Regal Angel Primer

[Finsky]

20 months in tank

20 months in tank

My Regal(3 1/2") has been in the tank for 20 months along with a Blue Girdled(3 1/2") of similar size who has been in the tank for 14 months, a Powder Blue Tang(4 1/2") for 3 years and a Purple Tang(4") for 2 1/2 years.

He is being treated for LLHE with vitamin c over the past months of dosing the tank daily and all food. Hi facial color is turning back to gray although he is camera shy and I have not had the time to track him down for a photo session as he darts into the rocks as soon as he sees a camera.

 

[MarcB]

I just pulled the trigger on a Regal, should arrive Tuesday. I'll try to post some progress notes here.

 

[MarcB]

Arrived yesterday and is in the tank. Introductions created total havoc. I got a Melas (Keyhole) angel at the same time and that little guy threw the whole tank into a fit. Both of my other pygmy angels harassed the Melas, and the Powder Brown Tang did as well. The little guy stood up for himself really well though and things calmed down after an hour or two.

As for the Regal, he hid in the rocks most of yesterday, and so far today. My Yellow Tang displayed at the Regal a little, I guess because of the similarities in size and color. Other than that it has been calm.

Hopefully the Regal comes out and eats soon . . .

 

[mikid]

regal

regal

let the tank settle,dont feed for a few days,let the regal come out and graze,
then start,brine,2 days,then try pe mysis,then try pellets,mine was eating in 5 days,is now 1 1/2 long,was a small juv though,how big is yours?,he or she will become the leader of the pack,even my large goldbar maroon(3 1/2),wont
bother the regal,ignores her.....good luck...mike:fish2:

 

[MarcB]

Thanks mikid.

Mine is about 3-4" overall length, bigger than what I really wanted, but a very nice specimen. I decided to try it b/c the fish was collected from Papua New Guinea. From what I understand the harvesting there is done by Australian collection standards, and the fish should be in relatively good shape. We shall see . . .

 

[MarcB]

Well, last night I saw my Regal come out a little, so I put a nice oyster in the area he/she was frequenting. There was some decent feeding so I was encouraged. I also saw a little picking at the rock as well earlier in the day. Not too much today to report, as I was at work most of the day, but he or she is was back hiding in the rocks when I came home. I should be able to watch for a while in the AM.

 

[flameangel88]

My experience with Regal is that it usually take about 2-3 weeks for them to settle in and with time they will recognize when you approach the tank it's feeding time. Getting them to eat prepared food can take 3-4 weeks.

 

[Finsky]

They definitely like to swim and pick around live rocks.

It obviously gives them a feeling of security even if there is no bullying.

The less stress the longer and healthier your Regal's life will be.

Use as much variety of food as possible.

Personally, I have five different types of fish store frozen food. Also, I cut up frozen grocery store razor clam, small shrimp, and small scallops. Ocean One and Two Flakes and Pellets. Freeze dried brine and mysis shrimp with red seaweed which is softer on their mouths although mine will eat any kind. I soak in Selcon and Kent Vitamin-C.
Selcon soaked freeze dried brine and mysis shrimps.

When I lower the 1/4 measuring cup with food soaked in tank water with the Selcon and Vitamin C all my fish, including the Regal, are like sharks splashing the waters surface.

 

[MarcB]

Regal was out and about a little this AM. I dropped an oyster in the area he was comfortable in and he has been tearing it up!!! My YT has also backed off a bit, and isn't harassing the Regal as much. I guess I'll call that good progress for now : )

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Finsky - I feed NLS pellets, Formula One, Enriched Brine Shrimp, Mysis and Nori Sheets. Since adding the Regal, I have also been putting in mussels and oysters (they were out of clams). Only the Regal and new Melas angel seem to go for the oysters.

 

[Finsky]

Sounds like a good eater

Sounds like a good eater

Regal was out and about a little this AM. I dropped an oyster in the area he was comfortable in and he has been tearing it up!!! My YT has also backed off a bit, and isn't harassing the Regal as much. I guess I'll call that good progress for now : )

----------

Finsky - I feed NLS pellets, Formula One, Enriched Brine Shrimp, Mysis and Nori Sheets. Since adding the Regal, I have also been putting in mussels and oysters (they were out of clams). Only the Regal and new Melas angel seem to go for the oysters.

You can really tell when a Regal is eating well as mine will grabe a small piece of seaweed and crumple it into its mouth. I have not yet seen a food it will not eat.

 

[MarcB]

Well, when I came home tonight the Regal was hiding in the rocks. I fed the evening meal of 1 Formula 1 cube and 1 mysis cube and the Regal rushed out of the cave it was in and started eating both foods!!! I am feeling better and better, as from what I have read here, the big battle is getting them to eat. Time will tell, but it seems to be going well so far : )

 

[szwab]

Great to hear. :thumbsup: Much better than my experience in getting mine to eat. Now just make sure to feed a good variety of foods.

 

[Finsky]

Yes, this sounds really good.

You want them to come swimming when the dinner bell is rung.

That is what mine has done since August of 2008.

My Regal likes moving in and out of the live rock just like the Blue Girdled.

If they are not out when the food is put into the tank, they are very quick to swim to the surface to chow down!

 

[mikid]

feeding

feeding

ive never feed my fish a clam before except blended with other things,just not whole,do you clean out the guts first,clean with r/o...?...that might be a nice treat......:fish1:

 

[MarcB]

ive never feed my fish a clam before except blended with other things,just not whole,do you clean out the guts first,clean with r/o...?...that might be a nice treat......:fish1:

mikid - rinsed and scrubbed the shell, then cracked it open. Then just on the half-shell, giving it a rinse before putting it in the tank to clean it up a bit.


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Lots of progress on the Regal. The fish is out and showing itself more. Got it to eat more frozen food, Formula One and Brine Shrimp today. Then it still seemed hungry so I threw in some NLS pellets, and it ate them too!!!!!! Less than a week and its taking pellets, I am very encouraged!!!!

I haven't added a pic here yet, so lets see if I get this right

 

[Finsky]

I have two large brown and brown/green palythoa covered rocks in my tank. They are the only polyps my Regal will not eat as the have a nerve toxin in their mucous.

I tried one $35 pretty colored zooanthid rock and the Regal devoured them like candy in a matter of minutes! It also ate my four inch Murshroom Toadstool Soft Coral boring strait down from the top center. It did not last long.

Then my Blue Girdled ate my three mushroom covered rocks.

Now I am very careful what I put in the tank.

Six bubble tips, palythoa polyps, four red/pink/orange gonioporas, one purple aussie lobed brain coral, a one hard SPS montipora and red tabel coral with two hard LPS brains.

I have managed to make the tank somewhat attractive and colorful with one Red Rose and two Green Bubble tip anemones on each end of the tank along with the flower pots.

I want my corals, anemones, and fish for my reef tank since ocean reefs include fish and anemones with corals.

 

[Gondore]

mikid - rinsed and scrubbed the shell, then cracked it open. Then just on the half-shell, giving it a rinse before putting it in the tank to clean it up a bit.


---------------------

Lots of progress on the Regal. The fish is out and showing itself more. Got it to eat more frozen food, Formula One and Brine Shrimp today. Then it still seemed hungry so I threw in some NLS pellets, and it ate them too!!!!!! Less than a week and its taking pellets, I am very encouraged!!!!

I haven't added a pic here yet, so lets see if I get this right

Where did you purchase your Regal from?

 

[MarcB]

I have two large brown and brown/green palythoa covered rocks in my tank. They are the only polyps my Regal will not eat as the have a nerve toxin in their mucous.

I tried one $35 pretty colored zooanthid rock and the Regal devoured them like candy in a matter of minutes! It also ate my four inch Murshroom Toadstool Soft Coral boring strait down from the top center. It did not last long.

Then my Blue Girdled ate my three mushroom covered rocks.

Now I am very careful what I put in the tank.

Six bubble tips, palythoa polyps, four red/pink/orange gonioporas, one purple aussie lobed brain coral, a one hard SPS montipora and red tabel coral with two hard LPS brains.

I have managed to make the tank somewhat attractive and colorful with one Red Rose and two Green Bubble tip anemones on each end of the tank along with the flower pots.

I want my corals, anemones, and fish for my reef tank since ocean reefs include fish and anemones with corals.

The Regal and Melas are picking at some of my zoas. I am willing to lose the zoas if it happens, and add in palys and other resistant corals to fill in. Hopefully most of the corals survive, though.

Gondore, I purchased the regal from Pet Solutions, I have always had good results from them and Drs F & S.

New Pic, the real doing well so far:

 

[szwab]

Might be safe to add to your sig now.
My regals ate my palys the same as zoas so be careful.

 

[MarcB]

Might be safe to add to your sig now.
My regals ate my palys the same as zoas so be careful.

Funny, I was holding off on adding the Regal so as to not 'jinx' myself :lmao:

The Regal is nipping zoos, and really went to town on a plug in my frag rack. The Melas I added at the same time is also nipping two LPS corals and my Palys. Guess I may be looking into some Angel-safe corals for replacement . . .