Having trouble Keeping Pygmy Angels Alive?

[Mark 75g]

I have a 175g full reef tank. Lots of rock work.
Current Fish: Blodne Naso Tang, Blue Hippo Tang, Yellow Tang, Two Clowns, 6 line wrasser, Bi color Psuedo, 1 female lyrentail anthias and I had a flame that was in the tank from the beginning.

I have added several potters angels over the last year as well as muli color angels. They all seem to die with in a few days. Never see the bodies.

I thought maybe the flame was the aggresor so I took him out.

I since took him out into my frag tank. I then added 2 more female lyrentail and 1 male and a melanarus wrasse with a new flame multicolor and potters.

The flame (very healthy) died first, the multicolor (i saw him behind the rocks-did not look good ) disappeared, and final after 2 weeks the Potters has disappeared.

All other fish are doing great.

What is killing these new angels. Especially when my original flame was in the tank for 2 years.

 

[JSeymour]

Are you quarantining/conditioning these fish? With several bold tangs cruising the tank, without a good conditioning period to get them used to you and the foods you feed, they may not be eating enough to cope with the stress of adjusting to new parameters, new tankmates, new foods, etc.

If you don't want to quarantine, or even after you do, acclimation boxes with a bunch of holes work well for introducing new fish. Hang them on the side of the tank with some liverock rubble or a pvc elbow for a week or so they get used to everything, without having to worry about competion. Once released, I even like to put the pvc elbow in the tank too. It gives the new fish it's sleeping spot that it's used to. After a couple days the new fish finds safe, unoccupied sleeping spots in the rock, and you can take out the pvc elbow.

Here's a video I posted of my Potters female adjusting to her tankmates. At first the cage was closed so no one could mess with her, but after a week I opened it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJNSYS7jRtk

 

[Mark 75g]

I have about 200 to 250 lbs of live rock. There is enough space. The Potters actually had a spot where i could see him. He was not bothered.

I have been researching mantis shrimp. I have not heard any clicking noises but I did read you might not always hear that. I have set a trap tonight and we will see what we catch.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Did you QT them, or at least treat for flukes?

What temps are you running your tank?

Both of those angels can be touchy, difficult to get feeding, and need time to adjust to the tank -- you have a heavily stocked tank with a couple of fish that will get to a foot +.

 

[JSeymour]

Live rock can only supplement their diet, they still need to be eating more filling foods, like pellets, mysis, and dried seaweed to heal/cope with the stress of having to adjusting to the half dozen different water qualities they have been through in the last month. I think it's unlikely you have a mantis, unless you have added more live rock recently. As todd suggested, flukes are definitely possible too if your not quarantining or atleast dipping. Most angels, or butterflies for that matter, are carrying flukes. My bet is still on stress and aggression though.