2nd try at several dwarf angel trios

[Mickey]

My first attempt at adding several small groups of dwarf angels ended in disaster last year I waited a few months and now I'm trying again. I have three Eibli's in QT right now and they had been put together by a wholesaler I've dealt with previously and held for just over a month before sending to me. They've been a few days in my QT and so far they look great and no aggression.

The same wholesaler is currently putting together some additional trios for me. I'm debating between lemonpeels, flame angels or midnight angels (C.nox) and planning on two out of three of these to add to the Eibli's. Not sure my 225 gal can handle 4 groups.

I've always read that you should add all the angels to the tank at once, but I'd like advice from those that have multiple angels now. Should I add the Eibli's, and then add the others one group at a time after the appropriate QT period? I will use an acclimation box when the time comes to add them to my display too.

Or, should I just QT them all separately and then add them to the display all at once without an acclimation box?

Tank is a 225 gal and lightly stocked right now.................two pajama cardinals (11 years old), 3 blue-green chromis (1 year), 1 ocellaris clown (6 years), 1 small black ocellaris (4 months).

Mickey

 

[Reef264]

Sounds like a Regular Degular plan for awesomeness!

 

[Jfannin]

First I'm not a pro by any means. "But I sit through a great presitation by Copps once" and what I got from him was "in my words" have them together in the tank so they think their together but keep them seperate to prevent a major fight yet alow them to get use to each other. I would try to egg creat your tank or use a few large acclamation boxs next to each other. As a thought, By keeping them devided you can take your time per say. But if you just put them where they can get to each other, good luck getting them apart let alone out of the tank. BTW lights out only works so good.

 

[Mickey]

I saw a presentation by Copps as well. he's the one who gave me the idea to try this. I'm just trying to figure out how many is "too many" for the tank to handle. I know I'm pushing the envelope putting multiple angels together but I don't want to overdo it.

Mickey

 

[Jfannin]

Understand that. I hate loosing a fish.

I just started Quarintineing a Tricolor dwarf angle to go with my potters angle. The tricolor is eating good and what not and I just added Prazipro earlyer today just as a preventative tx. So we'll see.

 

[LargeAngels]

Lemonpeels can be nasty. The one problem you might wind up with is one of the males getting larger than the others and not wanting any dwarf males in his territory. Other than that it is doable. Just be prepared.

 

[Mickey]

Jfannin - good luck with your Tricolor

LargeAngels - I know of the reputation of lemonpeels and that's one of the things holding me back. I've also read that they hybridize with Eibli's and that's one of the reasons why I've been considering them. I assumed they'd be more tolerant of each other. Though they do get larger than the others I'm thinking about.

Maybe I should just go with 3 Midnights and 3 Flames and skip the lemonpeels?

I am prepared for issues but I'd rather avoid them if I can.

Mickey

 

[albano]

Maybe I should just go with 3 Midnights and 3 Flames and skip the lemonpeels?

+1

I added a pair of flames to my tank, with 2 'established' dwarfs, and 6 large angels...key to that was an acclimation box, for 48 hours...the established, larger Coral Beauty never even looked at them, after their 'release'

 

[Jfannin]

Any you only had them in a box for 48 hours. Hum. I was thinking it would take much longer then that. Well not like crazy long but at least a weak. I was planning on a egg creat devider my self.

Micky, What was your plan for the interdiction?

 

[Toddrtrex]

I usually leave mine in for 5-7 days -- have found that shorter didn't work out as well. Plus, want the new additions to be eaten well first.

 

[albano]

And you only had them in a box for 48 hours.

They were in QT for weeks...
but in most cases, I have only needed acclimation box for 24-48 hrs...
Haven't lost a new fish in a long time (there are 80 fish in the DT )

 

[Mickey]

I've got the Eibli's in QT right now and the dealer is putting together trios of lemonpeels and flame angels for me right now. I may change that on Monday to midnights and flames rather than lemonpeels.

The advantage to having the dealer put them together is that he can keep switching out members until he gets a group that seem to accept being together. I think they usually start with two and then add the third. So far that has worked. Obviously I'm trying to stick with smaller specimens so that they are all female or no more than one male to start. Anyway, they'll usually keep them for a week or two to make sure there is no aggression (or minimal) before shipping them to me.

Then, when I get them I'll quarantine them for a month or so and my plan is to quarantine them in separate tanks just in case of a problem. I just need to decide if I want to move the Eibli's to my display to free up a tank, or do I want to try to set up a 3rd QT tank to keep them all out of the display to allow them to be added all together after the last group is quarantined.

It might be tough to get three acclimation boxes into my display, but I can definitely get one. I was thinking about using eggcrate to split the tank in two roughly 3 ft sections (tank is 72" x 30" custom). Then I'd release the flames on one side and the lemonpeels and Eibli's on the other. Or perhaps I'll put the lemonpeels in the box.

I just can't decide if I should give up on the lemonpeels and switch them out for midnights. I'd love to have both but I'm afraid that might be pushing the envelope a little too far. I suppose if I go with midnights now and everything seems nice and stable I could try adding small lemonpeels some months down the road with an acclimation box.

Too many decisions.

Mickey

 

[BossHoggin]

I cant give any valuable input but am interested to see how this pans out. If you can pull it off i'm sure it will be amazing.

 

[geaux xman]

my vote is for the lemonpeel trio's. i have a 2.5" lemonpeel. i think they look great and its the smallest fish in my tank full of angels and a few tangs.

i would do 3-5 lemonpeels, but my tank is too crowded already.

 

[nonimmigrant]

I would vote against the Flames due to aggression issues. I've had a group of 4 multifasciatus, aurantius, and a pair of nox for years now with no issues. I'm taking the Potters to three after the new tank build. Good luck.

 

[Mickey]

Thanks for all the input. It's definitely a tough decision.

Mickey

 

[Mickey]

Thanks for all the input. It's definitely a tough decision.

Mickey

 

[Jfannin]

I would vote against the Flames due to aggression issues. I've had a group of 4 multifasciatus, aurantius, and a pair of nox for years now with no issues. I'm taking the Potters to three after the new tank build. Good luck.

What size tank do you have know with more then one Potter and what size you going to try to put 3 in?

 

[nonimmigrant]

What size tank do you have know with more then one Potter and what size you going to try to put 3 in?

In terms of centropyge:

2x aurantius / nox each, 1x Potters are in the 400g
2x aurantius , 4x multifasciatus are in the 225g SPS

Everyone shall be moving into a 1900+g system early next year.

 

[Jfannin]

Holly crap. Alot more water volume then I got lol