Regal Angel Primer

[moonpod]

John,
It may be that Tropicorium's Red Sea fish have to pass through too many waypoints before getting there, whereas their indopac don't. Personally I think the less "handling" the better with these. Got no secrets, batting .500, but the current one is coming up on a year and I've got no fears of it "suddenly" croaking. Healthy, active, eats, bullies other fish...you know standard Angel stuff.

Chuck

 

[adminrxb]

Got mine from a good friend, respected reefer and a reliable source a week ago. He had him for a long time before he had to move. After my several humble requests he considered my tank as his new home.
This is my first regal and I am scared to death. This is the only fish in the tank now. Regal swims around the favorite spot in the tank but not as agressive eater as other that I have had before like tangs and flame angel etc. Eating angel formula and mysis soaked in selcon at this time.
Does not swim in open yet and I am hoping that he will develop the trust soon. Sees mysis and gets it fast, then runs back to the rock work. Any ideas or suggestions to bring him out more?
I was thinking about adding a small and non agressive fish that swims in the middle and agressive eater to the tank. May be that will bring him out more but scared that it may cause some issue as well. Anyone ran in these issues before?

 

[DJPB]

Razi -

You are one lucky reefer! I know exactly which Regal you have and it sure is a score. I got my 120g from the same person, your fish actually used to live in my tank 2 years ago. Please put some pics up whenever you get a chance, I'd love to see that fish again.

I dont think it would do any harm to add another fish. You could actually add several. I would maybe wait another week though, just to let your Regal finish acclimating. As long as he's eating, you're alright. Remember the tank your Regal has been in for the past 8 months - it was a larger system in a very busy location with lots of movement and chaos going on. Your fish is just getting settled into his new, peaceful environment.
Best of luck Razi, and please - pics!

Paul

 

[dvmsn]

I purchased a regal about two weeks ago. He is definitely Indian Ocean. I made sure I saw him eat at the LFS before I purchased him. He was very shy when I first got him. Unfortunately, he has a small case of ick that wasn't evident at the LFS. He eats marine cuisine, spirulina enriched brine, omega enriched brine shrimp, and mysis. He doesn't have much interest in nori. He eats very well and is becoming more outgoing as time goes on. I've really got my fingers crossed about this one. He seems to behave very well in a reef tank. I have a mostly sps reef, with a clam, some lps, zoos and a green finger leather. He is definitely not a big picker. I am conflicted about whether I am being ethical by purchasing such a difficult fish. I feel most of the damage was done when he was taken from the ocean. I don't mean to sound elitist, but I feel that the marine industry is largely driven by terribly uninformed newbies. As long as these fish are legal, there will continue to be a market for them. I hate to see these animals go to a certain death.

 

[adminrxb]

Paul,
I will have to meet you sometime. You are correct about the previous environment and I am taking every precaution to make sure that I don't rush him into something. Added a pair of clowns today. Both regal and clowns have no interest in each other and I was pleased to see that.
I was surprised to see Regal all over the tank today when I got home from work. Today was the best I have seen him eating since I got him about 1 1/2 weeks ago. I fed him just about everything I had in stock and it took it faster than expected. I am so happy today . .. I just hope that nothing terrible happens and he continues to improve.

 

[DJPB]

Best of luck with him. It is a great fish and it sounds like he is getting comfortable now in his new home. You must post pics of him asap!

I understand that you shop at the Abyss. Maybe one day we can meet up there.

Paul

 

[Jerry W]

Interesting thread. I've always been intrigued by regals but have stayed away from them for all the typical reasons. I would urge you, however, not to measure success with these fish in months or even a year or two. Please check out my thread in the FO/Aggressive forum entitled "sad day." It certainly was a cold slap in the face to me.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Good point, Jerry. I was hoping to hear of more long term successes with the "Regal". {I was also hoping to hear they like to eat Xenia!}

 

[DJPB]

Jerry your post is extremely sad. I'm sorry to hear about your loss. Blue Face Angels are such beautiful fish. I agree with you that success in keeping any fish is measured in multiple years. I started this thread so that members could swap info and hopefully gain an advantage in keeping Regals. Maybe this will improve our chances of keeping this fish long term. But like you said, a fish can go at any time for no apparent reason.

{I was also hoping to hear they like to eat Xenia!}

Gary I was hoping for the same thing with my Regal. So far he only has a small taste for GSP and the smaller zoos, which is good too...

 

[moonpod]

Gary, my orange spot rabbitfish picks at Xenia. Not a lawnmower, but certainly enough to "**** off" the Xenia.

 

[Mondavi]

Well I have had a few of them over the years and three things I have figured out.
1. Get them small. The ones that are 5+ inches seem to have a real hard time in captivity. Same with alot of angles that come out of the wild. Also make sure its eating something before you buy it.
2. Live Rock. So it can pick at the rock and feel more at home.
3. Third is risky for your main tank but I never QT such a sensitive fish. Most of our QT tanks are just barebones fish like Regals dont do well in them.
I have had one for around 2+ years ( R S) and the other for about 9months now (I O). Both are pigs and hold thier own in my angle tank.

 

[lacie143]

Me too. Especially with a fish as delicate as a regal. I think it does best going into a reef asap. I do like to leave new fish in the LFS for at least 2 weeks though...

as do i
i have lost more fish to a QT than i ever did to ick or any other disease. The QT/Hospital tanks at my work are affectionatly refered to as death tanks by the employees

 

[copps]

Excellent thread. My Red Sea regal angel is the star of the show in my sps system. I looked for months at every specimen that came in to a local retailer/wholesaler that gets shipments direct, and saw many that refused to eat or showed interest without feeding much. I saw mine attacking Formula 1 right in front of me and took him home for just $85. I had moved all of my zoanthids to my other system in preparation, with just a few left behind on live rock here and there. Included besides sps in the system are clams (maxima, crocea, squamosa, derasa, and as of today gigas thanks to RM), many ricordia, and two fungias. I was a little unsure of the fungia as they are pretty meaty and tempting, but all was left alone. Interestingly, within hours of being in the tank he had picked clean every zoanthid in the tank, which was welcomed.

I have had him now for a few months and he is a spoiled pig. He shares the tank with among other things a group of about 10 yellow-lined cardinals (Apogon cyanosoma) who are like little tuna, so he gets fed right from the turkey baster large meaty foods and some preparations bound with gel. He gets noticably excited when I feed squid and really attacks the baster interestingly. He's not at all aggresive, unlike my cardinals who beat the **** out of each other sometimes, with one completely loosing an eye a few days ago... anyway seperate subject. Right now for the time being he's in my 65, but by December (if all goes right with the home builder) my 180 will go back up for him in the new house to grace until my big boy goes up in about 3 years (500 gallon range). I'd love to eventually get a pair breeding like this guy .

Here's a few pics of my baby... these are arguably the most beautiful fish in the ocean...

A side view looking down the tank with him...
<img src="http://images.fotopic.net/?id=5439845&outx=600&oq=0.jpg">

A closeup of him with one of my male cardinals with a mouth full of eggs...
<img src="http://images.fotopic.net/?id=5439846&outx=600&oq=0.jpg">

Lastly hom cruising the reef...
<img src="http://images.fotopic.net/?id=5439844&outx=600&oq=0.jpg">

 

[reeflover2]

I just got my first regal angel. It was a the LFS for 3 days before I brought him home. The LFS is not very disease free so I thought it would be better for the fish if I quarantined him. I made sure it would eat before I left though. I have had it since Sunday and is still doing well. He eats flake food, mysis shrimp, mega marine angel and dried seaweed. The only concern I have with it is a few white marks on his tail fin. There are no other marks on the fish and they have seemed to be just going away. Any suggestions? What temp do you keep your tank at? Is it true that they need a tank temp abovve 80? How long do you think I should keep him in quarantine? I have lots of live rock in the tank for hiding places.

 

[massman]

DJPB thats a beautiful regal you have congrats. as a side note it is interesting that your indian ocean variety has a coloration that is normally associated with pacific ocean specimens. yours as thet grey/blue chest whilst those of moonpod's and copps' have the yellow chest which is the "true" indian ocean/red sea colouration. nonetheless a beautiful fish.

 

[DJPB]

I was thinking the same thing the first time I saw him in the LFS. They told me it was an Indian Ocean specimen and I took their word for it. For all I know it could be a Pacific Regal. I'm just happy he is healthy and eating well...

 

[Tremelle]

If you like Regal Angels, you must pick up the new Angelfishes and Butterflyfishes by Scott Michael. It has the best info on the fish I have read. It also has the most awesome photos of the Regal, with color variants also. Amazon has it for $15.

 

[copps]

Great news... I am seeing it now for $30.57 on sale. Is the $15 maybe the amount you are saving you referred to? Thanks in advance and I'm ready to purchase this great book... I have the first volume which includes anthias, but is the second volume worth it? Either way I'm shooting for this volume first...

 

[copps]

Just thought I'd add two recent images taken by a local buddy when visiting my tank. You could see the regal fighting it out for some plankton from the turkey baster. Thanks Andrii for the pictures!

<img src="http://images1.fotopic.net/?iid=y3plys&outx=600&oq=0.jpg">

<img src="http://images1.fotopic.net/?iid=y3ply8&outx=600&oq=0.jpg">

 

[seabreeze]

I've been reading this forum, and I must admit that I am very surprised to hear that this particular fish as not disturbed any of your coral. On the other hand, how is it towards invertabrates/crustaceans?(this is one fish I would like to introduce to my tank!