How difficult are flagfin angels to keep

[2dawghouse]

How would everyone compare flagfin angels to other large angels (queen, emprorer, french, etc.) in how well they adapt to aquarium life?

What would be the best size to purchase?

Feeding, adjustment to aquarium life, hardiness, and of course aggresiveness?

I am looking at adding one to my 260 with flame angel, bird wrasse, blue tang, purple tang, humu trigger. I will eventually add a queen and emporer angel. Should I add the flagfin before the queen and emporer?

 

[billsreef]

They rarely, if ever, do well.

 

[2dawghouse]

Is it cause of their diet or they dont adapt to aquarium life?

 

[billsreef]

Most people put it done to diet as they are sponge eaters. They also tend to be somewhat shy and difficult to get to eat any of the typical aquarium fare. Even when one does start eating in captivity it still will die within a few weeks to months. If you somehow managed to get one that actually did well, it wouldn't hold up to the more aggressive and larger Queen and Emperor angels

 

[saltyESQ]

I have a very healthy flagfin who is a voracious eater. I food tested him at the LFS before I bought him, and he eats like a pig. He's not aggressive, but not a wimp either. I think the key is to get them when they are young and make sure they eat well. I don't think the tank ordering will matter with a flagfin. He is much less aggressive than my blue angel. My flagfin also got a small infection and had ich and fought off both without issue.

 

[billsreef]

How long have you had the flagfin?

 

[2dawghouse]

What food do you feed your flagfin? You said get them when they are young, what size do you recommend?

 

[saltyESQ]

I have had the flagfin about 8 months.

I think the key is to get them young.

as for feeding:
nori in the morning
when I get home from work, spiralina flake soaked in vita chem and marine zoe (2-3 times a week it is also soaked in zoecon)
then in the evening I feed mysis soaked in vita chem and zoe (2-3 times a week it is also soaked in zeocon)

then before bed I feed my trigger frozen formula 1 and the flagfin eats the smaller pieces of the the cube.

 

[Aj Flip]

they almost look like goldflakes to me but not as dark

 

[billsreef]

8 months is doing very well. However, I'd consider your success the exception and not the rule. Kind of like the occasional Moorish Idol success story.

 

[Big E]

Here's a couple of threads with more info.........

LargeAngels has had a harem for a few years

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=746526&perpage=25&pagenumber=2

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1373676&highlight=flagfin

 

[LargeAngels]

Still growing strong. Smallest one was about 1" -1.5" and is now 5." Although, as billsreef stated this is not the rule.

I would not add the queen or emperor. Those two can be extremely aggressive. If you are serious setup a seperate tank with very good filtration, live rock and algae and allow it to destress and eat properly first. Throwing him into an established tank is almost a sure way to kill it.

 

[shanghaireefer]

I 've had my 5.5inch flagfin for the last 13.5 months. I've not had much success with two othr flagfins prior to the current one so I was kindah reluctant to purchase it initially. I still recall that day at the LFS , I was attracted to how it would throw furtive glances at me whenever I would approach it. It was also chasing food aggressively, so without any hesitation, I bought it.

Its one of my favorite fishes today as its one of the most active swimmers. It is never shy.

1) A voracious eater. I feed a wide range of food and she eats anything I feed including veggies:
--lettuce, nori, veggie flakes

and meaty foods like:
--clam meat (aggressively tears it from the half open clam), tears a thawed shrimps, scallops, brine shrimps.

and pellets.

2) Occasionally fights with the yellow tang (tail side)
3) Occasionally gets short chases by the Lionfish , Masculosus Angel(bigger than her), 10 inch Blue Tang. Funny thing is , you never see her hiding behind/under the rocks.
4) Most curious. Whenever I would clean the glass with a toothbrush, she would swim close and let me touch her, swim away, then return...so cute
5) The only disappointment ,is she doesnt seem to have grown much since last year while the Masculosus Angel have grown so fast.

If anybody is interested, I will try to catch her on picture or video when I would have the time.