than the Holy Grails.

The Centropyge boylei marine fish species are first described by John Ernest Randall and Richard Pyle in 1992.

This fish species is placed in the sub-genus Pararcentropyge by some researchers. Its name is in honor of the collector Charles 'Chip' J. Boyle.

To acquire the angel tap-tap fish in the Abyssrium video game, you must have and own any combo of the 30 angelfishes available. For breeding the peppermint angelfish, there must be thirty Queen Angels. This fusion makes it similar to that of Naso Tang.

Peppermint angelfish lifespan

The average lifespan of the peppermint angelfish is 10-15 years.

How much does a peppermint angelfish cost?

The peppermint angelfish (Paracentropyge boylei) is rare. It is also known as Holy Grail in the aquarium fish industry. You can get a peppermint angelfish in a fish pet shop or local fish store, although in limited numbers since it is rarely caught and its price is very high.

The peppermint angelfish is usually exported worldwide as an aquarium specimen at a hefty price. A single peppermint angelfish specimen price is around $30000.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these swai fish facts and skate fish facts.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our peppermint angelfish coloring pages.