Need Help! Flame Angel Care?

[Taylor40299]

I would not consider myself an expert but I have had salt water for more than 10 years I commonly have fish for many many years end up selling them back to the fish store do to their size. I keep pretty easy going fish a couple of simple corals, a red bubble tip. water parameters are not perfect but certainly are not in a hazardous area never have diseases. I loose fish only to aggressiveness of other fish if it becomes a bigger problem I get rid of the aggressive fish just got rid of a beautiful sohal. The question is I cannot keep a flame angel live for more than a week or two they simply never eat I have bought more than 8 flames in my 10 years is there some special treatment I am NOT doing for this fish

 

[scooter31707]

Flame angels have this reputation for not eating. IME, Mysis and fresh clam has got them jump started. I know at one point there was a debate about they were being caught with cyanide, I don't know how true that is. Have you quarantine any of these Flame angels? Possibility they are coming in with flukes.

 

[peiloy3196]

In the past six months I have tried three times with Flame Angels and failed. I have never had a problem keeping them in the past. I believe something is up with their collection as they all died within two weeks of my QT. Eating was never an issue with them. I have given them a break for now as a result.

 

[Taylor40299]

I know many people feel strongly about quarantining, but I do not. I have always introduced with other fish so as to reduce being singled out. This time I cleaned out all but my black clowns and anemone, all fish had gotten to big for my system. I introduced 1 flame and a multicolor angel. No fighting just didn't eat, died. Next month 1 big flame 1 multibar, and a Bellus. No fighting, everyone eats but the flame. Dead in 6 days. Just talk to a guy who has a maintenance business, and he said he hates Flames. This is really the only fish I have every had a problem with. Maybe it's bad luck, I just don't think it's tank related. But it could be they do not like a busy tank. I've never owned just a flame.

 

[T Haynes]

Mine was quarantined for roughly a month before entering my dt. He seemed to feed pretty easily. Have you tried doing that yet? Getting him to eat before having to compete may help

 

[ethuman]

I would ask them to feed the tank the flame is in at the lfs while your there too before you purchase. Ive had mine for 2 months now with no issues

 

[scooter31707]

Also what size are you purchasing them at. I was told most Flame Angels in the 2-2.5 range adapt a little better. I agree quarantining may do a world of wonders, getting them associated with food and getting them fat to compete as mentioned above. What other fish are in the tank when you are adding the Flames.

 

[T Haynes]

Mine was close to 2 inches

 

[Aquahallic]

Maybe try to find one from DD that way you know it's eating.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/PIC/article.cfm?aid=271

I recently bought a flame angel from DD. The first 2 days it picked off of rocks and the glass but now he takes NLS pellets and frozen food (mainly emerald entree, he loves his greens).

 

[solitude127]

maybe try to QT the flame angel by itself so that there's no competition for food. Maybe they get shy in a big tank when food is thrown in there. I just recently added a pair of flames to my DT which went through an 8 week QT and the first few days they didn't eat. I tried a big mix of food (Mysis, brine, NutraMar OVA, blackworms, Rods food) and finally they started eating. After a week, I just fed Mysis and they ate.

 

[ThRoewer]

Not doing QT is a sure way to failure. At a minimum you should do a formalin bath.
Death after 6 days could mean a velvet infection - timeline fits.

Also, a QT doesn't have to be a barren wasteland - you can decorate it even with live rock for sensitive fish. The idea of QT is to isolate a new fish until it is stable and you are (fairly) sure it doesn't carry some deadly diseases that may wipe out your current DT population.

 

[ca1ore]

Mine was quarantined for roughly a month before entering my dt. He seemed to feed pretty easily. Have you tried doing that yet? Getting him to eat before having to compete may help

This is a wholly under appreciated benefit of QT. I've a long list of fish now feeding well in my display that required a week or two of coaxing to get eating. I've no doubt that in the display, harassed by my tangs, they'd have succumbed. That long list includes flame, potters and LemonPeel Angels. The last was the biggest pain of all.