Regal Angel Primer

[Finsky]

Feeding Regal Angelfish

Feeding Regal Angelfish

okay thanks for the help. I will stay on this and hopefully it will eat soon.

I don't know how long you have had this angel. I presently have a Clown Tang in the DT for 17 days and it has just been grazing on the tank algae on the glass, rock, pumps, etc. It seems to be getting bolder and swims the entire length of the tank with the other fish and the two small dots of ich on the left pectoral fin has changed to a half of spot which was on the very end. I am expecting it to have a clear left pectoral fin in another day or two. I have had this kind of situation with a tang before and the ich cleared up in a matter of days to a week.

Its grazing of the tank algae seems to keep it very active and healthy so far although I do want it to start eating food I put into the tank. I thought I saw it take in one bit of food floating around the tank yesterday. I just keep giving it the most variety of food possible, i.e., frozen, freeze dried, etc. soaked in garlic and Selcon.

I think these fish are a bit shy initially just like the Regal and I would look for the Regal grazing on tank algae. They can go on hunger "strikes".:reading:

 

[dviper150]

I have been observing it and it stays in rocks for most of the day out of view and it randomly comes out for a bit and goes back in. I got it last Wednesday, January 27th. I am not worried right now because I knew that it might not eat at first and sometimes they don't eat at all but I couldn't pass up an opportunity on this beautiful fish. It has only been about 5 days since I got it.

When I put food in the tank for the other fish, it doesn't even come out of his hole. I put the clam right by the hole it was hiding in but still no luck. I guess its too early right now. I do put in sheets of algae and it doesn't come out to eat that but maybe it eats the little pieces that end up floating by its hiding spot when I am not looking. Just curious though, how long can regal angels go without food? Mine is in pretty shape right now. No pinched in stomach and it's fat.

 

[rgentry123]

at 5 days you dont have much to worry about. as a few others have posted some of these will go MANY weeks without eating. dont worry just yet and give it time. i think patience and persistence go a long way with this fish. just keep feeding a variety of foods. it may take a while for it to recognize the clams as food too. again, just give it some time.

 

[Finsky]

It is early in the ballgame with this fish

It is early in the ballgame with this fish

at 5 days you dont have much to worry about. as a few others have posted some of these will go MANY weeks without eating. dont worry just yet and give it time. i think patience and persistence go a long way with this fish. just keep feeding a variety of foods. it may take a while for it to recognize the clams as food too. again, just give it some time.

All I can say is follow the advice to feed small amounts of many various foods as often as possible and do not give up hope. Like all new tank additions, your angel is acclimating to a new society of fish and food.

 

[dviper150]

thanks for all the encouragement. I will let you know if it starts eating.

 

[Outerbank]

I have successfully kept a PBT, potters angel, copperband, spotted boxfish, and 2 moorish idols. My regal angel is 2 months old and it has been the most difficult species to consistantly feed. My fish is from Diver's Den, so I was given a headstart with feeding. The frustrating thing about my RA is it will eat a few pieces of one type of food and then completely ignore that same food the next time it is added. The foods which mine eats most aggressively are PE mysis (tail portion--it is even picky with the pe mysis as it does not really care for the head and belly) and frozen brine. It also usually eats a fair amount of marine blend instant ocean gel.

 

[Kieth71]

Honestly these fish get weird about eating.Mine is on a spectrum pellet and omega one super veggie flakes only diet right now because he will not eat anything else.I feed rods food,mysis and spirulina infused brine along with dwarf angel formula as well to the other fish.He decided one day he would not participate in these foods for some reason.I guess at the end of the day as long as he is getting nutrition thats the important part.

 

[Finsky]

Regal Angel food

Regal Angel food

Honestly these fish get weird about eating.Mine is on a spectrum pellet and omega one super veggie flakes only diet right now because he will not eat anything else.I feed rods food,mysis and spirulina infused brine along with dwarf angel formula as well to the other fish.He decided one day he would not participate in these foods for some reason.I guess at the end of the day as long as he is getting nutrition thats the important part.

I must be lucky as I got mine from Drs. Foster and Smith and it started eating fairly quickly. Now, it comes out of the live rock like a bullet when food hits the surface. Go figure as he is from the Indo-Pacific Region.

 

[flameangel88]

I must be lucky as I got mine from Drs. Foster and Smith and it started eating fairly quickly. Now, it comes out of the live rock like a bullet when food hits the surface. Go figure as he is from the Indo-Pacific Region.

View attachment 99557

Tom, was the Regal treated with copper? The reason I'm asking is that my Cream angel pair's face looks like that after Cupramine treatment while in QT. I'm sorry for asking if it's just the angle or picture. Kevin

 

[Finsky]

Regal Angel

Regal Angel

Tom, was the Regal treated with copper? The reason I'm asking is that my Cream angel pair's face looks like that after Cupramine treatment while in QT. I'm sorry for asking if it's just the angle or picture. Kevin

Kevin:

No problem.

I have never treated/medicated any of my fish, fresh or salt, over the past 20 years of aquarium keeping. I use the natural approach, for example for ich I would raise the tanks temperature to 84ish for a severe case. This has worked for me as I will show you a Clown Tang received 18 days ago which had two spots of ich on its left pectoral fin and this has disppeared. I just left the temperature at the tank's normal 80 degrees and this seems to keep the Purple Tang and Powder Blue Tang which I have had for quite a while and Clown Tang free of ich although each might have had an occasional spot which I cannot remember it has been so long ago. Please forgive my picture panarama of my three tangs and two angels as I got my Cannon Rebel out and started clicking away tonight.

02/07/07 Powder Blue Tang - 4 1/2"
10/23/07 Purple tang - 4"
01/15/10 Clown Tang - 4"

02/07/09 Blue Girdled Angelfish - 3 1/12"
08/24/08 Regal Angelfish - 3 1/12"

I received the Regal in August of 2008 and I cannot remember whether it had the white markings or developed them while in my Display Tank into which it was introduced directly after receipt from Drs. Foster and Smith. The white markings are "identical" above each eye on both sides of its face? I have sent a picture to Tech Support at Drs. Foster and Smith to see what they think. It seems to be some sort of odd pigmentation is the only thing I can think of as it is very active and eats well?

 

[flameangel88]

Tom,

Thanks for the info. Very nice fish selection and they are all great looking. If you don't mind please let me know DFS's opinion. One can never learn enough in this hobby.

Thanks,

Kevin

 

[Finsky]

Head and Lateral Line Erosion (HLLE)

Head and Lateral Line Erosion (HLLE)

Tom,

Thanks for the info. Very nice fish selection and they are all great looking. If you don't mind please let me know DFS's opinion. One can never learn enough in this hobby.

Thanks,

Kevin

First, thank you for the compliment.

Per Drs. Foster and Smith Tech Support:

It appears that the Regal Angelfish has lateral line disease. We would recommend treating the fish according to the advice that Greg provided which was soaking my food in Vitamin C before feeding.

Greg mentioned my Regal has initial stages of this slow to develop and slow to heal disease. I placed an order last night for Kent Marine Vitamin C to go along with the Selcon I use.

Below from Drs. Foster and Smith Pet Education Web site with a link at the end with more extensive information.

Marine hole in the head disease is a common disease in tangs and angelfish. This disease is often referred to as Head and Lateral Line Erosion (HLLE). This disease has several contributing factors, and if caught early, can usually be successfully treated.

Causes

There are several suspected contributors to the development of this disease, but one of the most commonly described is that of a vitamin deficiency, particularly Vitamin C. Chronic stress has also been suggested as contributing to the formation of the disease, as has stray voltage within the tank. Some forms of activated carbon have been thought to cause mineral imbalance and increase the incidence of the disease.

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=16+2160&aid=2587

 

[flameangel88]

Per Drs. Foster and Smith Tech Support:

It appears that the Regal Angelfish has lateral line disease.

Marine hole in the head disease is a common disease in tangs and angelfish. This disease is often referred to as Head and Lateral Line Erosion (HLLE).

Causes
There are several suspected contributors to the development of this disease, but one of the most commonly described is that of a vitamin deficiency, particularly Vitamin C. Chronic stress has also been suggested as contributing to the formation of the disease, as has stray voltage within the tank. Some forms of activated carbon have been thought to cause mineral imbalance and increase the incidence of the disease.

Tom,

Thanks for posting the DFS info.

It was HLLE that I was getting at initially as my pair came down with after Cupramine treatment but stress was something that never occurred to me. Now come to think of it this may be part of the issue as my Scribbled is a bit aggressive toward the Cream angels.

Slow healing is correct. I haven't tried Vitamin C yet so I'll look into that. With the list of possible causes I think you can use the process of elimination and come up the best one.

Best of luck with your Regal!

Kevin


here's a pic of the pair dated 9-27-09 and both still look about the same now and eating normal.

 

[Finsky]

Cream Angels

Cream Angels

Your Creams look pretty good with only a little bit of a beginning of probably HLLE. You could email DFS tech support if you wanted to be proof positive although I would order some Vitamin C and soak all my food with it. Supposedly the Kent 8 oz bottle with two or three drops mixed in a measuring cup of water with the food then added every time you feed could not hurt and the Vitamin C is supposed to last at least a year with this dosing. I also use Selcon which has more lipids? than vitamin C although I heard so many good things I bought enough to last a year.

My Regal will chase my four striped damsels and they are a tough damsel so I do not think it is stress for me and I do not feel any electric tingle when I put my hand in the tank. Even if they are somewhat stressed, I would probably go with the Vitamin C at a minimum. Are they continually chased into corners or is it an off and on chasing? How long have you had the Scribble and the Creams? I really like the look of the Scribble angel and think it is one of the most attractive angels although the Creams make an attractive pair.

 

[blface]

Here's an updated pic of my baby regal. I've had it for about 2 months now. Still going strong even after a dose of Cupramine for 2 weeks. It continues to eat everything I feed the tank & is always out in the open looking for food.

 

[rgentry123]

nice! i really wanted a juvi regal and actually had one but due to a delay in shipping it arrived DOA. i ordered another but this one was substantially larger, about 4". doing pretty good so far, had him about a month nowand he's slowing starting to begin eating prepared foods pretty well. how long did it take for yours to start eating and is yours an indo pacific?

 

[flameangel88]

Tom,

I add Selcon to chopped homemade seafood that I feed 5x per week.

I'd the Scribbled (added when i was 3 7/8") since March '09 and the Cream angels (added when they were 3 & 3.5") since May '09. The Scribbled is just plain aggressive but lucky it's not too aggressive toward the 3" Bandit.

Kevin

 

[blface]

The regal ate mysis at the LFS before I even brought it home. It's seems to be a Pacific Ocean variant, grey belly, but it's still to early to tell for sure.

 

[reidcrandall]

This Just In

This Just In

I posted this in my build thread, but wanted to post over here as well, as I could use some advice.

I purchased a Regal Angel from Premium Aquatics 3 days ago. He's a Pacific gray belly, which, contrary to most people, I actually prefer. He'd been eating in their tanks for 10 days when I bought him.

I was able to snap a couple of pics of the Regal Angel today. Didn't have time to grab the tripod or do any adjustments with the camera, so they're kind of rough.

He is picking from the rocks a bit, and picking at chunks of Ocean Nutrition Angel Formula and Spirulina that I attached to a small rock with a zip tie. He's not eating nearly enough for my liking, and has started to lose some weight. I'm trying to find a place in Indy that has live blackworms, but no luck yet.

I've also been feeding PE mysis (frozen), Rods (frozen), Formula 1 pellet, Formula 2 flake and Reef Formula as per usual to the other tank inhabitants... He hasn't shown much interest in them yet.

Any other tricks that anyone can share that might get his appetite up?

 

[RegalAngel]

Welcome to the club of Non-eating Regals.
Mine has lasted 2 1/2 months and eats like yours and is about as slim as yours! I think it is getting some food off the bottom sand, but have not seen it lately eat worms, brine shrimp, oyster in the shell, etc.

I had one in 1978 that eat well and thought I would try again, but no luck.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16495788&postcount=137