Adding a Flame Angel to a reef tank

[VJV]

Hi, I have a 300L (roughly 80 gallons) reef tank that has been running for four months now, and this is my current stocking:

- pair of Ocellaris clowns
- one yellow tail damsel
- one yellow eye Kole tang
- 3 Lyretail Anthias

As far as corals go, I have three small acan frags, one large lobophylia, one Euphylia, one Trachyphillia, a couple of Zoas and a large Sarcophyton.

I am planning to add a flame angel, a orchid dottyback and a midas Blenny to the mix. I have a very good and oversized protein skimmer (Deltec SC 1455) so no issues with nutrient levels thus far.

I know that flame angels (and all dwarf angels for that matter) are prone to pick on LPS corals. I also know that this is more likely to happen if they are hungry. At this point, I have zero algae in my tank. During the week given that I work abroad the tank is only fed once a day by my wife, and an additional 4 times pellets with an auto feeder (it is set so that it releases very few each time, 10-12 max) which most of the fish ignore because they tend to sink too fast. Only the Kole tang will eat them from the sand bed.

So my questions this: I would love to add the flame at this point. I can deal with a 50-50 chance of coral nipping because I just love this fish. However, given that it will not have algae to graze and that it will only get frozen food once a day 5 days of the week(on weekends I feed frozen twice a day), is this more liquefy to turn 90-10 in terms of the angel going for my LPS?

Sorry for the long description!

 

[btb72]

more often they go after sps instead of lps if they are going to be coral munchers.

 

[benjc]

I had one that loved to taste acans

 

[SloppyJ]

I would kill for a flame in my tank but it's just too risky. Maybe I can find one from someone that isn't a nipper.

 

[VJV]

more often they go after sps instead of lps if they are going to be coral munchers.

Thanks! I had read that actually the Flame Angel would be more likely to go form LPS but good to know

 

[VJV]

i had one that loved to taste acans

 

[VJV]

I would kill for a flame in my tank but it's just too risky. Maybe I can find one from someone that isn't a nipper.

The guy in my LFS today told me that in 6 years only on two occasions they had problems with the Flames they've sold. In fact, they had three at the store and before I asked about the coral munching habits he voluntarily told me that the one on the left would not suit me because it was returned from a customer due to having nipped at corals.

I than told him that with Flames that was always a risk Nd that is when he told me that for the past 6 years he had only seen it in a couple of cases... I did like the honesty of him pointing right away that one of the fish had been returned due to its bad habits, even before I mentioned the subject.

 

[planedoc]

I've had Goodluck two times with flame Angeles. Since he took one return for a "bad actor" I'm sure he would take another. I've had LPS corals slightly nipped at by fish that IMHO helped them grow more, key being slightly. Remember nothing ventured nothing gained.

 

[HumbleFish]

IMO & E; it's not a matter of will they nip, but when, how badly and to which corals. Overfeeding helps sometimes, but then that leads to other problems (i.e. excessive nutrients, high nitrates/phosphates, etc.)

And then there's something about zoas... I have 5 dwarf angels, and none of them really nip to the point that it bothers me. Sure, I'd probably get better coral growth/propagation without them in the tank, but that's the price I pay. But put zoas in that tank, and they wipe out the rock in no time. :sad2: Clams too!

 

[albano]

I have 4 FAs in my 450g (plus 8 other angels) and zoas are now all gone, but no other problems in past 3-4 yrs.

Also the dottyback could get aggressive

 

[accordsirh22]

flames generally arent too bad. i held off on one for a while before i finally pulled the trigger and got one. he spent the first week picking at the rocks and then took to pellet food. it took him a while to really get in the fray when it came to feeding times, but eventually he got the hang of it. he also eats them off the sand. so far, not nipping anything. at least that i can tell lol

 

[VJV]

IMO & E; it's not a matter of will they nip, but when, how badly and to which corals. Overfeeding helps sometimes, but then that leads to other problems (i.e. excessive nutrients, high nitrates/phosphates, etc.)

And then there's something about zoas... I have 5 dwarf angels, and none of them really nip to the point that it bothers me. Sure, I'd probably get better coral growth/propagation without them in the tank, but that's the price I pay. But put zoas in that tank, and they wipe out the rock in no time. :sad2: Clams too!

damn!!! I just bought 4 frags of ultra Zoas....

 

[OrionN]

I do feed my tank on the heavy side. I got a Flame amgel pair in my 320 g and a flame angel male in my 65 g. All three are doing great, no nipping. Once adjusted to your tnak, they will eat anything, flakes, pellets, frozen and pick at all the pods and fauna on your rock.
My 65 gal only have a Yellow tang, Flame angel, A. percula pair and one yellow tail blue damsel. I want to get a female for him next time I see one.

 

[VJV]

Well, what the heck! I am going for it and let's hope this is another model citizen... not sure if my yellow eye cole will appreciate having another grazer so am thinking about cutting some egg rate to divide the tank in two for one or two weeks if things turn sour.

Not sure why but every fish I add to my tank seems to like only the right hand side.... So they keep bumping into each other and the tang chases everyone out except for the clowns.

 

[AuburnTiger1]

Let us know how it goes. I am thinking about one in my 60 cube reef as well.

 

[VJV]

LFS texted me saying they have the flame and an orchid dottyback in. I will go see them tomorrow.

 

[VJV]

I have the fish in my tank and the Flame is SOOOOOoo beautiful! It is of a deeper red instead of orange tone, as I prefer. I will add a few pictures later this week. No coral nipping thus far . The only downside for the time being is that my Kole Tang is beatin the cr@p out of him !!

Hopefully aggression will wind down...

 

[VJV]

Oh dear!... I seem to have brought the flukes in with the flame angel.... It is a Red Sea specimen supplied by TMC so if anyone is thinking about buying from the same source be careful... I wasn't, and now my male Anthias is dead, and several fish are showing symptoms like scratching against the sand.

 

[albano]

Oh dear!... I seem to have brought the flukes in with the flame angel...It is a Red Sea specimen supplied by TMC so if anyone is thinking about buying from the same source be careful...

I've not heard of Red Sea Flame Angels before...are you sure?

 

[VJV]

I've not heard of Red Sea Flame Angels before...are you sure?

Sorry! I meant Hawaii.