Regal or Imperial Angel?

dbmtrman

Member
I recently set up a 180 FOWLR, and am looking to add a couple of angel fish. But wanted to see if there were some more compatible then others.

The tank is currently stocked with Maroon Clown, Blue spotted shrimp goby, Scooter Blenny, Ebibli Angel and Juvenile Koran Angel. The Koran and Ebibli get along fine, but was wondering how the Koran would do with either a Imperial Angel or a Regal?
Any other suggestions?
 
I would say either is fine as long as the emperor is changing or has changed and the Regal is different colors than the koran.
 
Regal is considered far more challenging than emperor (if that is what you are referring to as choice number two). Emperor and Koran are both Pomacanthus, and I think, likely to fight.

If you have less than a few years sw experience, I'd hesitate to add another large angel. I think either add a different looking dwarf angel or look to some other types of fish.
 
I'd say no to the emperor, definitely if it is a juvi because of the similar colors. Even if the emperor is changed, their still is a chance they'd fight being the same genus. Regal's can sometimes be finicky and hard to acclimate, not to mention timid. I'd look into a holocanthus angel or any other angel besides a pomocanthus, keep in mind your going to need an upgrade, the koran or emperor will need bigger tanks eventually to sustain them for life.
 
I had a 3.5" queen that was best buds with a 4.5" emperor angel. I added the emperor into the queens home and they were both great together. Then I tried adding a 6" gray angel (using the theory of stocking bigger as you go) and the smaller emperor did not like him. He bullied him around and claimed dominance. The queen didn't bother anyone, but that could have changed with time. Needless to say I gave the gray a bigger better home. I'd either add a smaller holocanthus angel, maybe a blue? Or wait until the koran changes colors. A regal is pretty tame and mellow, that may work, but I'd have the regal bigger then the Koran, the Koran will eventually be bigger and probably eventually bully him around. It's really a toss up, every fish is different, you literally have to try out a fish and see if it works or doesn't, kind of inhumane but the only logical and safest way to do it. Goodluck, let us know what you do.
 
Well, with the topic of regals, I saw a aberrant regal yesterday that just came in at a lfs in Rocklin. They took pics, but I didn't have a camera, but wow. The side looked like it had been photoshopped.
 
Hi,
I wanted at least two large angelfish in my 190 gallon so I chose two of the more mellow angels. I got a Majestic and then put a Scribbled angel in there. Both of these fish are some of the least aggressive large angels, and both only get to 10 or 12 inches. For the first week the Majestic chased the Scribbled a little and it keep out of the Majestic's way and let it keep the most dominant role in the tank. Both of these fish are about the same size. A Scribbled is suppose to be easier to keep than a Regal which they say is very difficult. I wanted to get the second angel put in the tank to be a little larger as is recommended by my book on angelfishes. It says to put the least agressive and smaller angels in first and usually not to mix with an angel of the same species.

If you get another angel make sure that it is at least a couple of inches larger than the juvenile koran especially if it is of a less aggressive species. It would have been better if the angel you have now was of a less aggressive species if you wanted to mix angels as Korans are suppose to be some of the most aggressive angels out there. I also had a Goldflake angel in with the Majestic at first and they got along great. The Goldflake died from worms after a month...had long stringy poop from the beginning (highly suspect for worms), but it was eating well at first. When it stopped eating I took it out and tried to treat it but it was too late.

I highly recommend a book "Angelfishes and Butterfly Fishes" by Scott W. Michael. You can go to amazon.com and get one cheap used, or go with a new one if you want. I got one that was used and like new for a really good price. You would really like this book and it may help you. I have thought about maybe getting some type of butterfly for my 190 fish only live rock tank, or maybe putting another medium size angel like another expensive Goldflake or a red sea Regal later after the tank has been up longer. I really like Majestics as they stay under a foot and have a good temperment and I have found them to be almost as hardy as a damsel if you get a healthy one that is eating well from the beginning. If you want a healthy fish that is eating well go the liveaquaria.com and get fish from the "divers den" section as they are wormed, made sure they are eating and quarenteened before they are sent. I have always had luck with them and they have a picture of the actual fish you are getting. You may pay 25 percent more for the fish in the "den" but it is well worth it. Good luck and keep me posted as I love large angelfish and would have one of every one if I could. My majestic and my scribbled share the tank with a Potter's pygmy angel, a couple of wrasses, pair of clowns, two blennys, a cleaner goby (you need one of these...great to keep the parasites of angels), a royal gramma.....and I plan to add one more fish in a few months....maybe a Regal or a Banner butterfly, or another Goldflake. I agree with the other poster that the Emperor angel fish gets too large for a 180...to 16 inches. Your Koran will get to almost 14 inches which is almost too big for a 180 when full grown. Good luck, Lesley
 
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I just added a 6 line wrasse to the tank. The Koran hasn't displayed any aggression to any of the other occupants, not even the eibli angel. My maroon clown fish, is not aggressive to any of the other occupants, except the Koran. He leaves his cave and will swim the length of the 180 to chase the Koran. They have only been together in this tank for about 3 days. While this tank was cycling, I had the Koran and maroon in a 29 gal. qt, and they got along great. Not sure what has changed, other then the maroon was put into the 180 a couple weeks earlier then the Koran. How big do the Goldflake Angels get?
 
I'd also stay away from the regal unless you

A: find a very well adjusted specimen that is eating well
or
B: Have a holding facility that you can slowly acclimate it to captive life and feeding.

These are VERY difficult fish to keep. If you introduce it to an established tank, it will have to fight for its food (which it probably won't do), as well as fight for territory in the tank (which it probably won't do either).

I would recommend the Imp, but I would sump both the Koran and Imp together with a partition and add re-introduce them both together after about two weeks. This will give you your best shot at keeping them together.

Jim
 
Just because the fish is not aggressive with other types of fish means nothing. Large angelfish are not normally aggressive toward any other fish besides other large angels, usually not even toward dwarf type angels either. You would probably be ok adding another angel now that is a couple inches bigger like a Majestic or a Scribbled or a Goldflake as your fish is still a juvenile. The reason you add a bigger angel last is that it is a lot more likely to accept a fish that is in the tank from the beginning before he thinks the whole tank is his. A lot of the other large angels get to 16 or 18 inches and will get too big in your tank.

My angel fish book says it is best not to mix two juveniles of any types of angels with other juveniles as they will fight. Since the fish I mentioned are some of the less aggressive species of angel fish I would add one of those now that is a couple of inches bigger and in adult coloration. It should be bigger now as your angel will be larger and more aggressive than these as it gets older. I think if they grow up together they will be more used to and more tolerant of the other angel as they both get bigger. The angel book I have says that angels that have adult coloration usually are tolerant of juveniles. In the book on angels it says that Regals are very difficult to get to feed and are better left in the ocean as their survival rate in captivity is poor. Lesley
 
I think the koran will get big, quick, and will hammer any other angefish you put in there, unless its bigger and bolder, in which case the oposite is true.

In my view, the Koran is one ofthose angels (like the Mac for example) that is a "one to a tank" type angel, for certain..... while it is a pomocanthus, it also resembles a holocanthus..... so While you may get away with say a P.imperator with a H.ciliaris (because they are different families and look different) I do not think you'll get away with a P.Koran with another Pomocanthus, and I think they look too similar to a holocanthus to full it off.....

I wouldn't personally, any sucess would be short lived and likley end up with a dead angel..... or a severely battered one.

Scott Michaels book on angefish is good...... as is the literature from Bob Fenner both online and in print..... would highly recommend reading as much of their stuff as you can......

As far as angelfish aggression goes, in gneral - my emporer takes every opertunity he can to remind my purple tang who's boss..... and emporer's are far from the most aggressive.

I would also shy away from any of the former Euxiphipops angels(i.e. majestic, blue face etc.), and definitely the regal angel - if you are going to try anything.....

HTH

Matt
 
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