Regal Angel Primer
- Thread starter DJPB
- Start date
ThRoewer
New member
They are still eating rather poorly during feedings.
It may be because they find enough in the tank (this might be the case with the smaller one) or they are not really feeling at home yet (might be the case with the larger one).
It can also be that the many small fish are confusing them, though I have seen them plow through the fridmani group as if they were not there. On the other hand the abrupt swimming of the blenny sometimes still startles the little one.
When the flow pumps were off I caught the smaller one grazing on the algae that grow on the pump outlets.
It may be because they find enough in the tank (this might be the case with the smaller one) or they are not really feeling at home yet (might be the case with the larger one).
It can also be that the many small fish are confusing them, though I have seen them plow through the fridmani group as if they were not there. On the other hand the abrupt swimming of the blenny sometimes still startles the little one.
When the flow pumps were off I caught the smaller one grazing on the algae that grow on the pump outlets.
ThRoewer
New member
Time for an update.
My first Sumatra Regal pair (#1 & #2) is getting along very well. They are swimming together a lot of times and are also otherwise rarely far apart from each other (would be hard in a 100 gallon tank anyway).
The smaller one is well nourished going on fat and doing fine. It behaves absolutely natural, picking on rocks, algae (and the LPS). It also eats good at feedings.
The larger one worries me a bit. It is still way too skinny and not the best eater at the moment, even though it improved a little. It also often swims back and forth along the front. It is also picking on the rocks, algae and LPS, but still much less than the smaller.
Sumatra Regal #3 is still in the HT, waiting for the ich to die out in the 42 gallon tank and #4 to finish its 60 days of quarantine.
The smallest Sumatra Regal (#4) is the terror of the QT it is in. It chases the dottybacks whenever it sees them, especially during feedings. The only thing the Dottybacks have going for them is that they are small and fast. This is of all my regals the most aggressive. I will try to pair this one with #3.
The two Philippine Regals are fat little pigs and I think they have also grown a bit. As soon as I have a large enough tank for them I will try pairing them up again.
My first Sumatra Regal pair (#1 & #2) is getting along very well. They are swimming together a lot of times and are also otherwise rarely far apart from each other (would be hard in a 100 gallon tank anyway).
The smaller one is well nourished going on fat and doing fine. It behaves absolutely natural, picking on rocks, algae (and the LPS). It also eats good at feedings.
The larger one worries me a bit. It is still way too skinny and not the best eater at the moment, even though it improved a little. It also often swims back and forth along the front. It is also picking on the rocks, algae and LPS, but still much less than the smaller.
Sumatra Regal #3 is still in the HT, waiting for the ich to die out in the 42 gallon tank and #4 to finish its 60 days of quarantine.
The smallest Sumatra Regal (#4) is the terror of the QT it is in. It chases the dottybacks whenever it sees them, especially during feedings. The only thing the Dottybacks have going for them is that they are small and fast. This is of all my regals the most aggressive. I will try to pair this one with #3.
The two Philippine Regals are fat little pigs and I think they have also grown a bit. As soon as I have a large enough tank for them I will try pairing them up again.
Giovanni
AKA Flippa
I have this regal reserved at the lfs. They're putting it through copper and training it to pellet feed for me. It's a Maldives variant.
Very nice. Seem I saw that fish somewhere on internet. Where are you getting it from?
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alton
Well-known member
The reviews here on Blue Zoo have been mostly positive, the 3-4" are a good size to start with 2 1/2" being the best
Salty150
New member
Are they a "full" adult, as far as coloring and markings at 2 1/2"?
Salty150
New member
What are you feeding them?
ThRoewer
New member
My experience with BlueZoo is as good or bad as with LiveAquaria, though I never got a regal from BlueZoo (the one I got from DD never ate and died). I would be hesitant to ever again buy a regal online, even WYSIWYG if it's just based on a picture. I would want to see a video, no sorter than 5 minutes, that also shows the fish eating.
The risk with BlueZoo is that they have restricted guarantee on regals (= DOA is the only thing covered)
I have this regal reserved at the lfs. They're putting it through copper and training it to pellet feed for me. It's a Maldives variant.
Maldives Regals are nice. Back in the 90s in Germany those were usually thought to be the easiest to get to eat, though back then it was very hard to find any smaller than 4.5 inches, most were larger.
BTW, wherever I find Red Sea regals listed they are large (4 - 6 inch), which makes me wonder where all those little ones really come from.
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ThRoewer
New member
Primarily Mysis, but in the 100 gallon tank also Calanus and other small frozen pods and also fish eggs. Sometimes I also feed algae (wakame), though they should find enough algae to graze on in the tank.
The 100 gallon tank also has an auto-feeder with a mix of pellets and the smaller one of the pair is taking pellets by now. I hope the bigger will pick it up as well so that I can feed them more often.
They may also pick up pellets from the ground later, but that is a bit difficult to verify.
In the 100 gallon tank I try to simulate a tidal flow pattern with very high flow periods and periods where the flow pumps are completely off.
During the time the flow pumps are off, the regals graze on the algae that grow on the outlet grids.
They also like to nip on LPS, mostly on Favia. So far I can't see any damage to the corals, so I assume they just go for the slime coat - they did the same with zoas. My guess is that this is a form of self-medication, similar to clownfish suckling on their anemones tentacles.
ThRoewer
New member
I feel the larger one is finally gaining some weight. He is defiantly getting stronger.
Today I noticed that he finally showed a little aggression towards the smaller one - just shushing the smaller one a bit. Some aggression is required for pair formation and for the larger one to turn into a male. Right now both are still immature females.
I also noticed that they like to bite of the little feet of my seastars. The main culprit is the smaller, well nourished one. My little red Fromia has already the tips of its arms pretty damaged. This is a bit annoying as it took me a bit to get some seastars that don't disintegrate within hours or days after addet to the tank. I may have to relocate the seastars to the dominant Philippine regal who never touched them.
Today I noticed that he finally showed a little aggression towards the smaller one - just shushing the smaller one a bit. Some aggression is required for pair formation and for the larger one to turn into a male. Right now both are still immature females.
I also noticed that they like to bite of the little feet of my seastars. The main culprit is the smaller, well nourished one. My little red Fromia has already the tips of its arms pretty damaged. This is a bit annoying as it took me a bit to get some seastars that don't disintegrate within hours or days after addet to the tank. I may have to relocate the seastars to the dominant Philippine regal who never touched them.
danrobberg
New member
I finally got a regal last night from my lfs. He was a perfect size, about 3.5 inches. As soon as I saw him I knew I had to have him but made sure he ate at the store. After acclimating him I added him to my dt and feed the fish about 10 min later. I was hoping he would eat but didn't get my hopes up. He crushed spirulina brine shrimp like a pig. He was sold to me as an orange regal angel so I'm not exactly sure where he is from. He has a nice yellow belly.
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ThRoewer
New member
Yes, it's around 3 inches.
From what I've seen they loose the more yellow look between 2.5 and 3 inch. The little guy in the video in my previous post is in the middle of this transition: his back half has already the more adult coloring while his front half still has the primarily yellow appearance of juveniles.
The eye-spot is the last juvenile feature to disappear, usually when the fish are just above 3 inch.
BTW: that little guy was still at the store.
OrionN
Moved on
My yellow belly Regal stop eating Mysis altogether. He is in the refugium so there are a lot of Pods. He peck the rock all day long and really tear up the Nori attach to a clip. He eat about 1/4 sheet a day. Seem to do great. Active and is gaining weight.
Even if he does not eat mysis anymore I am happy
Even if he does not eat mysis anymore I am happy
ThRoewer
New member
The larger of my first Sumatra regal pair (#1) is picking constantly on the rocks and gravel. He may pick pods, but I've also seen him eat the red slime algae of the gravel. It seems he is quite good at keeping them at bay - since he started it the red slime has significantly gone back.
But he also goes now viciously after Mysis and small planktonic coral foods.
The only thing he hasn't picked up yet is eating pellets - the smaller one (#2) does.
He also has gained a good deal of weight and doesn't look too skinny anymore.
I just transferred the other two Sumatra regal (#3 & #4) to their new home in the 42 gallon tank. The little one is my smallest regal with 73 mm (2.9") and the best eater of them all. I actually think it has already grown a few millimeters in the 6 weeks I have it.
The larger one (#3) lost a lot of weight while in the treatment/holding tank despite me feeding him relatively well. But it seems they also need something to pick on all day long to maintain or even gain weight.
But he also goes now viciously after Mysis and small planktonic coral foods.
The only thing he hasn't picked up yet is eating pellets - the smaller one (#2) does.
He also has gained a good deal of weight and doesn't look too skinny anymore.
I just transferred the other two Sumatra regal (#3 & #4) to their new home in the 42 gallon tank. The little one is my smallest regal with 73 mm (2.9") and the best eater of them all. I actually think it has already grown a few millimeters in the 6 weeks I have it.
The larger one (#3) lost a lot of weight while in the treatment/holding tank despite me feeding him relatively well. But it seems they also need something to pick on all day long to maintain or even gain weight.
OrionN
Moved on
We should call you the Regal Angel King
Salty150
New member
Your Regals and Flames don't bother your corals?
