experiences with clams and flame angels

[vmartino]

Who has had success keeping flame angels with clams and who hasnt?

 

[J.R.L.]

i had a flame for about 2 months and got rid of it because it was eating my sps....it would occasionally nip at the clam mantle ut i rarely saw it happen. I wouldnt be worrying about the clams so much as your corals

 

[a4twenty]

i haven't tried, read to many threads about them nipping corals and clams.

 

[Maximus Clammus]

I wouldn't try it, it isn't worth the headache, nor even worth chancing.

 

[Hoyden]

I have two clams and a Flame and have had no problems.

 

[Jordan_Oreo]

I got a flame in my tank with 5 clams and a buch of mixed corals, doesnt bother anything

 

[a4twenty]

people say that all the time but they leave the 'yet' off the end. as this fish matures, it becomes more aggressive. here are a few warnings from a couple of the larger online sources...........

"The Flame Angelfish is prone to nip at stony and soft corals (sessile invertebrates) and clam mantles."

"the Flame Angel adapts well to captivity, and can be kept in either a community tank or in Reef tanks so long as caution is noted with Tridacnid species of Clams, and possibly Scallops. Might possibly nip at LPS/SPS Coral Polyps as well."

so while there is a chance the fish wont nip at the clam, there is also a chance you will come home to empty shells one day.

 

[shabreeson]

I have one, it has never nipped at corals or clam but does nip a bit too much for comfort on my invasive algae. only reason i mind is because I'm getting rid of the algae... and what will he pick on after it is gone???

I'm probably going to give this fish to my father.

 

[Madfronter]

I am about to try my luck with adding a Squamosa to my tank that already has a Flame Angel established in it. So far the flame has not nipped at my SPS and soft coral so I will keep my fingers crossed. If it doesn't work out I'll just remove the fish and put it in my friends 150 fish only tank.

 

[mastershake72]

I wouldn't recommend adding a clam to your setup. I had a flame angel in a 34 gallon red sea max filled with various polyps, and small LPS colonies and never had a problem. I decided to get a larger tank and purchased a nice crocea clam and had it up and running for a while and I decided to add the livestock from the red sea max to my larger tank. I also added a Wantanabe's angel to the larger tank, which is considered one of the most reef safe angels you can buy. It took no time at all for both the Wantanabe's and flame angels to start nipping at the clam. I decided that I liked the fish more and sold the clam back to my LFS for credit. The point is I think any angelfish cant resist the delicious allure of a clam and it probably isnt worth trying unless you are willing to lose something.

 

[Crustman]

I have a Coral Beauty that is doing fine with my crocea and corals. Same genus.

 

[BlastoEric1589]

angels in general, along with other species of fish have a redisposition for nipping at clams, polyps, and sessiles. when this happens, the coral or clam releases its zoo due to the stressed incurred, and this exasperates the tendancy to nip at the subject because the fish acquires a taste for the zoo, and also for the coral or clam. they are merely responding to the clams reaction of expelling its zoo. once this happens the fish will tear into everything that it can on a craze for the photosynthetic bacteria.

DONT DO IT!!!!!!!!! please!

 

[acrouse]

I would not suggest you add a Flame angel. Mine co-exists fine with the clam, however it has become a terror to my other fish. When I can finally catch it-its a gonner-not worth the stress it puts my other fish. The first 1 1/2 years was fine-now a terror.

Very, very pretty fish-but gets territorial as time goes on. My flame thinks it owns the whole 180 gallons now. I even added the flame to the main display last, however i have since replaced 2 fish that I have lost and my flame is trying to kill them both!!

good luck if you do add a flame

 

[waxy]

Quarantine that angel as it feeds off the frozen or pellet foods you have.

Once adapted, introduce it to the display. At your own risk that is.

To my understanding, they do not bother corals or inverts provided there is an abundant amount of food floating around.