Swallowtail angelfish anybody with experience?

[FishSticks86]

Hello, I was at the LFS the other day and i saw a Japanese swallowtail angel. The store owner told me they are reefsafe and it confirm that they are but I just want to make sure before I pull the trigger. I also have a mixima clam.
Thanks

 

[SPotter]

I have a male and female japanese swallow tails and they haven't touched anything in my tank. given the cost of them, i too was nervous about them touching some of my lps but they are model citizens. I feed them mysis pe and they are very happy with that.

 

[beachbreak]

Every member of the genus (Genicanthus) are planktivores so you should be fine.

Mine cause no problems at all and are model citizens. They don't even pick at the rock. Mine eats everything including nori sheets. Great fish.

 

[WestTexasReefer]

Same here. Mine is a model citizen and a great looking fish.

 

[Allmost]

not a polyps eater.

 

[SPotter]

here's my male....a big boy

The female......

 

[tmz]

I've kept a female swallow tail(Genicanthus melanospilos) for about 5 years in a mixed reef .Great fish no aggression to any corals ,inverts or other fish. It likes frozen meaty foods and some spirulina :

 

[SDguy]

I have a pair of G. melanospilos. The male makes feeding LPS virtually impossible, since he knows how to pick the food out of the LPS mouths, even after the food has been swallowed!! Other than that, 100% reef safe IME.

 

[FishSticks86]

Thanks you for the quick replies everybody that'll be on the list for my next setup.

 

[Cinder01]

I am picking one up tomorrow at my LFS. Well its between that and a Purple Tang. I too came looking for info about reef safe? I have a Purple Pin Cushion Urchin that has just discovered my Zoa's so now i am worried even when I hear things are reef safe.

 

[jcw]

To add my experience, I have a male zebra swallowtail that leaves corals alone, but chases my other genicanthus (female bellus) around the tank. About 8 months I think.

 

[gveng]

I have a pair of G. melanospilos. The male makes feeding LPS virtually impossible, since he knows how to pick the food out of the LPS mouths, even after the food has been swallowed!! Other than that, 100% reef safe IME.

depending on how big your LPS are, you could always buy strawberry baskets (the green ones) and put them over the corals during feeding.

 

[SDguy]

depending on how big your LPS are, you could always buy strawberry baskets (the green ones) and put them over the corals during feeding.

Yes, I know. I could. And I did, for a while, but I'll freely admit... I'm too lazy to do that, forever...

So no LPS that needs feeding is kept in my tank.

 

[bullitr]

here's my male....a big boy

The female......

Sir
I am having issue feeding mine what did you feed yours in the beginning ?
Thanks

 

[reefjunkie42]

How
Many of you guys have semifactus? I fed mine pe mysis, cyclopeze , and nutramar ova

 

[64Ivy]

I have a small harem (1 x m, 4 x f) of semis. No real problems with any corals, though I have very few in the tank right now. They eat almost anything I give them, from PE and Hakiri mysis to Spectrum Pellets to Ova and Rods Food, to just about the entire line of frozen Ocean Nutrition fare.

 

[Cerastes]

I've maintained a Lamarck in a mixed LPS/Softie tank with no issues for 3 years. I really think the whole genus Genicanthus are among the most underrated reef fish. They're active, not shy by any means,and with the exception of other members of their genus rarely start trouble. And I've also found that they handle a bit of aggression from their tank mates without getting too stressed out over it.