Imperator...

[Koralkid]

hey i am in the research process of getting a new fish, and i want to get an emperor angel however i have heard of them not reaching their full colours in aquarium life? is this common also i would like to know about any other traits they may have, once they get established are they a hardy species to keep?
Most greatful for any help.

 

[thor32766]

yes, once established they are a hardy fish.As far as not reaching their colors, there have been quite a few people on this board who had pictures of their step by step change. So sometimes they may not, but many people have had success with them changing in their tanks.

 

[Gillybaby]

My emperor was picked on by my hippo when first added but things calmed down pretty quickly, have had her nearly 6 months now. About a month ago she started changing to adult colours so, fingers crossed, she'll do a full change. The only problem I've had is, since she started to change, she's eaten my entire zoa collection - managed to save one rock and put it in my nano. She hasn't touched any of my LPS yet though so I'm hoping the zoas were her thing.

HTH

 

[JamesJR]

I am just speculating that it would be more likely that they would change into adult colorations if they are in a very large tank with lots of corals and good feedings of lots of differant kinds of foods.

 

[Koralkid]

thanks guys, when it comes to big tanks do you agree that by the "big tank" theory it is important to have the swimming space rather that total gallons?

On the reading i have been doing it looks like they are really a fan of the Zoa's so fingeres crossed that is their favourite and the dont move on to others.

I guess it just coms down to the conditions they live in in your aquarium as to the colour change to full colours, am i right in saying that the average size they grow to is about 30 cm full grown or is it much smaller than this, because they have been recorded up to around high 30 cm mark? which is around 15 inches...what do you think

 

[JamesJR]

As time has gone on I have found myself ending up with more swimming space because it just seems more natural to me, no matter what the size. I find myself doing this because it cuts down on the cost by not buying so much rock and because I find it easier, with strong circulation that the tank will not suffer as many problems with age because the rock stays better.

I read on the Australian Museums site that they can get 38 cm. in the wild. here is the link. This is a very good website and I have learned about all sorts of really neat fish.

http://www.amonline.net.au/fishes/fishfacts/fish/pimperator.htm

 

[Koralkid]

thanks JR i had a quick look at that site funny i dont think i have seen it before and i live in australia haha, anyway thanks for ya help, do u think the fish would grow that large in an aquarium?, i will have a 5 1/2x2x2 foot tank with optimal swimming space it will be somewhat setup to house an emperor and i will be getting it when it is a small juvinial.

 

[JamesJR]

I am not sure. It seems to me that it would be unlikely for it to get 38 cm in anything but the largest of aquariums. Probably rare in home aquariums. I am by no means an expert but it seems reasonable that it could get about 30 cm in a home tank. You are lucky to live in Australia because you probably get better stock than we do here in the US so it may adapt to captivity much better. Do you collect your own fish (I have heard of people catching their own but I am not for sure)?

 

[Koralkid]

hey JR yeah very lucky over here as we have 2 of the biggest reefs in the world, the great barrier reef and the ningaloo reef, we can catch our own fish but it really depends on where you live, around my area which is around the gold coast south of brisbane you can catch quiet a few fish locally, like lionfish in the local creek and there are plenty of damsels around, also up the coast a little there are moon wrasses, tangs that sort of thing, mostly the fish come from lisenced catchers who operate on the Great Barrier Reef and that sort of thing all the fish are net caught.
on a different note they just had Steve Irwins memorial service today it was an absolutly breathtaking service not a dry eye in the house we all miss him

 

[JamesJR]

Yeah it was very unfortunate to have lost Irwin. I thought he must have been an interesting guy to meet in person. I saw him for the first time on a late night comedy show back when I was a teenager. We have a few reefs off of the coast of Texas but nothing in comparison to what you have with the great barrier reef. I sure would love to see it someday.

 

[Koralkid]

he was a champion exactly the same in person as he was on TV, u should definatly make the trip over here if you can its awsome they have day trips out to the reef where there is a big pontoon that you stay on and go snorkling and diving from with glass bottum boats and submarines, theres a few of them like that now, and so many different islands to choose from to snorkel off, with the ningaloo reef that is a fringing reef and most of it is accessable by just swimming off thebeach to it! awsome heres a link to the GBR. http://www.fantasea.com.au/reefworld.htm

 

[JamesJR]

That looks pretty cool. I just finished school so I will be saving up and looking forward to when I can get the time off to go.