Coral Beauty Angelfish

[jsdratm]

I am thinking about adding a coral beauty angelfish to my 75gallon, but I am timid after hearing that they nip at corals. Right now I only have a single ricordea mushroom, but plan to get more. Is coral nipping a serious problem with this species?

 

[TCC]

I hear it is hit or miss with that species. I used to have one in a reef with softies, LPS, and SPS. Personally, I never had a problem with it nipping at corals.

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

LPS Corals and Clam Mantles tend to be the favorite food of the people who get nippers. It is hit and miss though. The only thing you can do is try, really. Or, if you are really worried, just don't get it and save yourself the worry and stress.

 

[imtheonlylp]

I hear it is hit or miss with that species.

that is true; i had a coral beauty and a ricordia both at the same time and never saw the CB mess with the ricordia...but have heard stories of them making a nice snack of them

 

[AquaristicA]

I have a beauty.At first when i bought it, it didnt tuch a single coral (all i had was softies then) I recently purchased a Montipora dig and it developed it's nipping just then.So if it is reef safe when u purchase it, it can develop it's nipping later as it grows.

 

[crpeck]

I have had a Coral Beauty for 3 years. Ricordea, Euphyllia, Blastomussa, Montipora, Seriatopora, Sarcophyton, Leather, Mushroom, Zoanthids and Paly type polyps have all been okay.

I have had to give up trying to keep Open Brain or similar types of LPS with tender membranes because he has consistently nipped them to the point where they won't expand. I think he actually picked pieces off of the brain corals. They died every time I tried to keep one because he would not leave them alone.

He's a little hard on the feather dusters, too but they get used to him and come right back out after he nips them back into their tube.

Personally, I like the fish well enough that I'm willing to just do without certain corals. There are plenty of beautiful ones that he doesn't bother.

 

[jsdratm]

Well thanks for the input everyone! It sounds like the problem isn't too common so I guess I will give this species a try. If it does get to be a major problem, I can always trade it.

 

[crpeck]

Good Luck!

As you can see by my avatar, my Coral Beauty is one of my favorite fish.

 

[Paintbug]

mine has been good since i bought him about a year and a half ago. i recently got a kenya tree, and hes constantly nipping at it. so much the kenya wont extend. other than that he would nip a coral once in a while, but no damage has been done.

 

[DrBegalke]

I keep one with a clam, polyps, mushrooms, and LPS. No problems.

He does eat mini brittle starfish though.