I like my fishes a lot and they are my main objective in the hobby. It will limit my coral choices but I think in corals as a natural scenario/background to the fishes.
Harlequin Tusk - I really like a lot. DonÃ"šÃ‚´t think would be a problem with corals, but I believe would be no room for shrimps and difficults times for the rest of the cleaning crew. Or am I wrong ? I would be very interested to have one, but..
Not the most beautiful fish in the oceans IMO, but it has an unique appearance with a tiger-like pattern, blue teeths and vivid colors. It's "curious" behaviour and always on swimming mode are a must too. It's so different that anyone looking at tank ask note the tusk and usually ask me about the fish.
In my experience behaviour of Harelquin Tusk are difficult to define. Definitively it's coral safe, except for the ones it drops or move searching for food. Not a problem if you fix your corals as recomended (what i usually don't do with my sps frags :O)). I don't think clams could be a problem at all. Even my feather dusters aren't bothered.
don't have shrimps now, but i'm pretty sure stenopus (coral banded shrimp) won't be a problem. I'll try a cleaner (large one) but i'm but I'm very apprehensive.
My tusk attacked and killed a small longnoose hawk (Oxycirrhites typus) when they are in QT but don't touch my small fishes (firefishes, ocellaris clowns (one very small) and watchman goby). I think it saw the hawk was a shrimp because of swiming behaviour and appearence of the hawkfish or maybe tusk recognized it as another crustacean eater and killed it to avoid another fish in the same niche.
I dind't see my tusk going after my heremits and snails until now and their number appears to decrease in a normal way. I now I have in my tank a mantis/pistol shirmp and sometimes I can found the rests of a heremit crab floating around. My tusk tried to kill the mantis/pistol sometimes, but it's usually deep inside the rocks.
Thats' not a big problem cause I live near ocean and I can collect my cleanup crew. Instead, it's a pleasure and I already need to dive in beach near my house 3 to 4 times a year to collect some sponges to my Regal Angel.
Even if i need to buy my clean-up crew I think it's a minor problem.
Clams - I already had problems with my flame angel (centropyge loriculus) with a derasa. So I supposed would get worst with a big Angel...
Depends on species and flame angels are notorious to pick on clams. My option to harlequin tusk is because of flame angel problems with clams and corals. They usually pick on SPS polyps too.
Genicanthus - I think are the (only ?) really "reef safe" of all angels
Mine never touched anything, but i read some stories about lamarcks that killed a plate coral and open brains.
They are my best bet as reefsafe angels. Unfortunately they are not as beautiful as large angels or some Centropyges.
I'm trying to find another female to make a pair with mine.
My ideia was to wait for a while before introducing the Angel, giving the tank and corals some time to mature and grow. The decision between the 4 listed above is not easy... will depend a lot on seeing a good individual in a reliable LFS.
Probably the marine ornamentals market in Protugal is similar to our local market. Very small compared with north american and asian markets. Organisms and equipment are usually four times expensive too.
I have access to the largest importers in Latin America (all in Brazil) and needed to wait 6 months to get a Red Sea Regal Angel the size I want. Only two of our local importes take fishes from Red Sea, but in Europe the things must be different.
But I wonÃ"šÃ‚´t trust having some LPS (all kind of brains at least) with these guys. IÃ"šÃ‚´ve either seen, heard or read to many bad experiences to go for it. ItÃ"šÃ‚´s an expensive meal for my pocket...Same goes for adult P. hepatus (Hyppo tang ?).
I totally agree, meat LPS are at very high risk. Best avoid them.
IMO Hepatus are less reefsafe with LPS than some large angels (Regal, Emperor, Majestic...) My Regal now ignores a very large trumpet I have but I gave a frag to a friend and their hepatus destroyed it in minutes.
Regards,
Marcelo.
