The angel thread to end all angel threads: all owners of angelfish in reefs respond!!
- Thread starter LobsterOfJustice
- Start date
Cherub Angel C. argi. 3 years. So far reef safe ( as far as I trust the term which is not much.)
False Perc A. ocellaris = My clown IS NOT Reef safe. Will kill any hard coral she can to protect her "anemones" .
Matthew
I threw that clown in there to illustrate a point, no fish is actually REEF SAFE in the sense of being harmless.
False Perc A. ocellaris = My clown IS NOT Reef safe. Will kill any hard coral she can to protect her "anemones" .
Matthew
I threw that clown in there to illustrate a point, no fish is actually REEF SAFE in the sense of being harmless.
LobsterOfJustice
Recovering Detritophobe
All data up to this point entered.
Some percents so far:
Blueface - 75%
Flame - 84%
Coral Beauty - 86%
Regal - 70% (a lot of notes on this one though)
Majestic - 71%
Potter's - 82%
Not enough data on other species yet.
Some percents so far:
Blueface - 75%
Flame - 84%
Coral Beauty - 86%
Regal - 70% (a lot of notes on this one though)
Majestic - 71%
Potter's - 82%
Not enough data on other species yet.
LobsterOfJustice
Recovering Detritophobe
bump
michael_cb_125
New member
I have ket the following Angels in my reef tanks with the following results:
Flame Angel: I kept this fish for over a year in two different reef tanks. First was my 240 gallon. This tank has SPS, Clams, Zoanthus, and LPS. The fish never touched a single coral or clam. Then I moved her over to my Elos 70 (55 gallons). In this tank I had SPS and LPS also. Again she never touched anything.
Potters Angel: I obtained this fish at the same time as the Flame. He was in the same tanks with the same corals. Again this fish never touched a single coral or clam.
Majestic Angel: I had this fish for several months before I took the 240 gallon reef down. She was as safe with corals as my flame and potters. I never saw her touch a single coral or clam. The only think that she ever picked at were the barnacles and mussels that were in the rock work.
Regal Angel: I had this fish for over a year and a half. She was in the 240 and the Elos 70. This was the most "reef safe" fish that I have ever had. Ive had clown fish that were more abusive to corals than this fish was.
Blue Face: Ive kept this Juvenile 1.5" fish in an Elos Mini for several months. She is in the tank with LPS and Zoanthus. The only coral that she has ever taken a likin' to was an aussie elegance coral, which she ate.
Bellus: No issues.
IMO the key to keeping angels off of corals, is to feed often and keep them preoccupied. I feed my tank 4-7 times per day. In my tanks with angels I feed on the higher end of the scale. These fish feed almost constantly in the wild, and when we bring them into our tanks, they forage just as they do in the wild. If you look at Centropyge angels, they constantly nip at the substrate/rockworks/anything in their path. It should be expected that these fish may nip at corals. But typically the nipping is only enough to irritate the coral, not kill it. I have noticed that many times centropyge angels will nip at a coral, move on past, and come back several minutes later to consume the mucous that the coral secreted in response to the nipping. They dont typically eat the coral flesh, just the secretions.
Also, if you keep the fish "entertained" they are less likely to pick at corals. I have seen some tanks with large angels that look restless, and as such they pick at corals. I do not believe that this is the fish desiring to eat the coral, as much as it is the fish just nipping out of "boredom". I know I am using human terminology for fish, but I think it works.
IMO the best way to preoccupy fish is by adding other similar fish. For example, multiple angels.
These are just my observations, I may be totally incorrect. But frequent feedings, and preoccupied fish has worked for me.
~Michael
Flame Angel: I kept this fish for over a year in two different reef tanks. First was my 240 gallon. This tank has SPS, Clams, Zoanthus, and LPS. The fish never touched a single coral or clam. Then I moved her over to my Elos 70 (55 gallons). In this tank I had SPS and LPS also. Again she never touched anything.
Potters Angel: I obtained this fish at the same time as the Flame. He was in the same tanks with the same corals. Again this fish never touched a single coral or clam.
Majestic Angel: I had this fish for several months before I took the 240 gallon reef down. She was as safe with corals as my flame and potters. I never saw her touch a single coral or clam. The only think that she ever picked at were the barnacles and mussels that were in the rock work.
Regal Angel: I had this fish for over a year and a half. She was in the 240 and the Elos 70. This was the most "reef safe" fish that I have ever had. Ive had clown fish that were more abusive to corals than this fish was.
Blue Face: Ive kept this Juvenile 1.5" fish in an Elos Mini for several months. She is in the tank with LPS and Zoanthus. The only coral that she has ever taken a likin' to was an aussie elegance coral, which she ate.
Bellus: No issues.
IMO the key to keeping angels off of corals, is to feed often and keep them preoccupied. I feed my tank 4-7 times per day. In my tanks with angels I feed on the higher end of the scale. These fish feed almost constantly in the wild, and when we bring them into our tanks, they forage just as they do in the wild. If you look at Centropyge angels, they constantly nip at the substrate/rockworks/anything in their path. It should be expected that these fish may nip at corals. But typically the nipping is only enough to irritate the coral, not kill it. I have noticed that many times centropyge angels will nip at a coral, move on past, and come back several minutes later to consume the mucous that the coral secreted in response to the nipping. They dont typically eat the coral flesh, just the secretions.
Also, if you keep the fish "entertained" they are less likely to pick at corals. I have seen some tanks with large angels that look restless, and as such they pick at corals. I do not believe that this is the fish desiring to eat the coral, as much as it is the fish just nipping out of "boredom". I know I am using human terminology for fish, but I think it works.
IMO the best way to preoccupy fish is by adding other similar fish. For example, multiple angels.
These are just my observations, I may be totally incorrect. But frequent feedings, and preoccupied fish has worked for me.
~Michael
zooty
Fish Warden
1. Flame Angel w/SPS, LPS, Softies & Zoas; 2. Reef Safe 3. Nothing - 3 years
LPS = Favia, Wells, Euphyllas
SPS = Acropora, millipora, motipora, pocillipora, digitata
Softies = Leather, Kenya Tree, Mushrooms, zoanthids, gsp, Xenia
Gorgonia
Clam = Crocea (3") the clam didn't live long but I don't think the flame bothered it
1. Potter's Angel w/SPS, LPS, Softies & Zoas; 2. Mostly Reef Safe (See below) 3. Nothing - 1 year
LPS = Favia, Wells, Euphyllas
SPS = montipora
Softies = Leather, Kenya Tree, Mushrooms, zoanthids, gsp, Xenia
Gorgonia
-This fish was in a tank with a Cherub who nipped zoas and the gorgonia, I never saw the Potter do this and still blame the Cherub.
1. Cherub Angel w/SPS, LPS, Softies & Zoas; 2. Mostly Reef Safe (See below) 3. Zoas, Gorg - 1 year
LPS = Favia, Wells, Euphyllas
SPS = montipora
Softies = Leather, Kenya Tree, Mushrooms, zoanthids, gsp, Xenia
Gorgonia
-This fish was in a tank with a Potter and I'm 99% sure it was the Cherub who nipped zoas and the gorgonia, I never saw the Potter do this and still blame the Cherub.
LPS = Favia, Wells, Euphyllas
SPS = Acropora, millipora, motipora, pocillipora, digitata
Softies = Leather, Kenya Tree, Mushrooms, zoanthids, gsp, Xenia
Gorgonia
Clam = Crocea (3") the clam didn't live long but I don't think the flame bothered it
1. Potter's Angel w/SPS, LPS, Softies & Zoas; 2. Mostly Reef Safe (See below) 3. Nothing - 1 year
LPS = Favia, Wells, Euphyllas
SPS = montipora
Softies = Leather, Kenya Tree, Mushrooms, zoanthids, gsp, Xenia
Gorgonia
-This fish was in a tank with a Cherub who nipped zoas and the gorgonia, I never saw the Potter do this and still blame the Cherub.
1. Cherub Angel w/SPS, LPS, Softies & Zoas; 2. Mostly Reef Safe (See below) 3. Zoas, Gorg - 1 year
LPS = Favia, Wells, Euphyllas
SPS = montipora
Softies = Leather, Kenya Tree, Mushrooms, zoanthids, gsp, Xenia
Gorgonia
-This fish was in a tank with a Potter and I'm 99% sure it was the Cherub who nipped zoas and the gorgonia, I never saw the Potter do this and still blame the Cherub.
I have a coral beauty and a flame and have no issues in a 240 gal. reef, sps and lps. I agree with previous statements about feeding, if your system allows for good feeding of the fish, I doubt there well be any problems. If on the other hand you feed sparingly the fish are going to start looking for food, who can blame them? My angels stop and nip a coral now and then but do no damage.
OceanDweller
Member
Coral beauty 1 year flame angel 5 years both reef safe.
TTU_Reefer
New member
Elibi angel 3.5", 90% reef safe for a year
Tank is 80% SPS(He never touches) 10% GSP, 10% zoas and button polyps.
She picks the rocks and some times tastes a coral or two but I have never lost a coral bc of her.
However my turbo snails are NOT frag rack safe haha my frags end up on the sand every morning
Tank is 80% SPS(He never touches) 10% GSP, 10% zoas and button polyps.
She picks the rocks and some times tastes a coral or two but I have never lost a coral bc of her.
However my turbo snails are NOT frag rack safe haha my frags end up on the sand every morning
steelersfan
Member
Flame in a 90 gallon tank- I have had him for two years, and he has not been reef safe. He loves clams and LPS (Acans, plates, & Frogspawn).
jdhuyvetter
SWFMAS Event Coordinator
Flame Angel absolutely no problems for over a year. SPS, LPS and softies. One day he disappeared and never seen from again.
Flameback, I've had two over the years with no problems.
Goldflake, fine with SPS, LPS and softies for about 6 months. Then one day he decided he liked favias and montiporas. Moved him into a softie tank. No problem for a year and then one day he decided he like zoas. Seems to only go after the small expensive frags. So far he has left the cheap colonies alone.
Flameback, I've had two over the years with no problems.
Goldflake, fine with SPS, LPS and softies for about 6 months. Then one day he decided he liked favias and montiporas. Moved him into a softie tank. No problem for a year and then one day he decided he like zoas. Seems to only go after the small expensive frags. So far he has left the cheap colonies alone.
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