Violent regal angelfish

[HOZERTHEBONEFISH]

Hey folks

I bought a red sea regal angelfish about 6 months ago, had some fluke and ich issues which have all been treated. It is vibrant and healthy

Only problem is it a fish killer!!!

It has killed 3 green chromises took out a chunk of tail of a fire fish. This fish doesn't just chase other fishes during feeding time, it goes for the flesh.

Anyone else have similar experience?

I don't think I can discipline the regal?

 

[shaka]

I've had my Regal Angel for over 5 years and she has always been extremely shy and passive until . . . I added a Moorish Idol ( about the same size as the angel). The Moorish Idol was in absolutely perfect health ( eating everything I fed it) and even fed from my hand. I had the Idol for about 5 weeks in a quarantine tank before putting him in my DT with the angel. The Idol was dead the next day. I'm not positive it was the angel but they did kind of "tussle" when they first came across each other. In the morning the Idol was laying on the gravel. I honestly don't know how else the Idol could have died.

 

[Bigcapct]

I just added one last week and it seems very passive with 2 other dwarf angels. Flame back and potters

 

[nonstopfishies]

Surprising.

How big is the tank?

 

[Dr Colliebreath]

And how big is the Regal and do you have other fish that may have done the job?

Funny you should post this and get the response about the Regal going after a Moorish Idol. I have had a small (~3") Regal and a slightly larger (~3.25") Idol in my QT for the past 3 weeks. No problems at all and they get along well. Two days ago, the Regal took shots at the Idol for about half an hour just after their morning feeding. It would come out of hiding in a pvc pipe and take a nip at the Idol's body. No damage done, and the Idol didn't seem to care as it just twisted its body out of the way. At first, the Regal was a better eater than the Idol but the Idol now gets more food. I assumed the Regal was just unhappy that the Idol got more food (plus they are in Cupramine so that may make them more cranky). No problems have occurred at any of the feedings since, so perhaps it was an isolated act of aggression.

It will be interesting to see if others have any issues with Regals. I don't recall seeing posts about them being particularly aggressive. Your Idol was introduced after the Regal was established and their food sources overlap, so maybe your Regal just decided to make a precautionary killing.



I hope this isn't the start of something, but I have another QT ready just in case.

 

[MrTuskfish]

My Regal is on the aggressive side, but (IME) like most aggressive Angels this size, won't bother small fish like yours does. I doubt there is anything you can do to change this. Changing rock-work, "time-outs;, etc. are often suggested. But I just don't believe you can change the behavior of a fish.

 

[HOZERTHEBONEFISH]

Don't get me wrong... I feel blessed that I have at least a regal that eats. It's just amazing that fishes can have such different personalities...

My old regal that I had 7 years ago, was as shy as any creature can be. It's interesting that other folks have had similar experiences.

Perhaps in the wild they are fairly aggressive? Or could it be a gender? Mine is a male.

 

[HOZERTHEBONEFISH]

Btw my tank is 90 gallons. Minimal rock work. Regal is 4 inches. Only other fishes are percula pair(tiny). I actually witnessed the assault. The chromises were slightly weakened by hypo salinity and medications was doing for the ich at the time of the massacre. Chromises were small.

Now that the tank is back to full salinity no meds, the regal is less aggressive but still nips at pretty much everything except perculas.

 

[suta4242]

So the meds and hypo only applied to the chromis...or was the regal in during treatment as well?

 

[Kahuna Tuna]

Angelfish can be terrors when the mood strikes them. I had a flagfin which can be a notoriously docile species for an angel just go nuts on a Pomacanthus Navarchus and beat it mercilessly. I had expected the pomacanthus to be the dominant fish but it didn't stand a chance against the flagfin. Regals can be very touchy fish but they can thrown down for sure.

 

[Amy111]

My regal angel has always been shy and quiet it doesnt seem like it could be aggressive until I added a copperband butterfly into my tank. It would chase my CB all over the tank even the CB is about 5" my regal is 4". My poor CB is always hiding and never come out during feeding time. This has been going on for about 2 months now I'm thinking about trading the regal angel in for something else. My tank is 100 gallons and has been running for a year. I don't want to lose my CB so I will try my best to keep it safe.