Venustus Angelfish....difficult?

[lgndrympterry]

Species Description
Generally a shy animal, the Venustus Angelfish is one of the rare species that is becoming more readily available in the industry. Usually found in caves and deep reef slopes, the Venustus Angelfish needs to be acclimated to bright lights of the home aquarium in the same way many deep water anthias are. Requires open rock structure with caves and overhangs. This fish was previously classified as Holacanthus and recently to Sumireyakko. Some authors may even classify it as a Paracentropyge. The beautiful bright yellow body with the purplish/blue triangular patch over the eye and saddle across the back make this fish an unusual addition bound to attract the eye and conversation in any home aquarium. They rarely pick at stony or soft corals but have been known to pick at clam mantles. This is probably due to the easy to reach zooxanthellae in the clam mantle tissue. Smaller individuals will be model citizens leaving most fish and even other dwarf Angelfish alone. Adults, however, can become belligerent and aggressive toward any Angelfish and tank mates that may share similar coloration or shape.
Diet
The Venustus Angelfish is very selective as to what it will eat. In the wild it naturally eats sponge material but can be taught to consume frozen and prepared foods with time and patience and careful acclimation to aquarium life. Because it is a shy fish initially, special care needs to be taken to properly teach this fish to accept strange new foods. It is suggested to feed a mixture of Angelfish Formula that contains sponge matter as well as frozen mysis shrimp and spirulina to begin with.


So can anyone tell me more about this fish...besides the sales pitch below form bluezooaquatics.com
I really would like to make this guy the dwarf angel in my 120
here are the current tank mates it would be living with...

Long-Nose Hawkfish, Oxycirrhites typus
Pair of Black and White Ocellaris Clownfish- Amphiprion Ocellaris
Starry Blenny - Salarias ramosus
Mystery Wrasse- Pterosychiropus Splendidus
Hippo Tang- Paracanthurus hepatus-in qt right now

Inverts
a pair of Scarlet Cleaner Shrimps-Lysmata Ambionensis
Nassarius Snails- Nassarius
4 Emerlad Crabs- Mithrax Scuptus
Group of 10 Blue Legged Hermits- Clibanarius Tricolor

 

[kinlayan]

Mine eats everything i offer it pellets , mysis, brine shrimp, nori etc and it did pick on some corals too

I think it can be a difficult species if you get a"badly caught" or poorly acclimated individual i have had mine for near on 5 years now and it seems pretty hardy once you get over initial period of captivity(smaller individuals seem to adapt better too)




<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/42085951@N06/4955531964/" title="NIKON walls July 1569243389 by Kinlayan, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/4955531964_f6f6b6ee96.jpg" width="500" height="332" alt="NIKON walls July 1569243389" /></a>

 

[Sheol]

Difficult to acclimate & get started feeding. In fact, pretty notorious for it. But there are some good ones every now & then. NOT FOR NOVICE ANGEL KEEPERS.

Sincerely,
Matt

 

[twelvejewelz]

I got one in from reefhotspot yesterday actually along with a mate for my multibar angelfish. The purplmask angel has been eating since 5 minutes of putting him in the tank. He eats anything i put in the tank. I specifically told reefhot spot to make sure they send me specimens that are eating so mabe that has something to do with it. Although the multibar hasnt started to eat prepared foods yet , figured he would follow the other one in eating, but he is picking at the rocks and eating the sponge. I think as others say any fish can be a good one or a bad one it can depend on alot of factors.He has been in and out of the rockwork picking at the rocks and swimming around with my cherub angel since hes been put in the tank.seems like he has alot of personality .

 

[bryan007]

They are a deep water specie and part of the problem with them such as certain Anthias is the lighting can be to bright for them. But if it is picking at the rock work that is a good sign and will probably begin eating prepared foods once it gets used to the brighter lights.

 

[lgndrympterry]

I got one in from reefhotspot yesterday actually along with a mate for my multibar angelfish. The purplmask angel has been eating since 5 minutes of putting him in the tank. He eats anything i put in the tank. I specifically told reefhot spot to make sure they send me specimens that are eating so mabe that has something to do with it. Although the multibar hasnt started to eat prepared foods yet , figured he would follow the other one in eating, but he is picking at the rocks and eating the sponge. I think as others say any fish can be a good one or a bad one it can depend on alot of factors.He has been in and out of the rockwork picking at the rocks and swimming around with my cherub angel since hes been put in the tank.seems like he has alot of personality .

1st off what's a Cherub angel? also what size tank dobu have these multiple angels in and were they all introduced at same time?

2ndly i've got a lot of caves and overhangs that I believe this fish or the multi barred angel would love, I would love to keep two darwf angels.

u said sponges did u order this or had in ur tank?

 

[twelvejewelz]

Unless you have multiple tanks i wouldnt suggest putting multiple dwarf angels into the same tank.If it dosnt work out and they dont get along your going to need a place to put them. A cherub pygmy angel is another type of dwarf angel , google it . They are in a 75 gallon. The cherub was introduced first, then a multibar ,and lastly another larger multibar and the purplemask at the same time. I probably wouldnt suggest getting a multibar at all because they usually dont do well and never even start eating. I feel the purple mask is alot more hardy than a multibar but still a big undertaking. I feed my tank 6 times a day will all different kinds of foods. I constantly have 3 types of seaweed rubberbanded to different rocks for them to pick at. There is sponges all over my tank for them to pick at and unlimited number of pods and live mysis shrimp.If your going to do it i would always add the smallest one first, then the next size up and so on or you can try and add them at the same time. ITs really a crapshoot if they get along and it would be sad to waste a fishes life if you cant properly take care of it :-/ .Im here literally in front of my tank for about 15 hours a day so im constantly on top of everything. The sponges grow all over my liverock and they came as hitchikers on the rock.

 

[Sheol]

Cherubs (C. argi) are pretty well known for aggression. Be careful with them, I speak from experience.

Matthew

 

[lgndrympterry]

well i think ill just go with a small purple masked angel for now, and maybe add the multi bar later on in the tanks life, or during an upgrade to the 300+ i plan on owning one day.

 

[LemonLemon]

venustus are difficult not because they are difficult by nature, but usually difficult in obtaining healthy individuals.

they always look healthy at the shop until they get into your tanks. most look good but slowly start to die later.

difficult to adapt and feed but i feel that smaller sized specimens are better.

 

[twelvejewelz]

i got mine from reefhotspot i would suggest u do the same. amazing service and you can request one that is eating in the comments in the order form there as i said before .I got a great specimen and he is eating anything i put in the tank! I think they have some quality fish there and there service is top notch, also it was packed amazing and with cold packs and i had no issues. I have no connection to them for the record just a happy customer.

 

[Toddrtrex]

I have had mine for about 3 months now -- was eating from the second I released it into the tank -- got it from the DD section of LA. Great little fish, but can be difficult too. IMO, one thing that helps a lot is having mature live rock for them to pick on -- can/will sustain them until they start eating prepared foods. I think that is one reason I haven't had any issues with my Golden dwarf -- still haven't seen it eat prepared foods, but is still gaining weight.

I have seen pictures of your tank, and IMO it is no where near ready for this angel - your live rock looks too devoid of life.