Got a Bi-color angel and im hoping he wont nip... thoughts?

[ghstrider]

Anyone ever had experience w/ bi-colors in reef tanks? Ive heard they have a small chance to nip at corals but the majority do not. Anyone on here have 1st hand experience?


Its been 24 hrs in the tank and so far so good. Hes picking off rocks like crazy and even on the bases of my candy cane but not the polyps themselves. How soon before i can rest a bit easier?? I dont have any brain corals or clams which i know are a fave for nippers so that may help ( i have rics, leather,frogspawn,candy, shrooms and zoos/polys).

I know that even if he doesnt nip for 1 year he could start the next day but i also know that if he is a hardcore nipper he will do it soon. When can i feel better about him? hes 2" long

 

[techrach]

I just had to get rid of my bi-colered angle. I had her 1.5 years. until recently she just nipped at 1 coral. Then she started nipping at all corals. hope you have better luck than I did.

 

[Rogger Castells]

Check out this article, they talk about the bi-color as a very hard fish to get him to eat plus most likely will bite your corals.
In general most angels will, I gave up after expending hundreds of dollars in all kinds of angels.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-09/jf/index.php

 

[davester1]

I have a bi-color in a reef tank and a ton of corals. I have not seen it go after anything.

My Emperor Angelfish on the other hand, eats nearly all my zoos and leaves everything else alone.

 

[bawla47]

ya, its definately a gamble with them, the best thing you can do is just feed him well.

id definately invest in an autofeeder that feeds 3-4x a day, as well as feeding a good frozen mix 1-2x a day and keep him nice and plump.

 

[ghstrider]

davester, how big is she and how long you had her?? also, do you feed once a day and how much food when you do feed?

 

[illal]

i dont think its worth the risk

 

[ReefWreak]

I have davester's old Rusty Angel and Coral Beauty Angel, and I've seen them both nip at certain corals, however overall the corals seem to be doing fine. They're fed every day or every other day, and are nice and healthy. I think they're too busy swimming around playing with the agressive dottyback pair to worry about picking much, but it does happen in my mostly SPS tank. The problem comes when the corals are small and can't afford to be picked/poked/prodded by different animals. Once they've formed a colony, it's not really much of an issue anymore as long as significant portions of the corals arn't being taken out.