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Regal Angelfish Care?
- Thread starter BigBlueTang
- Start date
alton
Well-known member
The $200 price came from my LFS when I bought my first Redsea Regal (Quality Marine). My juvenile came from NYAquatic and with shipping was $300. After ordering like 5 times from Petco I did get one for $118, and a large from my LFS once for $125 (not Quality Marine). But good luck, it does happen. And if you are wondering why so many I tried to keep three in my tank with no avail so I quit, two friends now have nice regals in there reef tanks.
BigBlueTang
Active member
But you do recommend the Red Sea variety?
That sucks... Sorry.
I think I am going to go with an LFS bought one, since I doubt I am going to qt this fish, and if I buy it from the LFS I don't have to worry about ammonia poisoning from drip acclimating correct? Also, it may be cheaper than online and I will get to see it eat...
Judging from the reviews on the Primer, the hardest part about keeping regals is getting it to eat prepared foods. The grazing period is only for the first week or so for it to survive, but then once it is eating prepared, it seems to be pretty hardy and doesn't require much grazing? Am I correct or did I just talk nonsense?
BigBlueTang
Active member
Do you remember when they are 150$?
I found a great deal on craigslist from an existing 225 for 50 lbs of rock for 40$ so I will jump on that, will this be enough for the regal or should I wait a couple months for my dry rock to seed?
ThRoewer
New member
The reason for the mixed results come likely from how they are caught and brought to the surface. Those caught with poison (cyanides or other narcotics) are most of the time death candidates. Same goes for those that were brought up too fast without proper decompression but rather "needled" (a syringe needle poked into the swim bladder to release the excess gas).
Another issue is how they were cared for during the various stages on the supply chain.
I had good results with the Pacific blue ones and the yellow belies from the Maldives. Though I got all my specimen directly from wholesalers. I feel the less time they spend in a wholesale or retail facility the better you chances.
I don't care if the fish eats at the store but rather judge it on appearance (no injuries and well nourished) and behavior (alert and interested in it's surrounding).
Don't ever buy skinny, sick or injured specimen. I would avoid especially those that have mouth injuries.
Never leave one you would want at the store for a week or until it's eating. The two little Pacific blue ones they have here at a store lost significant weight over only one week, despite eating from day 1 - at stores they won't "baby" them enough, and that's what these fish need, especially for the first 3 to 6 months.
Also, the longer they stay at the store the more time they have to pick up diseases they didn't have before.
I also found that the hardest to get to accept food are single ones. My first Pacific blue one needed a lot of special care to start eating but when I later added another one he saw the first one eating and dug right in himself.
Another issue is how they were cared for during the various stages on the supply chain.
I had good results with the Pacific blue ones and the yellow belies from the Maldives. Though I got all my specimen directly from wholesalers. I feel the less time they spend in a wholesale or retail facility the better you chances.
I don't care if the fish eats at the store but rather judge it on appearance (no injuries and well nourished) and behavior (alert and interested in it's surrounding).
Don't ever buy skinny, sick or injured specimen. I would avoid especially those that have mouth injuries.
Never leave one you would want at the store for a week or until it's eating. The two little Pacific blue ones they have here at a store lost significant weight over only one week, despite eating from day 1 - at stores they won't "baby" them enough, and that's what these fish need, especially for the first 3 to 6 months.
Also, the longer they stay at the store the more time they have to pick up diseases they didn't have before.
I also found that the hardest to get to accept food are single ones. My first Pacific blue one needed a lot of special care to start eating but when I later added another one he saw the first one eating and dug right in himself.
nuxx
.Registered Member
Last year.
BigBlueTang
Active member
Blueline12
Member
Got my Red Sea for $75 at a LFS. Kid screwed up the price.
They are tricky to get eating. Try fresh clams on the half shell and fresh mussels. They like to pick at them. After a few weeks of that mine took to eating flake, pellets and frozen with no problem. Buying fresh food was getting annoying so I supplemented by buying frozen clam strips and rubber banding it to a clam shell before it began eating the other foods.
I would also recommend having your tank established before adding it.
They are tricky to get eating. Try fresh clams on the half shell and fresh mussels. They like to pick at them. After a few weeks of that mine took to eating flake, pellets and frozen with no problem. Buying fresh food was getting annoying so I supplemented by buying frozen clam strips and rubber banding it to a clam shell before it began eating the other foods.
I would also recommend having your tank established before adding it.
ThRoewer
New member
That's not precisely what I meant - and maybe I wasn't clear enough.
What I meant is: only buy it if it just arrived at the store and looks as if it would want to eat. Again, this only applies to regals that just arrived at the store - same day or a day earlier.
If the store had it for a week and it still isn't eating it's a big risk. Not only might you have a hard time to get it to eat but it already lost a weeks worth of "fuel". The longer these fish go without food the less likely they make it.
If you find one that has been at the store for a while and is eating, fat and healthy - definitely go for it.
LobsterOfJustice
Recovering Detritophobe
All the talk about price is focusing on the wrong thing IMO. The regal angelfish is NOT a fish you bargain shop for.
Find a reputable supplier. Someone who has a local reputation for bringing in difficult species in good condition. Find a FLAWLESS specimen (no blemishes on fins, no marks on body) that is eating with gusto and acting naturally (swimming in/out of rocks, a bit shy), and buy it and don't even look at the price. They are not difficult fish if they can get to you in good condition and eating. The places that charge a bit more for fish (as long as they have a good reputation) are not just pocketing the extra money... that money goes into ensuring a better supply chain so you end up with a higher quality fish. If you're buying something cheap and hardy, this doesn't matter as much. For regals, it does. If you are unable to find a local place with a good reputation for bringing in high quality livestock in good condition, purchase from a REPUTABLE, what-you-see-is-what-you-get online dealer.
I have no idea how much I paid for my Regal, I must have blocked it out lol. But really, who cares? I have an awesome, healthy fish that eats frozen food from my hands and gobbles up pellets like candy. And unless I screw something up, I will have him for years to come. Whatever I paid for him, it was worth it to me.
Find a reputable supplier. Someone who has a local reputation for bringing in difficult species in good condition. Find a FLAWLESS specimen (no blemishes on fins, no marks on body) that is eating with gusto and acting naturally (swimming in/out of rocks, a bit shy), and buy it and don't even look at the price. They are not difficult fish if they can get to you in good condition and eating. The places that charge a bit more for fish (as long as they have a good reputation) are not just pocketing the extra money... that money goes into ensuring a better supply chain so you end up with a higher quality fish. If you're buying something cheap and hardy, this doesn't matter as much. For regals, it does. If you are unable to find a local place with a good reputation for bringing in high quality livestock in good condition, purchase from a REPUTABLE, what-you-see-is-what-you-get online dealer.
I have no idea how much I paid for my Regal, I must have blocked it out lol. But really, who cares? I have an awesome, healthy fish that eats frozen food from my hands and gobbles up pellets like candy. And unless I screw something up, I will have him for years to come. Whatever I paid for him, it was worth it to me.
BigBlueTang
Active member
I think you hit the nail on the head here.. I'm not that worried about price, but just wondering if I could save 100$. I would gladly pay 100$ more to get a regal that is eating with gusto and looks fat and happy compared to paying 80$ and getting a deathbed regal.
BigBlueTang
Active member
Will do
Found a local guy on craigslist who is selling his beautiful live rock for 2 $ a pound, so naturally I bought 50 pounds
It is currently sitting in a brute with an rw 8 and a heater, will let that go for 72 days before adding because the guy never QT'd and claimed he never had ich, but why take a chance?
Dkuhlmann
New member
:dance: Would be hard to beat that price on lr. I'd grab that and keep on looking. You would honestly be better off if you can put another 30 lbs or so good established lr and get rid of the other rock you have. IMO
BigBlueTang
Active member
Not an option, sadly, since I really need to use everything I bought, and don't know if marco rocks takes returns?
