Combining dwarf Angels

[Martini5788]

I am trying to finalize my stocking list for my new 210 gallon(6 ft) and I have a lot of dwarf Angels that I really like. I would like to combine several species and want to know what has worked for people and what hasn't. The species that I am interested in are
Flame angel
Potters angel
Eibli angel
Venustus angel

Whatever I decide on getting, they will be introduced into the tank at the same time and will all be juveniles. Let me know what you guys think and if you have any tips for me. Thanks!

 

[caribfan]

Currently keeping 3 venustus, one eibli, and one multifasciatus with no issues in my 240. I have a lemon peel that I'll be adding to that mix in the near future as well.

I think you'll be fine with those fish.

 

[inktomi]

I'm curious - where will you be able to find those angels all at the same time and as juvis?

 

[Martini5788]

I have a friend that orders directly from a distributor. He has a small online coral business but will order fish for people who ask. So for fish that I have very specific size requests for, or pairs, then I go through him or I will be ordering from coral imports for the other fish.

 

[o2manyfish]

I have the flame, pair of flameback, pair of golden, trio of venustus, multibar, multicolor, pair of bellus, regal and gold flake,

Only chasing is between the big venustus and little venustus (on rare occassion). And the flamebacks occassionally chase one another. But they have been caught spawning twice in the tank so I am not too worried about their chasing.

Dave B

 

[trackhazard]

I have a 2 flame angels (male and female) and a coral beauty living in an 80 gallon with no aggression.

My wife currently has a regal, venustus, multibar, and 3 bellus angels in a 150 with no problems aside from the bellus chasing each other around on occasion.

 

[Martini5788]

I was unaware that the venustus is labeled as expert only. What is the truth to that? What makes them so difficult?

 

[Toddrtrex]

I was unaware that the venustus is labeled as expert only. What is the truth to that? What makes them so difficult?

They can be difficult to get eating prepared foods. I have had a total of 3 -- all from Diver's Den. The first one I had for about 4 years, starting eating right away, was a great fish. Lost it when I didn't put the screen back after a water change. Found it 6 months later on the floor when I took down that tank. Before it was in my 40 breeder, it was in a 58 with a Coral Beauty and multicolored.

The other 2 came as a pair. The larger one never started eating, wouldn't even pick at the rocks. The smaller of the 2 is still with me (( about 9 months now )) and eats like a champ. It is in my 210 with a flameback, don't seem to care about each other.

As for your list, I would make sure to get the Venustus first, and let it get established, they tend to be a shier angel.

 

[o2manyfish]

Venustus and multibar really need a tank that can feed them naturally while they adjust to captivity. These are very shy fish, they like to be in the dark and in caves. If you have pods, and sponges and some corals for them to pick off of then eventually they become more comfortable and start venturing out.

My pair of golden angels I am lucky to see once every 4-6 months. My multibar may go a week without being seen.

My trio of Venustus are very seldom all 3 visible at the same time.

But all the above listed fish and nice and robust and healthy.

Dave B

 

[Martini5788]

I plan to use a cycled qt for all of the difficult fish. And use liverock leftover from the display for my 50 gallon qt. I have atleast 250 lbs of it that I know won't all fit in the tank. 80 lbs of that was dry rock that is now live from my last tank. So maybe even more than that if I weighed it. If the venustus is a fish that I am not going to frequently see then I will probably cross it off the list. I want this to be an active tank and I don't want to pay 100+ for a fish that I can only occasionally get a glimpse of

 

[caribfan]

I've had different experiences than Dave in regards to my Venustus and Multibar.

I have attempted six venustus in total, I lost the first three and have been successful with the second three. I quarantined them all in the same manner and with the same tank parameters. All were in a barebottom tank with no live rock.

The first one I received had a massive injury upon arrival and didn't last two days.

The second two I received were tiny and probably should not have been shipped. I think they suffered from ammonia poisoning during shipping.

The last three I ordered came in eating like champs within the first couple days. I think it certainly helps to have natural foods available, but for those fish, it definitely was not necessary.

The multifasciatus that I have received the same quarantine treatment as the venustus, I started with two and ended up losing one to a bacterial infection.

I think the key is getting a quality specimen, so have your buddy ask the wholesaler if the fish are eating before you order them. IF a fish is eating, that's 90% of the battle won in my opinion.

FWIW, I may not have as many hiding spots as Dave because I see my venustus and multifasciatus all the time. It's a little easier to get lost in a 400 compared to a 240.

 

[Martini5788]

Combining dwarf Angels

I will have to think about the venustus a little more. My livestock list for this tank is already really expensive so i am not sure I want to spend money on a gamble, per say. My main display tank failed about a month ago now, so I am in the process of getting the 210 setup. But with that comes a lot of extra costs that were definitely not planned on. So my fish budget has gotten slimmer. My husband wants a lot of smaller fish, which is fine but when you are trying to stock a larger tank with small fish it
Gets expensive quickly. Pretty much everything that is going in the tank will be juveniles except a pair of yellow head jawfish, starry blenny, and 1 of my clowns. Everything else will be young and will grow up in the tank. That's the plan anyways. I want to watch them grow up

 

[ca1ore]

I'm curious - where will you be able to find those angels all at the same time and as juvis?

Exactly. It's one of those pieces of advice that makes sense if you don't really think about it; but awfully difficult to implement in practice. Fortunately, in the vast majority of cases, it's unecessary.

 

[Spartanman22]

I had a multibar for about 3 months. Never ate any prepared foods during that time. He was nice and fat, but that was because he was devouring my sps polyps so he had to go.