Regal angelfish compatibility

[themoraykeeper]

Hey guys, would value any replies that anyone that can give on this subject!
Have a 120 gallon bowfront tank (5ft long) and thinking of adding both a regal angelfish and a blue striped angelfish.

thinking that adding the regal 1st and blue stripe 2nd or both at the same time as another user recommended

Would the tank size be large enough?
Cheers!

 

[droth335]

I think you will be fine as far as compatibility goes (might be a tad small of a tank for 2 large angels though) and adding the regal first is a good idea. We have a regal and blue face together for a year now and they are fine together.

 

[themoraykeeper]

I think you will be fine as far as compatibility goes (might be a tad small of a tank for 2 large angels though) and adding the regal first is a good idea. We have a regal and blue face together for a year now and they are fine together.

Ok cheers mate, imagined it might be a bit too small so was either looking at both or one or the other so just getting other opinions before I make a move.
Will try to get both real small so there is little issues between them, or just the one.
Also I have a few corals that are basically real hardy, soft corals (toadstool, mushrooms etc) as I have just started out with them. I know the regal is a bit of a risk but how does the blue stripe normally fair with corals as can't find to much info on them in a reef tank lol

Also were there any issues at the beginning with your angels and what size tank are they in? Thanks!

 

[droth335]

I can't speak to the blue stripe (a.k.a. Blueline?) from personal experience but suspect it will be similar to the Regal and Blue Face in terms of appetite for coral. According to Liveaquaria they are both "reef safe with caution". I think SPS and hardier softies (like the leather & mushrooms you listed) are the most likely to be successful with the large angels.

Ours are in a 210 and we have never had any issues with them getting along with other fish (they share the tank with a large sailfin tang, one spot fox face, a blue hippo tang, flame angel, two clowns and a mandarin). The blue face and the regal were the last 2 added with the regal being the last one. The blue face was about 3-4" and changing to adult color when we got him and is now about 5-6". The regal is about 4".

We had planned this tank to have large angels in (my wife's favorites) so it is largely SPS with just a few softies in it. All of our LPS are in another tank. The only issue we have had coral-wise is we did have a rock covered with zoas (as a test) that was fine for about 4-5 months and then most of them disappeared over night - never saw the culprit but one of these 2 are the likely suspects.

I think you'd be fine with the softies you list above as I doubt they would munch on them.

 

[OrionN]

Consider the Majestic and Regal angels. I had both and they are very slow growers. IMO, these two are about the most beautiful angels we can keep in reeftank. Feed them well and this will drastically lower their tendency to pick on corals.
Or better yet, if you can swing it, get a Regal pair.

 

[droth335]

Consider the Majestic and Regal angels. I had both and they are very slow growers. IMO, these two are about the most beautiful angels we can keep in reeftank. Feed them well and this will drastically lower their tendency to pick on corals.
Or better yet, if you can swing it, get a Regal pair.

Good suggestions!

 

[ThRoewer]

I would go with the regal pair. It would be better for the fish and you would get more than just a pretty fish.

 

[morgan175]

I can't speak to the blue stripe (a.k.a. Blueline?) from personal experience but suspect it will be similar to the Regal and Blue Face in terms of appetite for coral. According to Liveaquaria they are both "reef safe with caution". I think SPS and hardier softies (like the leather & mushrooms you listed) are the most likely to be successful with the large angels.

Ours are in a 210 and we have never had any issues with them getting along with other fish (they share the tank with a large sailfin tang, one spot fox face, a blue hippo tang, flame angel, two clowns and a mandarin). The blue face and the regal were the last 2 added with the regal being the last one. The blue face was about 3-4" and changing to adult color when we got him and is now about 5-6". The regal is about 4".

We had planned this tank to have large angels in (my wife's favorites) so it is largely SPS with just a few softies in it. All of our LPS are in another tank. The only issue we have had coral-wise is we did have a rock covered with zoas (as a test) that was fine for about 4-5 months and then most of them disappeared over night - never saw the culprit but one of these 2 are the likely suspects.

I think you'd be fine with the softies you list above as I doubt they would munch on them.

I was thinking of almost the same in stocking list. Glad it is working. Your sps are fine? Are they big colonies?

I would look at the foxface for the xoas disappearing.

 

[themoraykeeper]

I would go with the regal pair. It would be better for the fish and you would get more than just a pretty fish.

Wow a regal pair would be such a nice idea, but don't have any idea on how to pair them up? Would you have to buy them separate and different sizes or buy them as a pair already?

I already have a regal sourced and hopefully on the way next week, as that was the general consensus that the regal should be added first so if I was to do the pair how would I do this?

Also thanks to everyone for your replies! Has really helped me out

 

[droth335]

I was thinking of almost the same in stocking list. Glad it is working. Your sps are fine? Are they big colonies?

I would look at the foxface for the xoas disappearing.

We have a mix from frags to pretty large colonies. Here is an FTS (I apologize for the crappy phone pic but hopefully gives you an idea):

Fox face might be a suspect but I've never had one eat zoas before but I've heard they do. He was in the tank for a year before the angels and none disappeared but he could have gone rogue.

 

[ThRoewer]

Wow a regal pair would be such a nice idea, but don't have any idea on how to pair them up? Would you have to buy them separate and different sizes or buy them as a pair already?
...

Adult regals can be sexed by the length of their gill thorns. The male's thorns are almost twice as long as the females. Though I would use this only on fish from the same region as there is some difference between local variants.
Also if going by this make sure the male is about 10% larger/longer than the female.

The easiest is to get two young regals where one is slightly larger than the other. Ideally add the smaller one to the tank first and let him settle in for a few months before adding another slightly larger one.
Though it will also work when you add both at the same time. I just did that with my two little bluebellies. Mine were of near identical size so there was a bit chasing and some fighting. But it never got out of hand and by now they get along pretty well for most of the time.

 

[themoraykeeper]

Adult regals can be sexed by the length of their gill thorns. The male's thorns are almost twice as long as the females. Though I would use this only on fish from the same region as there is some difference between local variants.
Also if going by this make sure the male is about 10% larger/longer than the female.

The easiest is to get two young regals where one is slightly larger than the other. Ideally add the smaller one to the tank first and let him settle in for a few months before adding another slightly larger one.
Though it will also work when you add both at the same time. I just did that with my two little bluebellies. Mine were of near identical size so there was a bit chasing and some fighting. But it never got out of hand and by now they get along pretty well for most of the time.

Thanks for the advice mate, will let you know how I get on

 

[themoraykeeper]

Guys! I may have a chance to get a pair of regal angels at the same time one is slightly smaller than the other, but the only problem is one is from the Red Sea and the other from Indo pacific, do you think it could still work? They are from the same store and both are eating prepared foods, one more so than the other but both also destroying frozen foods
Cheers!

 

[humaguy]

Guys! I may have a chance to get a pair of regal angels at the same time one is slightly smaller than the other, but the only problem is one is from the Red Sea and the other from Indo pacific, do you think it could still work? They are from the same store and both are eating prepared foods, one more so than the other but both also destroying frozen foods
Cheers!

Red Sea and Indian Ocean going to be a prettier and more vibrantly colored fish...Red Sea regals are also bolder and their behavior is differ than the others and easier to feed...
Red Sea is the way to go...

I would get 2 as small as possible and let them work the sexing out...

 

[themoraykeeper]

Red Sea and Indian Ocean going to be a prettier and more vibrantly colored fish...Red Sea regals are also bolder and their behavior is differ than the others and easier to feed...
Red Sea is the way to go...

I would get 2 as small as possible and let them work the sexing out...

Cheers mate, thanks for the advice! Will try to get 2 Red Sea regals then

 

[themoraykeeper]

Just for future reference though, could an indo and Red Sea work together? Or is it literally impossible?

 

[humaguy]

Just for future reference though, could an indo and Red Sea work together? Or is it literally impossible?

Sure, just keep in mind the Red Sea will probably become the alpha fish..they may even act like totally different fish...the Red Sea and then Indian Ocean would be my first choices...

 

[ThRoewer]

Red Sea and Indian Ocean going to be a prettier and more vibrantly colored fish...Red Sea regals are also bolder and their behavior is differ than the others and easier to feed...
Red Sea is the way to go...

I would get 2 as small as possible and let them work the sexing out...

I wouldn't go much under 3 inch in length. If they are smaller than that they have nearly no reserves, so if you don't get them to feed right away they may starve before getting acclimated.

The 1.5 inch Philippine regal I picked up last Saturday doesn't look too good so far. No interest in live tigger pods or mussels on the half shell. If he doesn't pick up eating something fast he will be gone by the end of the week.

Now, with Red Sea you generally have a hard time finding anything below 4 inch. Most Red Sea regals I've seen so far were 6 inches and up

 

[alton]

I have tried twice with smaller juveniles, one from NYAquatics and the other from my LFS both were around 1 1/2" and did not survive. My redsea juvenile ate like a pig the second day and was a little over 2" when I got her from Michael also. My bigger one came from my LFS on a special order.

 

[humaguy]

Due to the sketchy collection methods used in the Philippines, I avoid getting fish from there.
This is from la- Regal Angelfish from the Red Sea, Maldives, Coral Sea, Fiji and Tahiti are good shippers and are harvested and handled with care, and normally will adapt more easily than their Indo-Pacific counterparts to the home aquarium.
I got my current through dd 3-4 years ago at a tiny half inch and is now around 3..not Red Sea but Fijian and pretty...
She ate from day 1...