Rcok beauty Angelfish

emerald chondro

New member
recently i was at my local fish store when i noticed 2 rock beauty angelfish in the store. Surprisingly they seemed in good health and were eating. I'm wondering if i should get one for my reef tank? will they pick at my stony's or zoos?...The tank is a 75 gal and has been up for over 4 years and has a mandarin, a hectors goby, and 2 clownfish.
 
I just picked one up tonight for my tank and it's currently hiding with the lights out. My tang didn't bother it too much, just a bit of circling and a small chase. They said it was eating frozen, and I saw it picking at the glass, rock, etc. It appears to be pretty healthy. Beware though, where most people fail is the feeding area. They need sponge in their diet to live long term. I'm trying to have my pet store get in the frozen Marine Butterfly/Angel mix that contains the sponges they need. Let me know what you decide to do!
 
They need sponge in their diet to live long term. I'm trying to have my pet store get in the frozen Marine Butterfly/Angel mix that contains the sponges they need. Let me know what you decide to do!
While this is a must, I wonder if even this sponge is actually adequate.

I don't recommend buying this fish
 
These are tough fish to keep long term and I agree that the key seems to be in the diet and getting some sponge in their diet. As a Holacanthus they are one of the most destructive angels in a reef and although the occasional specemin might leave some things along most of them will generally be very bad reef fish.
 
I'd have to second Angel*fish on that. Not only to they fade away, even 35 years ago, they had an evil reputation as to their attitude towards other fish..

Matthew
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7974134#post7974134 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Angel*Fish
While this is a must, I wonder if even this sponge is actually adequate.

I don't recommend buying this fish

I can assure you that it is indeed not. It may be a start, but it is far from sufficient for a fish that consumes up to (literally) 99% sponge in its diet. The other one percent or so is comprised of algae. It is wise to avoid this fish at all costs.
 
I know there has to be a way to keep it in captivity, look how far moorish idols have come! Are there any complete sponge diets out there in pellet/flake/frozen form? With all the different foods available out there, there has to be sponge....
 
This is one of those heartbreaker fish. they are easy at first, they usually eat well and seem very hardy but are very difficult to do long term. It usually takes a few months but they invaraibly go downhill. Almost all of the large angels that get biopsied have at least 90% sponge in their stomachs, and many of them 99% sponge but most of the others can transition to other foods quite nicely. Not the RB, and it seems that without their natural diet they cannot thrive. They have two other disagreeable habits as well; they are usually quite mean, and they often clean other fish as juveniles and will pester some fish to death. I had a pretty knowlegable LFS guy tell me they are easier than Red Sea regals, moorish idols, and flagfins but I disagree, I know a few people who have kept those for years but I have never met anybody who has kept a RB for even a year. It a shame because an adult in full color and health is a breathtaking sight.
 
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