Flame angel on a New Reef Tank Without Live Rock

[praveen956]

I got a small flame angel about a week ago and he is in a QT eating nori and frozen mysis shrimp.

My DT(29 gallon) is newly setup & cycled and no algae yet. Without the live rock, I'm concerned that he might go after the corals when I introduce him to the DT.

I'm planning to feed nori (once daily) and 2 servings of frozen/flake food.

Shall I try:
1. to put an LPS Coral frag on the QT (It is not medicated yet) for a couple of days to see if he goes after it.. It will be easier to remove him from the QT rather than in the DT.
2. Any other recommendations to supplement his diet for the lack of live rock to resist the urge to go after the coral?!

 

[Cliving1]

Why dont you have live rock in the DT?

 

[praveen956]

Adding to the previous post.. I have used the Pukani Dry Rock in the tank. it hasn't started having algae yet except some diatoms here and there...

 

[praveen956]

I haven't got the live rock to avoid any unwanted pests.

 

[brett559]

I tried that with this tank. Added a flame after maybe 2 months of starting the tank. Used dry rock for BRS. The flame lived about a week and then died. It was eating the frozen food I put into the tank, but it must not have been enough for it.

 

[praveen956]

I tried that with this tank. Added a flame after maybe 2 months of starting the tank. Used dry rock for BRS. The flame lived about a week and then died. It was eating the frozen food I put into the tank, but it must not have been enough for it.

I'm so sorry. will try to feed him a variety of food before adding him to DT. Thanks for sharing your experience.

 

[humaguy]

a 29 gal is too small for a flame

 

[praveen956]

a 29 gal is too small for a flame

I agree.. he is probably little more than an inch now.. will take him out when he grows bigger and hopefully i can upgrade as well


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[ca1ore]

Most dwarf angels are obsessive grazers. That yours eats nori is good, though I think the longterm success I improved with grazable rocks.

 

[carrots]

I don't think there is anything that will stop him from munching on certain corals. It comes down to you learning which corals the fish doesn't eat or bother to the point of causing it to die. It may not touch any frags in the QT due to stress but once comfortable in the DT he may act differently. In a small tank without a ton of coral you may find that the Flames constant grazing/tasting will cause your corals to die. A suggestion that may help is to get some live pods and add them to the DT before the Fame. Good luck.

 

[slyseekr]

+1 on the pods recommendation, though YMMV on the individual angel.

I find that my Multicolor Angel continuously grazes the rocks for pods (and possibly some algae), sometimes it looks as if he's picking on coral, but is really going for a pod that's on the coral "“ they haven't suffered any damage in the long-run, but I've yet to add any meaty LPS and polyps to the system (have plenty of monti caps, acropora, Aussie finger, leptastrea and a hammer coral).


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[praveen956]

Thanks for all your input.. just checked with LFS and looks like they have copepods .. will add them in the tank and hope for the best.. I recently got a diatom bloom since it is a new tank so maybe the angel will go after the diatoms .. im prepared to rehome him in the worst case


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