Asfur and Maculosus angels

[Manta]

Would like the opinions of fishkeepers with experience of either of these. Lost my Regal Angel recently and need to stick with the Red Sea theme.

I note Scott Michael reckons the asfur is much shyer, this is of benefit to me as my tank is few butterfly dominated - is this your experience, any bullying in your tank by this angel?

Also with a view to perhaps keeping corals at a later date (minus most of the butterflies) would either of these be at least as reef-safe as a Regal (as variable as that can be of course) ?

tia

 

[danorth]

I had a mac and it was boss. They are tough fish to say the least.

 

[jmccown]

Manta, I've never kept the mac or asfur, but have always heard that the Taiwan tank raised specimens are reef safe. LA has several right now. They get really big though.

 

[DamnPepShrimp]

My brother had a mac and it was a beast. Pretty pushy fish. Between the two, I'd go with the asfur, they seem to be more reef safe from what I have seen (more asfurs in reefs, mainly SPS, then macs).

 

[yukonblizzard]

I have a tank raised Mac Angel from the Divers Den. He is about 3 inches and sticks up for himself but does not start anything, although he is housed with much larger tangs and triggers. I have a FOWLR so I cant coment on corals.

I would think that the angel would not bother the butterflies, as long as its a good sized tank. HTH

 

[swegyptian]

I have an Asfur in my mixed reef, and he nipped an acro, but then stopped. The only thing he seems to still be bothering, even though I have only seen him nip them once, are my zoas. I would say that he is pretty shy, not outgoing like a Queen angel. Mine is 5 or 6 inches long, and he is a bit pushy, but he doesn't really abuse anyone. I don't think I have ever seen him hide from another fish, only me.

 

[LargeAngels]

Mac's get HUGE. 18" long and can be nasty.

 

[kirkaz]

I had a Mac for about a month but lost him in a rock cave in I replaced him with an Asfur that I have had for about 9 months. Pretty similar personalities, the Asfur is never not at the front of the tank. I have some mushrooms and leathers and none of the Angels bother them to this point, haven't been brave enough to try SPS though. I also have an Emperor the same size, and the Asfur bosses the Emp., the Passer is half the size of the other 2 and they both boss him around.....For now.

I think the tank raised ones are good options, I also like the "white bar" ones Divers Den has at times.....Here are pics of the Mac I had and my current Asfur, not really sure which I prefer, though I think the Asfur is a bit prettier.

 

[LargeAngels]

Just to give a visual reference on how large a mac can grow. This one was caught in Florida, from copps thread http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1492900

 

[agreeive?fish]

i have an asfur in a FOWLR.. he is somewhat pushy one day then passive the next.. he is aprox 5 inches and in with a aprox 9 inch sailfin tang and an aprox 8 inch clown trigger, 3 inch powder brown a 5 inch gsm clownfish and some mollies the 3 big boys take turns of who is the boss for the day as they are prety evenly matched and nobody has obtained domminance as of yet and the most agression i see is some tail waggin(with out physical contact)

 

[Manta]

Thanks for all the replies guys, not sure at all, might try and see if I can track another regal down, if not probably go for the Asfur.

 

[WuHT]

I've never seen an asfur's over 6 inches. What gives ?

 

[saltyguy51]

What are all those holes on that angel?

 

[kirkaz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14751863#post14751863 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by WuHT
I've never seen an asfur's over 6 inches. What gives ?

Tell you what, mine is sure growing slow, he was almost an inch longer than my Emperor 6 months ago, the Emperor I believe is a touch bigger than the Asfur now, I can't tell that the Asfur has grown at all!

Saltyguy, what fish are you talking about?

 

[scchase]

I have had my Asfur for nearly 4 years now and its just barely hitting the 5 1/2" range seems to be slower growing then some of my others for instance the Imperator I have had since last September as a 2" juvi has almost caught the Asfur already

 

[WuHT]

ok so i'm not the only one.

I had a foxface which was about 1/3 the length of my asfur ..and now is longer. this was in the span of about 1/2 a year.

The worse part is that the asfur likes swimming in front and nipping the other fish when they eat, but he doesn't eat as much as i'd like.

Just likes to bother the other fish.

 

[Manta]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14757240#post14757240 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by WuHT
ok so i'm not the only one.

I had a foxface which was about 1/3 the length of my asfur ..and now is longer. this was in the span of about 1/2 a year.

The worse part is that the asfur likes swimming in front and nipping the other fish when they eat, but he doesn't eat as much as i'd like.

Just likes to bother the other fish.

Thats a bit worrying, my regal did the same thing though.

 

[alprazo]

I bought two TR Macs from LA. One has gone from 2 to 4 inches in about 6 months. The other has grown < 0.5 inches to a total of about 2.5 inches. They tolerate each other quite well and are still Juvies of course. They are in a SPS/LPS tank and do not nip, yet. THey do not bother the larger regal or the bellus pair. I have been quite happy with them. I love the Idea of TR fish were natural [predation is removed to allow a higher survival rate. Even though they still come fromthe see.

 

[saltyguy51]

I am talking about your first picture at the top. It looks like holes or indentations on the front half of the fish or is it a allusion?

 

[yukonblizzard]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14761311#post14761311 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by saltyguy51
I am talking about your first picture at the top. It looks like holes or indentations on the front half of the fish or is it a allusion?

Thats how all Macs are, or at least all the ones I have seen.