Regal and Emperor having an SPS feast

heuerfan

Active member
My friend recently setup a 120 SPS tank and purchased a juv. emperor and juv. regal angel. He feeds them both very well, and leaves nori out during the day. Its been about a month since they've been in the tank. There is only live rock in the tank and two chromis. I gave him a crocea clam and the emperor started nipping at it. I gave him an acan lord frag and it was gone the next day.

Recently we visited a friend who needed to trim his SPS, acros, montis, milles, etc... The sps were in his tank for two days and no sign of nipping until today, he was lucky to be home but most of the damage was done. In his own words the angels had an sps feast.

Do you think because the SPS were newly fragged it is the reason why they started to eat them? Does this mean they both have grown a taste for SPS and my friend must take them out if he ever wants to put another SPS in his tank?

Thanks for your thougths!
 
Once they get a taste it is hard to go back. My majestic loves zoo's, but luckly that is all it has gotten into so far. The best bet for your friend would be to return the angels, or atleast the emperor. Regal are not to know for there coral eating. But watch it closely, and dont buy any nice corals, lol. Good luck
 
My Regal with take chunks out of my SPS when she gets hungry, so I feed her 3 times a day with high protein foods, NLS Pellets, Prime Reef Flake, and Red Seaweed, and every couple of days I will soak the food in Selcon.
 
I can see the emperor doing some damage but that is very unusual for a regal to do the same. Is it the blue chested regal or a red sea regal (yellow chested)? The later are generally safer with corals.
Keep in mind, the angels are eating the slime coat of the SPS corals and not the polyps. Newly fragged corals can sometimes get stressed and produce excess slime which may be prompting the angels to pick or something in the tank may be stressing the corals which will also prompt excess slime.
LPS like acans, zoa's, and clams will no question be eaten by the emperor and the regal may pick on these as well.
 
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