Regal Angel Primer

[droth335]

so i've had my eye on these fish for quite some time, but was always wary of their reef compatibility.

i've read through a decent bit of this thread, and it seems like they would be a reasonable stocking selection for what i keep (mostly SPS, euphyllia, some other random LPS, and clams). my CBB has already eaten almost all of my acans, so no concerns there.

for those of you keeping them, what is your preference on tank size? i'm seeing a huge range of sizes listed. from 75 gallons all the way 220 gallons. right now i have a 160 oceanic (72"x18"x29") with the only other large fish being a yellow tang and copperbanded butterfly.

i'm thinking about adding a regal at some point in the near future.

I think you'd be fine with a 160 (LA recommendation is 125 minimum) and your relative small number of larger fish. We have ours in a 210 with several other "reef safe with caution" fish: Blue Face angel, Goldflake Angel, Flame angel & moorish idol. SPS and Euphylia seem to be fine but not so much with zoas (SPS dominant tank) two concerns I'd have from your description:

1. Clam - never tried a clam with them and knowing how much they like "clam in a half shell" which I used when first introduced I would be cautious and have a "plan b" for either the clam or the regal
2. Yellow tang - just from experience I know they can be major buttheads so one suggestion would be to relocate your yellow tang to another tank or your sump when you introduce the regal to your DT and then put him back in a couple of weeks (may still need a plan b but this has worked for me with YT's and PBT's)

Good luck - they are gorgeous fish!

 

[OrionN]

I never have problem with my clams and Regal angel. No problem with Goniopora or Aveolpora, anemones either

 

[alton]

droth335 is spot on, the only coral to add to the do not have list is the open brain types. No problem with keeping sps, euphyllia, war corals, softies. But remember there is always that one will defy everything and eat anything.

 

[ThRoewer]

Check out the RB blog for an article about subspecies designation posted today.

That Reef Builders article is based on the study I linked above.
I guess this time I may have to shell out some money to actually buy that article

I found more differences between the blue and yellow than just the coloration (and obviously genetics).

From what I could find their social structures are also different:
YBs seem to live in monogamous pairs while BB seem to form harem groups.
Unfortunately the reports I found didn't specify the studied regal variant, but often the location the study took place at lets you deduct which variant it was.

I also noticed some morphological differences: body shape, gill thorn size,...

It is good that this is finally officially recognized and the variants given proper names:
Blue-gray Pacific variant: Pygoplites diacanthus diacanthus
Yellow-Orange Indian Ocean and Red Sea variant: Pygoplites diacanthus flavescens

 

[MondoBongo]

I think you'd be fine with a 160 (LA recommendation is 125 minimum) and your relative small number of larger fish. We have ours in a 210 with several other "reef safe with caution" fish: Blue Face angel, Goldflake Angel, Flame angel & moorish idol. SPS and Euphylia seem to be fine but not so much with zoas (SPS dominant tank) two concerns I'd have from your description:

1. Clam - never tried a clam with them and knowing how much they like "clam in a half shell" which I used when first introduced I would be cautious and have a "plan b" for either the clam or the regal
2. Yellow tang - just from experience I know they can be major buttheads so one suggestion would be to relocate your yellow tang to another tank or your sump when you introduce the regal to your DT and then put him back in a couple of weeks (may still need a plan b but this has worked for me with YT's and PBT's)

Good luck - they are gorgeous fish!

Thank you everyone for the replies!

Truth be told I'm a little concerned about the yellow tang myself. He still occasionally gives my CBB the business. Usually it is nothing more than a quick bit of posturing and a little bluster, then they go their separate ways. I've been toying around with the idea of rehoming him to the local zoo, but the jury is still out on that one.

The clams are a bit of a concern, but if need be I could redo the rock work in my display fuge and move them both there.

I've sort of just gotten tired of seeing the same old fish in a lot of reef tanks. The regals have had my eye for quite some time. So it might be about time to try something a little different.

I've got 4 lyretails in my grow out system now, and my osff pair are getting ready to move from my display fuge in to the big tank soon as well. Once I get them sorted I think I'll probably be on the hunt for my regal.

Cheers.

 

[Salty150]

I never have problem with my clams and Regal angel. No problem with Goniopora or Aveolpora, anemones either

That is interesting - especially since clams are the food that they seem to love a lot...

 

[OrionN]

I am sure Giant clams with their mantels open for every one to see, developed some form of chemical defense to keep from been eaten over the millennium. Oyster and steamer clams rely on their shell for protection thus should have very tender tasty flesh. If we incline to eat Giant clams, I am sure we will not find the mantel very good to eat. The inner of the clam is a different mater. I think the Chinese only consider the muscle a delicacy.

 

[Mr tap water]

Here's mine I got three weeks ago ,and still can't get it to feed no matter what I give him he just picks around at the rocks , he seems relaxed enough and doesn't look like he's lost any weight.

 

[Salty150]

Here's mine I got three weeks ago ,and still can't get it to feed no matter what I give him he just picks around at the rocks , he seems relaxed enough and doesn't look like he's lost any weight.

Beautiful!

He hasn't eaten in 3 weeks?

What have you tired to feed him?

 

[OrionN]

Mine love Nori. Hang some nori in the tank and he may go for it. Hang it on a clip in the middle of the water column so your snails cannot get to it. If you have other fish in there that eat nori he will follow. If not let it there until bits of it broke of and float. If he try a piece he will the. Go after the clip later. I cannot get mine to eat. Fresh oyster mysis black worms.... I tried the nori and now he finish 1/2 sheet everyday and flakes but will not touch frozen or meaty food

 

[carrots]

Beautiful fish. Is she in a QT by herself or display with other fish?

 

[Mr tap water]

Hi Salty150. OrionN. Carrots
I've tried all sorts of foods
Brine shrimp Misys pods and lobster eggs and the first three live as well as frozen ,also flake and pellets as for the green stuff i've tried dried Red seaweed and romaine lettuce. With no joy.

And it's in my main tank with other fish that are not bothering it and it is swimming around peacefully but shows no interest when adding any food whatsoever just carries on packing at the live rocks I suppose all I can do is just keep trying. And try to pick up as many ideas as possible from this Great thread.[emoji846]

 

[Salty150]

From what I have been reading and researching...

Try FRESH, LIVE, oysters from the shell.

As well as FRESH, LIVE, muscles and squid.

You can also try live black worms.

Also, watch this video on YouTube - the guy is a little long-winded, but it has some good information.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqto2M32mmc

Let us know if anything here works!

It is a beautiful fish you have!

 

[OrionN]

I took this picture from Scott Michael Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes page 323. What do you guys/gals think of this ugly Regal angel? I never thought that I ever call a Regal Angel 'ugly', but here he is:

 

[ThRoewer]

A well nourished regal can easily go without any food for a month without showing signs of starvation. The issue is that their stomach atrophies and that they stop being hungry. So it is important to get them to eat something, no matter what.

I found that all angels love algae. And while nori is nutritious and convenient, it requires training the fish on it because it doesn't look like algae. I found the best is to feed them live algae like Red Gracilaria Algae. You can buy it by the pound from LiveAquaria and BlueZoo. Many other algae will work as well, even green hairy algae if they are not too long.

As already mentioned by others, clams in the shell are a good starter food as well, and no, they won't go after Tridacna or other live clams.

Live brine shrimp are a good starter food as well, despite being rather poor in nutrition.

Having a healthy pod population helps as well. I've seen most of my regals picking pods whenever they spotted them.

Another thing that helps are other fish, ideally another well eating regal. The new regal will se the other fish eating and be enticed to try it himself.

I personally found that regals around 3 inch hardly cause any issues with feeding. They are still not specialized but rather opportunistic feeders who go after anything they can get. The over 4 inch regals may have already adapted more to a diet of sponges and. The larger they are the more difficult it can be to get them to eat, though even they should still go after algae.

 

[ThRoewer]

I took this picture from Scott Michael Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes page 323. What do you guys/gals think of this ugly Regal angel? I never thought that I ever call a Regal Angel 'ugly', but here he is:

I'm not sure if I would call this fish ugly, though I wouldn't buy it either.

It is for sure an interesting "mutation", though I'm in a way glad that regal angels are not easy to breed and not tank bred yet, otherwise we would likely see the same misguided excesses as with designer clownfish.

 

[ThRoewer]

Today I found my Sumatra Regal #3 dead. He starved to death despite eating well since day one and having no signs of intestinal parasites.
I suspect it was caught with cyanide (Indonesia is one of the few places still using it) and got a dose high enough to cause irreparable liver damage. :sad2:

This was him when I got him:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u9bx_jHIZ9U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

R.I.P.

Not sure if I will get a replacement, and if I will probably try to get rather a small Maldives or Red Sea regal as those are usually hand caught.

 

[Dmorty217]

I took this picture from Scott Michael Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes page 323. What do you guys/gals think of this ugly Regal angel? I never thought that I ever call a Regal Angel 'ugly', but here he is:

You and the Roewer have lost your minds. I would buy that fish right now. That's extremely unique

 

[carrots]

Sorry for your loss Roewer.

 

[OrionN]

Today I found my Sumatra Regal #3 dead. .......

I am sorry to hear this.
This is not one of the pair you had together I hope. Sorry for your loss.