Regal Angel Primer

[copps]

Speaking for myself, I have no hermit crabs, just snails in this particular tank. I also have a peppermint hogfish in this system, so no shrimp anyway for me.

It should be no surprise that regals don't bother sps corals. However, I would be surprised if somebody is able to keep zoanthids with theirs.

As with many things in this hobby mixing certain angels with certain "corals" is a risk, but if properly researched it's a CALCULATED risk. As I mentioned before, I removed all the zoanthids I could to another system before adding the regal after reading how they loved zoanthids. This was a good idea as all the remaining ones were quickly picked clean (with the exception of parazoanthus yellow polyps). All of my clams remain as happy as clams.

I'm curious, for those of you with regals, what have they eaten and what have they left alone?

For me...

Eaten: Zoanthids

Left alone: sps, all five species of T. clams, ricordia (yuma and florida), fungia, parazoanthus (yellow polyps)

 

[moonpod]

Massacred: zoos

Ignored: sps, parazoos, palys, clams, ricordia

 

[Baalz]

I just picked up this Regal the other day. So far its not eaten much. Munched on some nori I think. He is in a 40g grow out attached to a larger system. This tank is full of zoo frags, sps, lps, clam, some xenia etc. Its been only two or three days and he hasnt touched nothing yet.
He is sort of on probation to see what he eats before he goes into main system. I want him to eat zoos only. If not he is up for sale. Hard to tell by pick but he about 5" and blue chested

 

[mr294]

A few pictures of my regal which will have been with me for a year this August. He hasn't bothered anything except an open brain and the few zoanthids I had.

 

[dvmsn]

Here is a regal angel I got about two months ago. He is a very hardy eater. Unfortunately, he has taken an interest in my Caulastrea (Candy Cane) corals. So far he does not bother a closed brain, clam, green finger, zoos, torch, or various sps corals

 

[kungen]

I had mine for 2 days only. He was fairly big. He ate both frozen mysis and artemia right from the start.

After 2 days I couldn't find him anywhere in my tank... on day 3 my H.Magnifica anenome spit out alot of bones. I couldn't believe it, but somehow the anenome managed to swallow my Regal whole! (

 

[tobasdad]

Anyone have one eating that they want to get rid of, look no further. Definitely want one, but my LFS never has them.

 

[copps]

tobasdad, I was very close to ordering mine from www.themarinecenter.com until finding a nice specimen eating well as described before at the local distributor. While that site is on the expensive side, they have a great reputation for sending only healthy eating regals. They either have them in stock or are not far away from receiving some too. This is the next best alternative aside from seeing one healthy and eating in person. I have also had excellent results ordering through liveaquaria.com, but they seldomly stock regals.

Hope that helps...

 

[moonpod]

tobasdad, go to house of fins in Greenwich, which I know is $$$, but if they have an eating Regal in....

 

[Jerry W]

The responses have all been from those keeping this fish in a reef setting. Is anyone keeping one in a FOWLR? I'm wondering what the drawbacks, if any, would be to this type of set up.

 

[adminrxb]

This fish has more success rate in a reef system. Mine has no interest in any sps, clams and ricordia. I do not have any zoos but am sure that it will be treat. Thinking about adding a small zoo rock to see if mine goes after it. Will post the results soon.

 

[danfishman]

I personally think that they only do better in a reef as they are usually 'better' managed and a lot cleaner. If you were to have a well run FOWLR I can't see why it wouldn't be just as successful.

I have had a Regal now for about three weeks. I started it off in a 55 gal with plenty of LR covered in Algaes, sponges etc as it came from my refugium. So far he eats open mussels (or I think you guys call them clams) with Gusto but nothing floating or off the shell. I have tried freezing Mysis, small silversides and marine green formulae in a mussel shell. It eats everything from the shell until it comes off about 1 minute later, which after that it doesn't touch it.
I'm hoping that once its in the main tank it will learn from other fishies. This is going to be a couple of weeks though as it had a mild case of ich.

Its going in a FOWLR so I will tell you how it goes Jerry W

 

[Treg]

Those are some Awsome looking angels guys.

Last night I come home from work to find my Majestic had died while I was gone. I fed the tank and she never come out from behind the rocks... Suprised, I looked back there to see her on her side, dead. Kind of like moonpods lost regal. Have had her for about 10 months, was a very fat and very active fish. The tank's boss. Even the night before she ate like a beast and was darting in and out of the rocks. There was not a mark on her body when I pulled her out. I am pretty upset about it.


I seen Tropicorium mentioned. That is where my Majestic come from. I like those people up there a lot. My pair of Perculas come from them too. Been over a year now and they are doing great. (Even laying eggs now.) I highly recommend their fish and I think a lot of others in the lower Michigan area do as well. If I decide to get another angel I'll be making the 2 hour trip back north.

I have also always really like the Regals and was just researching them tonight but I really like my Zoo's too... Dont think I want to risk it.


Treg

 

[Julio]

Treg, sorry to hear about yoru majestic, but it sounds as if it was a fish caught with Cyanide, this used to happen very often and it has happened to me in the past, fish are great and a few months down the line they are dead for no apparent reason. I did a lot of research as to why it happened and i got a lot of feedbag on cyanide being the main cause.

 

[goleafsgo]

man now i want one. how reef safe r they i have some prized zoos in my thank along with some prized acros and some lps

 

[Treg]

Julio

Thanks for the reply. I had no idea Cyanide could take that long!

I'm still hoping to get another one soon. Then next one will be bought from a different place.

 

[Julio]

just make sure the one you get is net caught usually those from Ausralia are almost guaranteed to be net caught, my LFS brings in babies on a regular basis, 2-3 inches.

 

[Treg]

Thanks for the advice.

 

[PorcupinesRule]

I have a Regal that I got from a lfs on the gulf coast in fl. on vacation. It was a steal at $59 and eating. It survived a 24 hr. trip home due to the repackaging by the nice folks at Tampa Bay Saltwater which we also stopped at. Anyhow, it relishes frozen clams and squid ( both plain and with garlic and selcon) and cyclop-eeze so far. It also eats julian sprung sea veggies from a clip. It does ignore the mysis I've offered.

So here's my question:Most (if not all) of the posts I've read have their regal's in reefs. Mine is currently in an 80g Fowlr. I've got the impression from the thread that some of these guys are real timid. Mine's got some potentially obnoxious roomates:

5in. volitans lion, 3.5 in. dragon wrasse, 3.5 narrow-lined puffer, and 3.5 in. neon/arabian dottyback. oh and a large coral banded shrimp).

It seems to be doing fine, I have'nt had it for that long though, around 3 weeks. It's not timid and comes to eat with the rest of the fish.

I want to know if you think it would possibly do better in: A) my 180g Fowlr (7.5 in porcupine puffer, 8 in. lunare wrasse, 4.5-5 in niger trigger, 5 .5 in bluethroat trigger, 6 in toadfish, 5 in. some sort of yellow lion (fuzzy dwarf maybe).We used to have a Koran in here who just died after 8 mos. or so, I would love to have another angel in here.
or my other option choice B: a 75g reef. If you think it's imperative that they be in reef environment I would be willing to move an inhabitant or 2 from that tank into another to accomodate the regal.
So please any opinions are greatly appreciated. I ordered the scott micheal angels and butterflys book from marine depot yesterday for $29.95. Sorry for the extra long post =)

 

[adminrxb]

Your 80G fowlr tank really does not have any species that chases the angel. Try making small pieces of mysis shrimp and not add any garlic or vitamin supplement. You want him to start taking mysis if all possible due to its absorbing capability of vitamins and garlic when needed.
I would not go for the 180G fowlr though its bigger in size. Have never kept a regal with triggers but these fish can be mean. Wait for some other advise from RC members on this one.
75G Reef is an option but why move so early. Angel is still trying to adjust in 80G as you have had him for 3 weeks only. Seems like he is eating well so I would let him there for another month if all possible unless you notice some agression by others towards the angel. I would have advised to put him in reef if angel was not already in the 80G. Reef tanks are usually better maintained in water quality and Live rock has more for them to pick on.