Experience with Emperor Angel?

[zebrasoma82]

I have a 180g zoanthid tank. I have a 6" Sohal, 7" Naso, 4" Purple Tang, 5" Sailfin, and 6" Blue Hippo. All getting along. All are happy and eating. Thinking of adding a 5-6" Emperor. Thoughts on tank mate aggression and do you think he will eat all my zoas?

 

[o2manyfish]

He might not eat all of your zoas, and he might not eat any at the beginning. But odds are that one day when he/she is mature they will start munching. Maybe just a small patch here, and a small patch there. And then leave the rest alone for awhile.

Or sometimes they just start and don't stop.

With the big Angels, the chances of them leaving the Zoas alone is slim -- Possible but slim.

I have kept big angels and sometimes they will be fine for months, and then one day take a colony out of the blue.

When my tank has been doing well, I have 1000's of heads of Zoa. I once raised a Chrysurus and all of a sudden one day it mowed 300+ Bright red zoas. And a week later some blues. And then it kept going.

I have kept Imperators and had the same experience, of them getting an occassional taste. Not decimating the entire zoa popuplation but just one color morph at a time.

Dave B

 

[Dmorty217]

He might not eat all of your zoas, and he might not eat any at the beginning. But odds are that one day when he/she is mature they will start munching. Maybe just a small patch here, and a small patch there. And then leave the rest alone for awhile.

Or sometimes they just start and don't stop.

With the big Angels, the chances of them leaving the Zoas alone is slim -- Possible but slim.

I have kept big angels and sometimes they will be fine for months, and then one day take a colony out of the blue.

When my tank has been doing well, I have 1000's of heads of Zoa. I once raised a Chrysurus and all of a sudden one day it mowed 300+ Bright red zoas. And a week later some blues. And then it kept going.

I have kept Imperators and had the same experience, of them getting an occassional taste. Not decimating the entire zoa popuplation but just one color morph at a time.

Dave B

^This. On the other hand if you get a juv emperor and have it in the tank with corals from the start you could be ok. My emperor I got at a 2"juv and is now a 6.5" adult and has never nipped at a thing. Zoa,LPS,Sps or softy. I even have a huge chunk of sponge in my tank it's never looked twice at. This is my experience and has been when getting "with caution" fish

 

[zebrasoma82]

^This. On the other hand if you get a juv emperor and have it in the tank with corals from the start you could be ok. My emperor I got at a 2"juv and is now a 6.5" adult and has never nipped at a thing. Zoa,LPS,Sps or softy. I even have a huge chunk of sponge in my tank it's never looked twice at. This is my experience and has been when getting "with caution" fish

I have a theory about this. I was thinking if they were taken from the wild before they got the chance to eat zoas then they won't have that habit when introduced to your tank. All I need to do is make sure they are well fed and they may never be interested in zoas.

 

[Dmorty217]

I have a theory about this. I was thinking if they were taken from the wild before they got the chance to eat zoas then they won't have that habit when introduced to your tank. All I need to do is make sure they are well fed and they may never be interested in zoas.

Absolutely, larger fish have become accustomed to eating whatever they can in the wild to survive and get bigger. When they are juv they have had less time to develop a taste for things and juv aren't in the wild eating corals larger than their mouths. Then again you can get a juv that could possible wreak havoc on a reef tank. There are always exceptions to the rule

 

[o2manyfish]

I agree that starting smaller is better. My Chrysurus started out at 1.5" and was 5" in when it started eating zoas, and eating them voraciously. So that was probably almost 2 years of being well behaved before shifting.

The last mature gold flake I had before my crash last fall, started out as a tiny juvie, and after 2 years was a nice adult. He could sense which zoas were most expensive and wipe out a colony all at once. But would only do this once every 2-3 months.

I'm waiting for this iteration of my tank to mature a bit more and then and going to try to locate a Red Sea Juvie Imperator and a tiny Navarchus. I love both these fish. I have yet to keep a Navarchus in my reef tank. But without a Fish Only tank I miss having one.

Dave B

 

[hedgedrew]

I agree. Still can get nasty as adult. Juvys are great

 

[Sammykonga]

Anyone have experience with them eating a BTA that is hosting a Maroon? Or do you think the BTA would be ok with the protection of the clown? Sorry to hijack.

 

[Dmorty217]

Anyone have experience with them eating a BTA that is hosting a Maroon? Or do you think the BTA would be ok with the protection of the clown? Sorry to hijack.

Mine was in the DT with a BTA and a carpet, didn't pay any attention to either. Doesn't touch aiptasia either

 

[o2manyfish]

Many years ago (late 80's) I had a friend who had an adult emperor he had grown up and had for about 10 years. It was in a 240. He would purchase 1 to 2 Rose bulbs a month that the emperor would eventually devour.

But his wife loved her clowns, and loved the Rose Bulbs.

Dave B

 

[Paaty]

I have a 6 year old emporer and he loves zoas. A friend was closing his tank so he gave me a rock with about 100 heads of blue zoas and by the next day they were all gone. He does not touch most other coral.

 

[lagatbezan]

When I added my adult emperator to my 180 2 years ago, whining one day all the zoas in my tank were eaten. Still love him. Bold personality and all the other fish get out of his way except my powder blue who is the king of the tank.

 

[kw22]

Adults are not to be trusted,but juvies should be fine

 

[zebrasoma82]

Thank you for the advice. I think I'm going to pick up a juvenile

 

[kw22]

Thank you for the advice. I think I'm going to pick up a juvenile

Good luck,keep us updated