Potters angel...???
- Thread starter mrp2g
- Start date
stunreefer
Reef Hugger
1. Depends on the condition of the specimen and the care its given. If you get a healthy specimen, and give it the care required to start feeding (better yet purchase one thats already feeding), they're great fish!
2. They're angels. :lol: In other words, yeah 50/50, but it also depend s on the animals you keep with them. Most SPS should be OK, maybe the occassional nip. LPS, softies, etc. is probably fair game. Keep them well fed, and again you'll have btter success keeping them with coral.
I suggest setting up a little QT (if you dont have one) and get him healthy and feeding, then toss a frag in there and see how he reacts. Of course thats not a 100% indicator of what he'll do in your reef, and for the most part when angels go nuts, its after they've been model citiznes and been in the tank for a period of time.
If you dont want to have to worry about catching a little guy out of a 150 gal if necessary, or dont want any of your coral touched ever, dont get an angel. On another note, I've had better luck with angels being "reef-safe" than with tangs.
2. They're angels. :lol: In other words, yeah 50/50, but it also depend s on the animals you keep with them. Most SPS should be OK, maybe the occassional nip. LPS, softies, etc. is probably fair game. Keep them well fed, and again you'll have btter success keeping them with coral.
I suggest setting up a little QT (if you dont have one) and get him healthy and feeding, then toss a frag in there and see how he reacts. Of course thats not a 100% indicator of what he'll do in your reef, and for the most part when angels go nuts, its after they've been model citiznes and been in the tank for a period of time.
If you dont want to have to worry about catching a little guy out of a 150 gal if necessary, or dont want any of your coral touched ever, dont get an angel. On another note, I've had better luck with angels being "reef-safe" than with tangs.
skyrne_isk
Member
For my $.02, it comes down to a real basic, fishkeeping 101 criteria: selection. Had great success with a Potter's for more than 2 years (kept him with an Emperor Angel, to boot) until a power outage got him. I wouldn't put one of these fish in anything resembling a new tank...I think the ability to forage throughout the day and during the intitial introduction are essential to induce feeding. And I have kept just about every Pomacanthid Angel at one time or another and agree they can be the most model citizens in the tank. I would guess getting them as 2-3 juveniles is important to keep them unaware that corals taste good. Only disclaimer: I knew my Emperor wasn't getting fed enough one day when I came home and found the GBM clownfish swimming around aimlessly the tank. I thought their GBTA anemone had wandered off somewhere until I found half of its foot floating on the sand - Emperor had ate him!
mandynm
New member
I agree with the selection and then doing responsible fish keeping. I just lost one due to a power outage Sunday night. He was the only one that died out of all of my fish, even a juvi majestic angel and 3 tanks.
I can't yet figure out why there is such a huge discrepancy in terms of their care. One site or book that's fairly reputable will say they are expert only and difficult and the very next will put them with the same amount of care required to other fairly easy dwarf angels.
I can't yet figure out why there is such a huge discrepancy in terms of their care. One site or book that's fairly reputable will say they are expert only and difficult and the very next will put them with the same amount of care required to other fairly easy dwarf angels.
mjoener
BAMs BAMs... I have a ton
I recently just purch one of these as well.
Not bad size, roughly 2-3 in.
I threw him in my 5.5g quarantine and he is doing well.
i have heard that they are expert, needing specific diet and a lot of grazing and hiding places.
I feel that this is almost as true as any other dwarves.
i had a coral beauty for sometime but just lost her a few days ago.
Not bad size, roughly 2-3 in.
I threw him in my 5.5g quarantine and he is doing well.
i have heard that they are expert, needing specific diet and a lot of grazing and hiding places.
I feel that this is almost as true as any other dwarves.
i had a coral beauty for sometime but just lost her a few days ago.
michael_cb_125
New member
IMO the potters are very similar to other dwarf angels in terms of care. None of the Dwarf angels are beginner fish, and none should be placed into brand new tanks. The potters is no more difficult to maintain than a flame or bi-color. It all boils down to getting a healthy specimen to start with. I have a Potter's, Flame, and Regal Angel all in my Elos System 70. They were previously in my 240 gallon reef with another Angel (Large 6" Majestic) None of the angels I have had have fought or bothered corals. If you keep teh fish well fed, and provide a stimulating environment (rock for grazing, caves, swift currents) many angels are as reef safe as many tangs. The potters gets a bad rep. due to many people not understanding its general needs. First off they are a deeper water species. Adults usually found in no less than 50' of water. So Decompression issues can arise. Also if attemping a potters, they need to be added before other more aggressive fish. These little angels are cryptic in nature and in general will hide in a tank with to much lighting and not enough LR. When these little fish feel intimidated, they can be reluctant to feed.
As with all fish there are exceptions, and my potters is one. He has been in a tank with another dwarf and two large angels. In this tank he has out all the time and never coward down. Lighting was Solaris LED (100%). Now he is in a 55 gallon with the regal and flame. He is still the king of the tank.
The key to these fish, is appropriate acclimation, and an appropriate environment. If these two requirements are met, tehy can be very hardy fish.
~Michael
As with all fish there are exceptions, and my potters is one. He has been in a tank with another dwarf and two large angels. In this tank he has out all the time and never coward down. Lighting was Solaris LED (100%). Now he is in a 55 gallon with the regal and flame. He is still the king of the tank.
The key to these fish, is appropriate acclimation, and an appropriate environment. If these two requirements are met, tehy can be very hardy fish.
~Michael
michael_cb_125
New member
~Michael
stunreefer
Reef Hugger
Fantastic fish Michael! :thumbsup:
michael_cb_125
New member
Thank-You!
~Michael
~Michael
forddna
New member
Mine were opposite. They nipped SPS and left softies and LPS alone, and their previous owner wanted an SPS dominated tank, so he sold me the pair.
They don't bother a thing in my tank, which is softie dominated tank. I have a few Monti Caps, Digitatas, and a Spumosa, and they don't touch them.
Any suggestions on a food to get a Potters eating well? I picked this one up and have it alone in a 29g quarantine tank. Ive been offering a variety of foods but havent seen it really act like it wants any of them, it will pick at stuff but doesnt attack food like im used to with centropyge angels.
Picture taken in a collection cup just before being released from acclimation to qt.
The split in the tail was healed up within 48hrs of purchase.
Picture taken in a collection cup just before being released from acclimation to qt.
The split in the tail was healed up within 48hrs of purchase.
revaltion131
New member
Apercula, have you tried vegies, like nori strips yet?
Outerbank
New member
apercula,
I have never had a potters, but I have almost always been able to get picky eaters to eat in quarentine by frequent feedings with VERY small pieces of food. This does several things. One, the fish will begin to have interest in feeding out of the water column. They are most likely to try a small piece of new food over a large bite, just like me if I was trying new food. Third, it does not pollute the tank much since you are using so little food. (don't put a ton of food in the tank). If they begin to eat, keep feeding in small increments and don't wait hours to do it again. Repeat small amounts of food until they stop eating. Then repeat a hour or two later. Siphon out any uneaten food and do frequent small water changes to keep the water pristine. This technique should work and allow you to introduce a variety of foods once the fish starts eating.
Stay a distance away from the tank after you place the small samples of food in the tank so the fish isn't hesitant to come out. If there are 6 or so small pieces of food floating around, then there is no need to add more as I feel the fish often are more likely to feed on a few pieces of food in the water column rather than a "snowstorm" of food. When the fish eats several of the few pieces floating about, add a few more and keep repeating this as long as they are actively feeding. Remember, no "snowstorm" of food, IMO. If some food falls to the bottom of the tank, you can add a little more so you have food floating around in the water column. When the fish is more aggressive eating, then you can slowly increase the size of the food.
If the fish does not eat on the first attempt, stop before putting too much food in the tank and come back 30 to 60 minutes later and repeat.
This should work. Gradually increase the size and amount and type of food you feed as long as most of the food is eaten. When I start adding different foods, I usually wait until I am sure there is one type of food they will eat aggressively. Mix small amounts of new food with the type they love and add to the tank. Slowly repeat this with more foods as the fish becomes accustomed to other foods.
Scott
I have never had a potters, but I have almost always been able to get picky eaters to eat in quarentine by frequent feedings with VERY small pieces of food. This does several things. One, the fish will begin to have interest in feeding out of the water column. They are most likely to try a small piece of new food over a large bite, just like me if I was trying new food. Third, it does not pollute the tank much since you are using so little food. (don't put a ton of food in the tank). If they begin to eat, keep feeding in small increments and don't wait hours to do it again. Repeat small amounts of food until they stop eating. Then repeat a hour or two later. Siphon out any uneaten food and do frequent small water changes to keep the water pristine. This technique should work and allow you to introduce a variety of foods once the fish starts eating.
Stay a distance away from the tank after you place the small samples of food in the tank so the fish isn't hesitant to come out. If there are 6 or so small pieces of food floating around, then there is no need to add more as I feel the fish often are more likely to feed on a few pieces of food in the water column rather than a "snowstorm" of food. When the fish eats several of the few pieces floating about, add a few more and keep repeating this as long as they are actively feeding. Remember, no "snowstorm" of food, IMO. If some food falls to the bottom of the tank, you can add a little more so you have food floating around in the water column. When the fish is more aggressive eating, then you can slowly increase the size of the food.
If the fish does not eat on the first attempt, stop before putting too much food in the tank and come back 30 to 60 minutes later and repeat.
This should work. Gradually increase the size and amount and type of food you feed as long as most of the food is eaten. When I start adding different foods, I usually wait until I am sure there is one type of food they will eat aggressively. Mix small amounts of new food with the type they love and add to the tank. Slowly repeat this with more foods as the fish becomes accustomed to other foods.
Scott
Last edited:
stunreefer
Reef Hugger
Good to know thanks forddna! Your pair is gorgeous too!
Just goes to show how unpredictable these guys can be :rolleye1:
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