Flame Angel: Your Experience

[tcamos]

I've discussed this issue with several people in person and at the LFS's but I thought I would toss it out to you guys.

I want a flame angel and am worried about it picking on my corals.

I've had several people tell me to go for it that they have and it wasn't a coral picker.

So far I've actually not had anyone say don't do it.

Yet I'm still afraid that it will be a disaster and my rainbow brain and acans will get munched or something else I love.

So good or bad what are your experiences with this fish in a mixed reef tank?

Also...please post tank size that it was kept in if you will so I can see if there is a correlation between picking and tank size.

 

[macboat]

I think it is a hit and miss. It all depends on individual fish and tank set up. I had one before in a 240G never had a problem with him picking on any corals.

 

[tcamos]

You bring up a good point...for those who have kept one can you please post the tank size it was in?

I have a 210 gallon tank and macbot had his in a 240G so I wonder if there's a connection between tank size and tendency to pick...that's a good experiment while we're at it.

 

[jporter]

I tried one in my 100G tank in CA. I can't remember what it picked at, but it didn't stay in my tank long. It was returned to the LFS after having to tear my tank down to get it out. A while later I tried a pygmy angel with one eye. I was told it was very calm due to it's handicap. It turned out to be a demon and it too was returned. I now have a 150G and am scared to try another angel of any type. They are very pretty but I don't want to jeopardize what I already have.

 

[briankmarsh1980]

I had one in my 60g and never bothered corals.
I have a coral beauty now in my 210g I don't have a lot of corals ... mostly softies and zoas and it doesn't mess with anything.

 

[azkass]

I've always kept flame angels in all my reefs with no problems. I recently had one in my 75 gal mixed reef that succumbed to ich but for the year I had him there were no issues. I think they are more prone to pick at SPS and possibly clam mantles. Angels can always be a risk.

 

[Stolireef]

It's definitely hit or miss. I had one in a 90 that was very heavily stocked with corals and it was a ***** cat. I moved it to a 500 gallon tank also very heavily stocked with corals and it turned into a nightmare. If I had to guess, and that's all it would be, feeding has something to do with it. The 500 gallon was, as a function of volume of water, much less heavily fed than the 90. Frankly, the pain of getting an angel out of a reef tank when it misbehaves is just not worth the risk. (See Jporter's comment).

 

[chihawks15]

I've had my Flame Angel in our 125 Gal. mixed reef and have never had an issue with it picking at anything. I want to put a clam in the tank but I don't want to start any bad habits for it, so I am staying clam free for the time being. Maybe I got one of the lucky ones. GL