Should i get an angel for my reef

[Jman13]

I have a Nano cube 28 and im looking for one more fish. I have a pair of clowns and a yellow watchman goby.I have SPS,LPS, and soft corals in my tank. I have heard so many opinions on the reef compatibility of dwarf angel fish. I am interested in the Flame back angel. my local LFS swears they are very reef safe but i am as usual sceptical of what any LFS tells me. Please vote,and share your takes on this.

 

[alton]

I think that a 28 is too small for an angel long term.

 

[Charley Diesing]

IMO I wouldn't do it because your already pushing the bio-load, maybe add another small nano fish, but not a dwarf angel.

 

[Allmost]

if you want to get it, get it with mentality that it will eat your corals

and it most likely will.

if corals are in good health, they may get used to it and grow still, if not, then they die back.

others also have a good point about bioload and tank size

 

[humaguy]

no...too small a tank...

 

[Buzzword]

No, too small of a tank. And I found my Flame angel eating my Sunny D palys. Trapped and traded in to LFS. No more pygmy angels for me.

 

[mussel and hate]

28 isn't too small for Acanthops though I'm sure like most any fish more space to swim is better. What is really important is lots of rock surface area facing the lights. Centropyge like to graze all day long. Cubes don't lend themselves to that sort of aquascape.

These fiesty little fellas take over in a hurry. If you do choose to buy one be prepared for squabbles in the heirarchy and possible coral munching.

 

[Jman13]

I have a lot of rock in the tank(i think it was like 37 lbs) and its open on all 4 sides so there is alot of exposed rock for grazing. And correct me if im wrong and if anyone has owned a flameback please share your xp but i was told by the LFS owner that these are no ordinary type of pygmy they stay smaller.. like 3 inches MAX and they are less likely to nip corals then a coral beauty or others. thanks for all the feedback.

 

[SDguy]

I voted no because I think it will be too aggressive in that tank.

 

[sleeri]

Get a Pygmy angel. Similar coloring, much smaller. Very cool fish in a smaller tank.

 

[mussel and hate]

Acanthops, Argi, Auantonotus, and Flavicauda are the smallest Centropyge. They tend not to exceed three inches and sometimes stay smaller yet. The first three species have common ancestry if memory serves. I believe I read some article which claimed researchers had demonstrated this definitively.

Whether or not any of these Angels will pick at your corals is specific to the individual fish and circumstances. There is no safe bet, you just get to roll the dice. I've kept C. Flavicauda and C. Argi without incident but others have reported problems with these same species.

If you're set on purchasing a pygmy angel then you may as well buy the one you like the look of as you may be less displeased when the little beast mows down your polyps.