reef safe angel?

Joe0813

Active member
I know that all angel are reef safe with caution and they all possibly could nip at corals and your taking a chance with them. But im upgrading to a 180RR and i really want to put a angel in there. so what is a angel that has the least chance of starting to find a taste for corals... The tank will be mixed reef with inverts also..
...Heres my stocking list for the upgrade...

2- clowns.... currently in my 75
1- watchman goby currently in my 75
1- mystery wrasse currently in the 75
4- lyretail anthias
1- yellow eyed kole tang
1- Tomini tang
1- Blue hippo tang
1- lawnmower blenny
1- Flamehawk fish
1- diamond goby
1- blackcap basslet
1- mandarin (if pods are good)
 
Yes. Though I think you mean Genus. I believe it's Genicanthus. Female Bellus are my favorite. My understanding is they are primarily planktivores. You'll want to double check that. Cheers.
 
Mixed reef may be some what of a issue - if you look over all the tanks with angels lps is more likely then sps etc. I think size of said angel will be the biggest question - lots of cool and amazing large angels but will take up alot of you 'biospace' bc they can add lots of bio load and can get aggressive . I am in the same boat as u, just a couple of months a head of you.

I would think u should read read read then get all other fish in the tank and add it last which would give u a better perspective on what size and temperament . And as we all know all fish are differnt some may have issues while those don't.

I am leaving towards a blue face +- goldflake depending on bio isseus
 
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with all those other fish i dont think id be able to keep a larger angel in the tank. Maybe a angel will not work with this set up and ill have a excuse to buy another tank.
 
i think the flame is a solid choice.. i too have never had issues with them and SPS or softies, i dont have many LPS so im not as confident there
 
I'll do some more research... I was looking for a dwarf angel so they stay somewhat small. I'm just nervous I'll have to try and catch it in a 6 foot tank :/
 
when I upgraded from my 90g 16 months ago, with the intention not to limit by the risk of them eating corals in order to keep those beautiful fishes like the emperor and butterflies. so my mixed reef slowly turn into eat-what-u-can as u wish tank.
 
My majestic and potters' have always been model citizens, but your safest bet is still a genicanthus. I would go with a bellus. Watanabes are nice too, but are a little more difficult.

Another word of unsolicited advice on your list. I would pick one between the tomini, kole, and lawnmower and skip the other two. The tangs are unlikely to tolerate each other and either one is likely to bully the lawnmower.
 
Male swallowtails are gorgeous a.k.a. Zebra angels because of their stripes. Just another species from Genicanthus genus, as are Lamarck, watanabei and bellus. Gold flake and flagfin come from Apolemichthys genus, which may be "safer" than large Pomacanthus and Holacanthus angels.
 
I had a flame angel the decimated an acan colony. It left SPS and softies alone from what I could tell.
 
+1 to Genicanthus angels...5 of my 10 angels are Geni, without problems other than changing sex, back and forth, based on most dominate Male.
Also have pr of Flames, Coral Beauty, Multifasciatus, and a Regal.
 
My majestic and potters' have always been model citizens, but your safest bet is still a genicanthus. I would go with a bellus. Watanabes are nice too, but are a little more difficult.

Another word of unsolicited advice on your list. I would pick one between the tomini, kole, and lawnmower and skip the other two. The tangs are unlikely to tolerate each other and either one is likely to bully the lawnmower.

i love magestic angels and queen angels... ill look more in the bellus angel....

so you think the tangs will pick on the blenny? ive never heard them bothering a blenny before... but im only a year into this hobby.
Also you think 3 tangs in a 6 foot tank is to much? the blue hippo i know is bigger but the kole and tomini are on the smaller side of the tangs.
 
It's a question of food competition. I had a kole tang that constantly chased my starry blenny. Looking around on RC, I discovered that this was a common problem with koles and tominis and algae eating blennies.

Three tangs in a six-foot tank may be too much, but the problem I see is more about the particular tangs on your list. It's not really a size issue. They are so much alike in shape and diet, I believe it's asking for trouble. Six feet isn't much territory. That said, I haven't actually tried this, so maybe someone with direct experience can comment.
 
I love my pair of Bellus Angels. Get a pair.
I have 2 females and it appears that one is starting to change to male - pretty cool. Beautiful fish IMO and the only one they occasionally chase is each other.
 
I think the dwarf angels are riskier than some of the big ones, they are smaller so they can't just destroy a coral like a Pomacanthus or Holocanthus but they are a bear to get out of a tank. Genicanthus is the safest bet and you could do a pair in a 180 IMO. As stated a lot of the "medium" sized angels are fairly reef safe as well, I've kept flagfins, bluelines, and meredithi and all were very well behaved. I currently keep a majestic in my 180 and other than some random sampling he has been good.
 

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