Flame Angle issue

[Sparatic03]

just thought id ask the question since it jumped into my head.

over the course of 2 years i have gone through 4 flame angles no matter what i do i cannot keep this fish alive for more than a week.
is there anything special about this fish that im missing? i have only lost one other fish (heniocus) to ick along time ago in my old tank.
every time i get them they look fine in the store and they eat in the store. they look good for the first day in my tank and then become reclusive hiding in the rock work then i find them laying on the sand trying desperately to breath then they pass away. what gives?
i have a 55 gallon w/20 gallon sump/fuge all params are in check and all other fish are always fine (small yellow tang, lion fish, and blue chromis)

its been about 4 months since i lost my last one and at 60$ a fish its quite upsetting.

i really love the colors of this fish and would really like to keep one. but i dont think ill ever buy another one until i can figure out whats going on

 

[rholguin]

My guess would be internal parasites. Most angelfish suffer from this. That's why a lot of people here say to treat with pratzi. Or the other would be the way they are being caught. Good luck if you try again.

 

[60G]

I have gone through 3 my last one did great for 3 weeks and died for no reason.I have had bad luck to

 

[Drewbaby]

Flame angels are hard to get to acclimate to their new environment. My first one lasted 2 years before a serious case of ich took him and everything else. I havent tried another yet, but we have one at the LFS I work at. He's been there for a month and a half and is doing great. Eats everything and is very sociable. I think it's just one of those fish that needs a longer adjustment period and is more delicate during the first month or so.

 

[westreef]

I also have tried to keep flame angels. The first 3 flame angels they died within 1 months. I could not believe that I could not keep them because I had almost 100% of keeping reef fish. So I tried the 4th time and this time I was lucky. Now I have it for more than a year and is very healthy and even eat flake food. I really like its vibrant color. However, maybe because of it, my SPS do not have PE in the day time. They have PE alright at night though and grow reasonably well.

 

[Sparatic03]

hmmm dare i spend another 60$..... lol

 

[EyeCandy]

I have had great success with my flame angel. I have had my flame angel for 6 years. It gets fed a large variety of food. Mysis shrimp, krill, nori, pellets. I suggest when picking out your flame angel, you could go as far as to ask the LFS to feed it. It should overall look very healthy but specifically look at its eyes. I think flame angels get popeye really quickly. I use to work at an LFS and I could almost predict when a flame angel's eye was going to get it so look carefully. Make sure its not scratching or behaving abnormally. Don't pick out a really small juvenille either. Other than that, following a slow drip acclimation process and good luck!

 

[stunreefer]

First set up a QT tank. Get the filter well established, and I would add a thin layer of sand and certainly some LR to grow algae on. Let this sit and run for several months, allowing microfauna and algae to grow. Then find a seemingly healthy specimen that's eating and bring it home. Toss her in the QT tank and ween onto prepared foods. Once it's eating well (hopefully within a couple days) use Prazipro. First day add half dose and see how it reacts (99% of the time they're fine), then add the rest the next day. Continue to feed while going through Prazi. Personally I do two rounds of Prazi, no matter what.

Angels often come in with internal parasites and/or flukes. Both of which will be killed by Prazipro. Once you rid them of either or both of the above, they're a very hardy fish. Good luck!

 

[lhm nole]

I have gone through 6 or so in the last 3 years longest I kept one is 6 months I have tried qt and straight into dt cupramine and prazi, problem has never been ich or disease they all have eaten fine and just one day they dead, I have tried 3 different wholesalers and still the same results, so I gave up on them .

 

[Romewhip]

I wouldn't try one without QT first, and treating for parasites. Angels just seem to need that, for long term success.

 

[lostanime]

IMO/E, angels prefer dirty tanks. I do NOT mean bad water quality... But the spotless "sterile" super clean looking tanks aren't going to have as much algaes and tiny critters that they like to hunt and pick at throughout the day.

We've had our current flame (and regal and bicolor) in our main tank for a couple years. They were slowly acclimated, but not dipped or quarantined (outside of a multicolor getting pulled in skimmer pump, we ONLY lose dwarf angels while in quarantine, which IMO is just too clean for angels and butterflies)

They love a constant variety of frozen foods, and get along great. I can't help but wonder if the lion is giving your angels grief when you aren't looking

 

[Angel*Fish]

Are you gettin g them from the same place every time? If so, I sure wouldn't buy another from there.

First set up a QT tank. Get the filter well established, and I would add a thin layer of sand and certainly some LR to grow algae on. Let this sit and run for several months, allowing microfauna and algae to grow. Then find a seemingly healthy specimen that's eating and bring it home. Toss her in the QT tank and ween onto prepared foods. Once it's eating well (hopefully within a couple days) use Prazipro. First day add half dose and see how it reacts (99% of the time they're fine), then add the rest the next day. Continue to feed while going through Prazi. Personally I do two rounds of Prazi, no matter what.

Angels often come in with internal parasites and/or flukes. Both of which will be killed by Prazipro. Once you rid them of either or both of the above, they're a very hardy fish. Good luck!

Very nice!

IMO/E, angels prefer dirty tanks. I do NOT mean bad water quality... But the spotless "sterile" super clean looking tanks aren't going to have as much algaes and tiny critters that they like to hunt and pick at throughout the day.

So true!