Emperor juvenile or adult?

[brad]

I am going to buy an emperor angelfish. Most recommendations are for either a juvenile or adult somewhere between 2 and 5 inches. Any advantage to one over the other, other than possibly getting better colors and patterns on the adult?

Is either more likely to live? Or to eat coral, anemones or clams?

If I buy the smallest adult I can find, are my chances better at getting a smaller final size? My tank is undersized (flame me if you want) so a fish that tops out at 9 inches would be preferred to one that will get 16.

Any difference in hardiness or size or reef safety for different origins, or only color? I know Christmas island and Red Sea are better colors and super expensive, but do other origins have different appearances?

 

[this is me]

I like to see the fish goes through its color transformation from juvie to adult. The couple emperor I've tried are all juvie and they all eat frozen quite well. However, I had to let them go becuase I couldn't handle all their nipping on the corals. I may try them again since my tank is much bigger and have more stuff for them to nip on.

 

[pinnatus]

Some origins have a dorsal filament also. Not sure which version comes from where.

For me, I love the juvenile coloration as well as the adult, and enjoy watching the change, so for me I would go with a juvenile.

Here were mine, one with and one without the filament, so from different parts of the world:


As Juveniles:

 

[humaguy]

Some origins have a dorsal filament also. Not sure which version comes from where

Pacific Ocean has a filament on the dorsal and has a yellow tail

Red Sea and Indian Ocean does not have a filament and has an orange tail

 

[mike61289]

I could be wrong as I've never kept emperor angels, but I have read that adults tend to be more colorful if they were collected as adults, whereas juveniles don't typically get that same brightness that wild adults get.

 

[alton]

Shortly after the purchase

Almost a year later

With today's food emps that took multi-years to transition now take a year. as far as color my Regals have only increased in color with time. I sold that Emp when I downsized, but I still miss him. So much so I replaced him with another juvenile. My personnel favorites are the specimens from Africa, and my favorite food is LRS.

 

[scuzy]

Mines still hasn't transition yet. It's been a year


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[brad]

Shortly after the purchase

Almost a year later

With today's food emps that took multi-years to transition now take a year. as far as color my Regals have only increased in color with time. I sold that Emp when I downsized, but I still miss him. So much so I replaced him with another juvenile. My personnel favorites are the specimens from Africa, and my favorite food is LRS.

Which food do you recommend? Why Africa?

 

[pinnatus]

Pacific Ocean has a filament on the dorsal and has a yellow tail

Red Sea and Indian Ocean does not have a filament and has an orange tail

There must also be a place with no filament and yellow tail, since that was how my other one was.

 

[brad]

Well, I looked around online but decided to get a 3" Juvenile from my LFS. He has been there 3 weeks, eating well, and in perfect health as far as I can tell, although a little thin. Unfortunately, the only origin information I got was "East Asia".

The LFS didn't have any advice on food, they feed all their fish the same diet. He loves the cheap pellets I had by my quarantine tank, but probably deserves better.

How much should I feed him? Water quality is not an issue - just drain 20 gallons from the quarantine and replace 20 gallons from the reef.

 

[this is me]

That's the way to go! Feed it well and it'll fatten up in no time. I have no problem feeding angelfish LRS reef frenzy, Hikra spirulina brine, and mysis, nori, flakes, and pellets. You want to feed as many variety of food as you can.

 

[brad]

Should I buy frozen food, anything with sponge or anything special? Any harm overfeeding? 15 years in the hobby, I've never seen a fish this small eat this much. I've done 4 feedings of about 30 3 mm pellets which are mostly krill and fish meal, in less than 24 hours! Each time I stop the fish is still hungry.

I will leave a nori sheet tonight, so he can eat as much as he wants.

 

[humaguy]

There must also be a place with no filament and yellow tail, since that was how my other one was.

follow the filament. tail color is probably due to maturity and/or diet.

 

[scooter31707]

IME, I have had luck with them in the 2.5 to 5 inch range for as stability and adjusting to the tank life.

 

[alton]

Which food do you recommend? Why Africa?

LRS is Larrys Reef Service - Reef Frenzy, there is always a chance for an orange tail, plus most African fish are collected well

 

[brad]

Not sure what the big dealis with the orange tail. It is a beautiful fish, but so are the yellow tailed. I'd almost rather get the tail filament.

 

[humaguy]

agree with the tail comment

 

[carrots]

I am getting tired of the dosing ,testing and the extra care a reef tank requires and I am thinking of getting another Emporer. Last one started out as a 1.5 inch in a reef. Did not make much impact on the corals until he was around 4 inches long a year later. It was just starting to change colors. At that time I wanted the corals more, so I traded him to a LFS.
I miss the Angels personality. They make great pets.

 

[ThRoewer]

Not sure what the big dealis with the orange tail. It is a beautiful fish, but so are the yellow tailed. I'd almost rather get the tail filament.

Not an expert on Emperors, but from what I've seen and read the color difference is more than just the tail. It is similar to the differences between Indian Ocean Regal Angels (orange-yellow chest/base color) and Pacific Ocean Regal Angels (blue-gray chest/base color).

 

[OrionN]

Well, I looked around online but decided to get a 3" Juvenile from my LFS. He has been there 3 weeks, eating well, and in perfect health as far as I can tell, although a little thin. Unfortunately, the only origin information I got was "East Asia".

The LFS didn't have any advice on food, they feed all their fish the same diet. He loves the cheap pellets I had by my quarantine tank, but probably deserves better.

How much should I feed him? Water quality is not an issue - just drain 20 gallons from the quarantine and replace 20 gallons from the reef.

Unless you give him good quality diet and water condition, he may not color up like he does in the wild and you will have a muted color angel. Keep this in mind when you raise an Imperator angel.