multibar angel

[milsj099]

anyone here keep a multibar angel

 

[rssjsb]

I've got one.

 

[milsj099]

what size tank do you have? and how long for?
im finally getting one in the next week after lots of research, and just want to here what advice other people have about them

 

[rssjsb]

I obtained mine last summer (almost exactly a year ago) from another hobbyist who was breaking down his tank. So I already had a leg up in that the fish was acclimated and eating well.

He's in a 185-gallon tank with three other angels - majestic, singapore, and potters - a Kole tang, rabbit fish, clowns and a pair of filefish.

Other people posting here have described their multis as obnoxious or even nasty. Mine has not been that way. After some initial hazing from the tang and majestic, he settled in pretty well.

The potters went in later. After the initial challenges from the bigger fish, he started bullying the multibar. I thought I was going to have to remove the potters, but it subsided after awhile.

He eats pretty much anything I put in - frozen, pellets, occasional formula 2 flakes. He also loves nori and grazes the rock all day.

I should mention that he does sample my sps from time to time, but I haven't noticed any real damage as a result.

HTH.

 

[milsj099]

should he be added before or after the lemonpeel angel
or should i add them both at the same time?

 

[rssjsb]

I don't have any experience with lemonpeels, so don't know where they are on the aggressiveness/territoriality scale. However, I can't give you any advice without knowing the basics.

How big is your tank? How long has it been running? What else is in there? What's your QT situation?

 

[milsj099]

its a 55 gallon,
with a quarantine tank
running about a year,
just changed my stock recentely,
lots and lost of live rock,
i know its risky putting 2 dwarf angels in a tank that small, but im going to risk it.
weve got a clownfish, royal gramma and a blue damsel, then were adding the two dwarf angels

 

[jcw]

I have one in a 72g for the past 6+ months with a small tang, butterfly and a couple percula clowns and a blenny.

Does fine. Eats flake and NLS pellets well. Medium shy. Seems to be on the smaller side of the dwarf angels. A lemonpeel can get kinda big. Looks almost like a small butterfly more than a dwarf angel to me.

 

[albano]

its a 55 gallon,
with a quarantine tank
running about a year,
just changed my stock recentely,
lots and lost of live rock,
i know its risky putting 2 dwarf angels in a tank that small, but im going to risk it.

both the Multibar and Lemonpeel are not easy to keep! Unless you know that they are already eating and doing well, you may lose them!

 

[milsj099]

im friends with my local fs and they have said they will get them both on flake and keep them for a week

 

[albano]

i know its risky putting 2 dwarf angels in a tank that small, but im going to risk it.

im friends with my local fs and they have said they will get them both on flake and keep them for a week

After checking you other posts, it appears that you already lost some 'difficult' fish...I see that you're 'going to risk it', unfortunately it's the fish that must 'pay the price'!

IMO...the odds are against them eating in a week

 

[milsj099]

i have lost some difficult fish but have suceeded with others, as every time i fail, i learn more the next time. i wont buy the fish unlesss there eating, i know the odds are against me, but hopefully i will succeed

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

I would not expect the two angels to get along in a 55g.

 

[nonimmigrant]

its a 55 gallon,
with a quarantine tank
running about a year,
just changed my stock recentely,
lots and lost of live rock,
i know its risky putting 2 dwarf angels in a tank that small, but im going to risk it.
weve got a clownfish, royal gramma and a blue damsel, then were adding the two dwarf angels

I've had a harem of 5 for years now (they are in the 400g now) and they are one of the more difficult centropyge in terms of getting them to eat. Your LFS telling you that they can get them on flake in a week is terribly optimistic based on my experience with this species. Now, you've not said what species of clown your keeping, but I will tell you that you should get rid of the damsel and think about the gramma. If you are keeping a larger species of clown, it will harass the multibar.

I would keep the multibars in QT for a min of 6 weeks but do keep a piece or two of good LR in there. IME, they will pick on the LR for a week or so before taking clams or mysis. They are also rather skitty when first introduced, so try to avoid walking back and forth in front of the tank a lot in the beginning.

Good luck.

 

[milsj099]

its a young blakc clown, and thanks. my localfish store said when they go up to TMC(an english wholesaler) to pick there fish, they would pick one that is already eating

 

[albano]

my localfish store said when they go up to TMC(an english wholesaler) to pick there fish, they would pick one that is already eating

IMO...most wholesalers 'turn' their inventory weekly/quickly...
the odds of them finding one that is already eating are very low (~0%)... your friends at the LFS are BSing you... you need to do a lot more research before buying any more 'difficult' fish and find another store!

 

[milsj099]

maybe your right, thanks for the advice, i will post u on how it goes

 

[ataller]

I believe it took around 3 months to get my multibarred to actually eat pellets.

Consistency and persistence being the key.

Good luck.

 

[ryanrid]

IME with difficult angels (multibar, golens etc) it take approx 6 weeks for them to start taking prepared foods, so when qt you should have quality live rock for them to eat from with pods and sponges to get thru this period.

 

[Chad Vossen]

Even with a tank full of live rock, corals, and algae, I've been unable to get a multibar onto prepared foods. I've quarantined them in a 80 gallon reef every time. lots of sponge and stuff to eat. they make it 2-3 weeks...