Multiple dwarf angels...

SDguy

Fish heads unite!
Premium Member
My LFS has several Cherub angels, and a very healthy, active, eating, potters. I'd like to either get a couple cherubs, or a cherub and potters for my 115g. Comments and opinons are appreciated...
 
Potter's are a really tricky angel to keep long term. Need Lots of live rock to graze on. You can put dwarf angels in groups, but I would be hesitant to put two cherubs together unless you know how to pair them together because they can be pretty aggressive.
I think you could get away with a cherub and a potters in the same tank. A 115 should be alright.
 
I decided to pass for several reasons. Potters are delicate. The LFS wanted $70 for it. And just the general chance of nipping on corals and aggression to my anthias (especially the cherub) wasn't worth it to me.

Thanks for the replies though.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8680908#post8680908 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SDguy
I decided to pass for several reasons. Potters are delicate. The LFS wanted $70 for it. And just the general chance of nipping on corals and aggression to my anthias (especially the cherub) wasn't worth it to me.

Thanks for the replies though.
Maybe I just need to get out more, but I wouldn't expect an angel to pick on anthias fish generally speaking. In a 115 g with lots of grazing area, they are usually too obsessed with grazing. And that anthias in your avatar doesn't look like the kind of fish to take any guff from anybody. Angels are usually the king of the tank, but they are usually benevolent monarchs if their needs are being met

As for the coral nipping - can't make any promises there :D
 
No personal experience, but I have heard that cherubs can be quite aggressive. My rockwork is all pillars, so technically very little place to actually hide...all very open. Just another possible contributing factor to aggression I thought maybe, so I'll pass for now. Maybe after my anthias have been in there for a year or so I'll consider it.
 
Well against my better judgement (how often is that the case in this hobby :rolleyes: ).......

They had REALLY tiny ones. The small one is 3/4" at best. The larger maybe 1.5". No fighting, yay! :D And you are right Marie, TOTALLY obsessed with pecking on the rocks/floor. They don't even look at the other fish, or each other really for that matter.


Larger one:
26113Larger_angelfish_1.jpg


Smaller one:
26113Smaller_angelfish_1.jpg


Pair:
26113Pair_1_1.jpg
 
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Sweet. You can do this very sucessfully actually. I have a Potter's and I am not going to add anymore, though I want to, because he has gotten rather large and of the dwarfs they are the most hostile. He tries to show his dominance to me when I am in front of the tank, spiking his fins and shaking. Once you get them eating though they are great!
GL
 
Hey Peter,
I'm glad you went for it - the smaller fish clearly has the look of a juvenile and is certainly the right size, congrats on your new pair

Once settled in the tank you should expect chasing, but no biting and there should be no "corner cowering" by the smaller fish. It will "run" from the male for a few seconds then casually go about its business -

Tank temperature affects spawning for the genus in general - so if they aren't eventually, and you want them to, try turning up the temp. a notch (~81-83 F)
 
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Thanks Marie, I am enjoying them very much. It's funny... it was their size that attracted me to them, but now that I have them, I have to admit, they are simply gorgeous. That sapphire blue under my 14K phoenix bulbs is unreal. They are quite underrated. Also, they are a good substitute for a pseudochromis, which I decided not to get in this tank as I really like my shrimp :D These angels fill that rock-hugging niche quite well, as this was lacking with my anthias and wrasses.
 
Very CUTE!!

I had a pair...I bought them as a pair through Inland Aquatics over a year ago. They would chase each other in and out of the rocks..Even caught them mating one night...:eek1: Unfortunately, I lost one [the male] a few months ago when my heater malfunctioned:( Tank got up to 98 degrees. I do miss them as a pair...The female is a little less noticeable now that nobody is playing chase [except the new Flame..but for different reasons;) ]

Enjoy! They really are cute little fish!!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8732670#post8732670 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BTTRFLYGRL
Very CUTE!!

Unfortunately, I lost one [the male] a few months ago when my heater malfunctioned:( Tank got up to 98 degrees.

Thanks! :D

I'm sorry to hear that. I hope you now have a controller for the heater. I know myslef, too often, something still has to happen to me personally before I do something to prevent it.

Yes, it's not often I can call a fish cute, but the little one definitely has it!
 
I have a flame a cherub and a lemon peel in my 180. they occasionally will nip on my coral but for the most part they graze on the live rock. I have had my cherub for 3 years. My flame and lemon peel are about 6 months old. Enjoy....I too love these fish. My cherub in my avatar is taking food from my orange plate.
 
LOL..I've seen your avatar before...I thought it was eating the plate coral :D
 
Well, the pair has settled in nicely, and seem to get along quite well. The occassional brisk chase as Marie mentioned, but that's it. The larger (male?) is very healthy looking. The smaller was VERY skinny when I bought her (couldn't really tell in the store, only once in the tank did I realize) but she is filling in nicely. No coral picking so far.

One interesting note...they are both losing much of their yellow faces; turning blue. Is this normal? I'll try to get some updated pictures tonight.
 
It might be a good idea to feed them some Prazipro - it's very common for angels to come with intestinal flagellates or similar parasites. Even though the juvenile is gaining weight, that could explain why she was so thin to begin with.

If they will eat dried brine, you can soak it in the Prazipro & feed to them (after thoroughly rinsing it) Mine won't eat that - they spit it out --so I buy some live brine, strain off about a teaspoon, put in a cup with about a tablespoon of the water they came in, give it a good sqirt of Prazipro and let them swim around in that for 4 hours. Then rinse well and feed. Should have no effect on your corals.

The larger fish will always be the male with Centropyges

Glad to hear they are doing well

:)
 
Thank you for the recommendation. I've seen some stringy poop with my new female dispars, so I think that the Prazipro will be a good idea all around. Is that the generic or brand name?
 
That's the brand I buy of praziquantel - also Jungle sells a medicated pellet food that would take up any slack missed by the praziquantel

As for the yellow faces, keep us posted - the only thing I can think of is growth spurt issues - I've heard that during spawning the male's caudal peduncle turns lighter fwiw

In my limited experience dispars are really "wormy" fish -
 
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