Flame Angel Questions

[Hookup]

I am planning on adding a few (or one?) flame angel to my 180g system.

I have a few questions as I being my planning, which leads to my search for the healthy specimens, and ultimately acquiring them.

You can check out more details about my system in my build thread (homepage link) but in short, it's a 180g display with 150gal sump, orca II pro skimmer, fuge, carbon & phosban reactors, and UV (crappy UV but it's there).

The system is primarily an SPS reef. I recognize the risks with an angel fish(s)... and am willing to sacrifice polyp extension to have a few flame angels and a cbb in the system.


I understand that these fish are available from different regions. What are the regions and what are the advantages or disadvantages of each region? Are the Hawaiian versions the 'best'?

How do they "thrive"? Solo, in pairs, in a trio? More? What's the best, and how much better is it than other combos?


How often should they be fed?

What types of food are readily accepted?


I don't wan to a assume anything and make any unnecessary mistakes...

Thanks in advance!
Tim

 

[Turbo snail]

Hey hookup,

Glad to see that you are doing research before you attempt to keep this wonderful fish. These fish are collected from all across the pacific, and while I do not know specific details on many collection locations I would suggest that if you are willing to spend the extra money that Hawaiian specimens will generally be the healthiest and hardiest. These are popular first of all because the Hawaiian populations of flame angels tend to have a redder body and thinner bars, while those from locations like Indonesia have an orange coloration. Another benefit to Hawaiian fish is that you greatly reduce the risk of cyanide-based collection, as Hawaii has extremely strict collection laws. As far as feeding goes these guys seem to not be picky at all -- Brine shrimp, flake food, or Nori sheets once or twice a day all seem to work out fine.

 

[Dragon moray ki]

Well your best bet is to wait for a pair or triplet on DD on live aquaria and get them mine never nipped at coral in a 70 gallon corner so I think in a 180 you'll bending just don't expose them to high levels of copper if they get sick and you have to qt them the most it think is 0.15 happy holidays

 

[Hookup]

DD is not an option in Canada...

Which is good and bad.

Bad because it's not an option.

Good cause I would go broke ordering.... I lurk there, like a poor orphan boy outside someones house at christmas looking thru the frost covered windows longingly as they gather around the table to carve the turkey and share presents... Oh my I wish I was able to get from DD...

 

[flameangel88]

I understand that these fish are available from different regions. What are the regions and what are the advantages or disadvantages of each region? Are the Hawaiian versions the 'best'?

How do they "thrive"? Solo, in pairs, in a trio? More? What's the best, and how much better is it than other combos?


How often should they be fed?

What types of food are readily accepted?


I don't wan to a assume anything and make any unnecessary mistakes...

Thanks in advance!
Tim

I've both the Christmas Island as well as the Hawaiian and personally I prefer the Hawaiian with the deeper red. The Christmas Island flame angels (in a 180g) was pretty red but over the last 4 years it has lost that deep red. As for food they eat flakes and pellets and they pick frozen and nori but prefer picking off rocks all day.

Here's the recent pair from Hawaii

from CI

 

[iwishtofish]

If origin is important to you, then research very carefully and verify your source's source. I believe flame angels actually collected from Hawaii are rare, and that most are collected from the Marshall, Cook, and Christmas Islands.

 

[Hookup]

Any other points of view on keeping flame angels in tanks? Singles vs pairs for example?

 

[Apparition]

DD is not an option in Canada...

Which is good and bad.

Bad because it's not an option.

Good cause I would go broke ordering.... I lurk there, like a poor orphan boy outside someones house at christmas looking thru the frost covered windows longingly as they gather around the table to carve the turkey and share presents... Oh my I wish I was able to get from DD...

That totally cracked me up hehe. I had a flame for almost 3 years, but I lost it in a series of power outages. It was a Hawaiian and was a perfect model citizen, but I should stress that I did not keep it with any SPS. It was with LPS, Zoas, ricordea, xenia, clams, and other inverts. She was the boss of the tank, but not in an aggressive way. She would actually break up fights between other fish, but putting herself in between them and curving towards them to look bigger.

There's actually a thread on here of someone who kept a whole harem of flame angels, but it's very hard to do. Same genders do not get along so you have to get them very young before more than one change genders to keep a group. If you can get them all that small, you may lose one or two, but the rest will create a pecking order. If you get them all and their too old... well, they'll start a war in your tank.