Poor PE, dwarf angel to blame?

[TangingOut]

If you have a dwarf angel please chime in. Basically, how is your PE with a dwarf angel?

Me? I have minimal to no PE on most SPS. Birdsnest and Stylo seem to be the only exceptions. I want to rule out my flame angel before looking elsewhere. I've never seen it nip any coral, SPS or otherwise, but I can't watch my tank for hours to be sure.

I'm gonna provide info about my system in case it's not my flame angel. So any suggestions on getting better PE and or growth would be appreciated.

I have a 110gal mixed reef. SPS colors are good, but growth is a little slow. LPS does the best. Zoas for the most part multiply regularly. Softies and mushrooms have stopped growing.

Lighting is 360 watt LED fixture. 75% blue 40% white. 11 hours including sunrise and sunset. 2 RW8s provide the flow.

Alk 8.5
Cal 480
Mag 1400
Temp 79
Salinity 1.025
PO4 0.28
NO3 2
20% WC twice monthly

GFO and GAC in a reactor used off and on.
NOPOx 5ML daily
Acropower 10ML daily
Broadcast feed 2-3x weekly
Fish fed twice daily

 

[lanshark]

Only dwarf angel ever added to my tank was a Flame Angel. Month later, removed... It would go around and kiss every SPS coral owned, hence, no PE .... Paid 50.00 Sold for 35.00 Lesson learned....

 

[szajda_m]

Have C. Loriculus in my tank and no issues with PE. If ever had problems, were due to insufficient coral feeding or AEFW.

 

[JB NY]

It's probably your pigmy angles. I have 5 pigmy angles and they are always picking at the acros, so I have little polyp extension. Doesn't really effect anything other than the polyps being out in the daytime, if that personally bothers you you can get rid of the angles. Otherwise you can leave angles alone and the acros will grow and color up just fine, they just might not have as much polyp extension.

FWIW it seems to be more of an issue when the tank has frags in it rather than larger colonies.

 

[Myka]

It's probably your pigmy angles. I have 5 pigmy angles and they are always picking at the acros, so I have little polyp extension. Doesn't really effect anything other than the polyps being out in the daytime, if that personally bothers you you can get rid of the angles. Otherwise you can leave angles alone and the acros will grow and color up just fine, they just might not have as much polyp extension.

FWIW it seems to be more of an issue when the tank has frags in it rather than larger colonies.

I agree with this 100%. I had a Flame Angel in my 90-gallon SPS tank and it spent all day pecking the SPS. It never did any visible damage and the corals grew just fine. It definitely had favourites that it pecked more than others - mainly stags and Milles. Some it didn't touch at all like the Birdnests, Stylos, Poccis, and Monti caps.

 

[sahin]

It definitely had favourites that it pecked more than others - mainly stags and Milles. Some it didn't touch at all like the Birdnests, Stylos, Poccis, and Monti caps.

Of course it wouldnt like those weed corals...even fish have good taste. :lol:

 

[GhostCon1]

Of course it wouldnt like those weed corals...even fish have good taste. :lol:

:lolspin::lolspin:

But to OP, it's your dwarf angel.

 

[Myka]

It might not be the Angel. Sit down for an hour in the evening when the room is dim and just watch. It's not like that would be a chore anyway.

Of course it wouldnt like those weed corals...even fish have good taste. [emoji38]

I know, right? [emoji38]

 

[Wazzel]

Dwarf angles are hit and miss. I have had some that did not touch anything, some nipped and the rusty I had in my 60 tore some crap up and had to be removed.

 

[TangingOut]

It's probably your pigmy angles. I have 5 pigmy angles and they are always picking at the acros, so I have little polyp extension. Doesn't really effect anything other than the polyps being out in the daytime, if that personally bothers you you can get rid of the angles. Otherwise you can leave angles alone and the acros will grow and color up just fine, they just might not have as much polyp extension.

FWIW it seems to be more of an issue when the tank has frags in it rather than larger colonies.

Interesting, my SPS are mostly frags to small colonies. Also only one affected acro has PE after lights out, all other still have no PE.

 

[TangingOut]

Just a thought, but how am I to witness a nipping if I have no PE? Maybe get a new frag and try to catch him redhanded or just remove him to see if it makes a difference?

 

[fq600]

I had dwarf angels in my tank (goldflake and flame) before and PE was poor even though I didn't see them nip at corals. But one day the goldflake went crazy and started to actively kiss everything like it was having a love affair my tank! Lol

I like corals with good PE, because they look happier and healthier to me that way. So the angels r gone...

 

[GhostCon1]

Just a thought, but how am I to witness a nipping if I have no PE? Maybe get a new frag and try to catch him redhanded or just remove him to see if it makes a difference?

Any nipping the acropora and there's your money shot.

 

[swk]

Of course it wouldnt like those weed corals...even fish have good taste. :lol:

Lol sahin!

I have a cherub angel and it is a model citizen. I've yet to hear of someone having major issues with this species. My sps are furry as all get out too.

 

[M007]

Yes, I have a pair of flames and they spend all day picking this and that. No damage, just irritating.

 

[TangingOut]

Yes, I have a pair of flames and they spend all day picking this and that. No damage, just irritating.

Do you have poor PE because of them?

 

[aggie13reef]

I have a lemon peel angel that picks at a couple of my frags but hasn't done any noticeable damage. Less PE during daytime but its there at night. Colors look fine and growth is good. JB NY said it best. I for one feel that the angel looks too nice in my tank to get rid of because I don't have crazy daytime PE on a couple frags.

 

[ReefWreak]

I have what should be the perfect storm of circumstances to get my angel nipping at my acros, but I guess I got lucky on the individual. My angel is a flame angel, it's in a 29g Biocube, and the tank is sps dominated.

Most of my corals have significant PE and let it all hang out. Only one doesn't, but I've never seen the angel pick on it or any of the other acros. He really just grazes on liverock and rarely but occasionally nips my clam.

My ORA Joe the coral and a nice purple milli I have look like the polyps are trying to climb out of the skeleton lol. I even get slight PE on my Hawkins echinata.

I still don't think there is a guaranteed way to get PE and it's poorly understood to begin with. Some of the zeo supplements are known to incite it if you really want it. I personally think moderately aggressive flow helps too, but it probably just seems that way because the polyps are blowing around in the flow.

 

[M007]

Do you have poor PE because of them?

Only on the 2 or 3 pieces they've grown fond of, the rest of the time they pick on the rock work.

 

[dieselkeeper]

I have a swallow tail angel that picks at my acans only. Not my SPS. So the acans does not have polyp extension like it use to. But I did have a coral beauty in my tank and lost all polyp extension. Once I removed him, every thing is back to normal.