What coral can I keep with a Blue Face Angelfish?

[mantis1437]

Hi I am planning to get a Blue Face Angelfish, Pomacanthus xanthometopon , and I want to know what kind of coral I can keep with her. I am hoping just to keep easy growing and moving corals like GSP, Xenias, and Anthelias. Will that work with the angel? What other corals can I keep with her, zoas, LPS?

All opinions and links will be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[edsbeaker]

Hi,
A blue faced angelfish is not considered reef safe. Many people have them in their reefs, though. The reality is he may not bother anything, he may only bother softies, he may only bother LPS, he may only bother SPS, he may only bother clams, he may bother any combination of any of these... You get the idea. They are so individual, no one will be able to give you a definitive answer. It's just a risk you need to take or not.
Beautiful fish, though!
Sorry I couldn't help more.

 

[mantis1437]

Thanks edsbeaker for the info. I am basing this tank around her so I guess just anything I put in I will have to hope the best for that coral.

Anyone else?

 

[bobkill]

Everything I have read suggest that hard coral have a better chance vs meaty soft corals - ie sps>lps and softies/zoa - lots of totm sps system have angels - none have a blue face - I have only seen 2 tanks on RC with them and I pmed but guys - both didn't have problems with blue face and sps but did have problems with nipping and eating everything else - so that being said its still a 'risk' and ever fish is differnt

 

[kinlayan]

i have a full grown blue face it is fine with sps only eats most other corals check out my thread if you interested.

 

[alton]

My adult was good with most coral, when I added a juvenile to try and pair up it ate everything from birdsnest to frogspawn. With GSP, mushrooms, Xenia you should be fine.

 

[rssjsb]

Yeah, it's really up to the fish. You've got the right mindset - you just have to try different things and see what gets ignored.

I've kept a lot of angels (including a majestic, which is in the same genus as a blueface, I think) and I've never seen any of them bother sinularia, naphthea, or toadstools. They've never bothered my torch, either. The majestic occasionally nips at my gorgonians and I think it cleaned out some yellow polyps I used to have (which was fine with me). I put some anthelia in the tank once and it was gone within minutes. Don't know for sure that it was the majestic, but he was among the suspects. I wouldn't bother even trying most fleshy brain corals.

The majestic also ignores acroporas and monteporas.

 

[ReefTeacher]

I had a beautiful adult for several years. He ate every soft coral I put in the thank. Completely consumed a nice yellow leather (Sarcophyton elegans) I had to pick between the fish and the corals....I chose the fish. He was the most beautiful fish I have ever owned.

 

[kevan]

Blue face

Blue face

I have a blue face halfway through its change now to adult (had for two years ) it' okay with clam and sps but put zoos in and it has a feast.
Also got a regal I have had for ten years and that is same , cross my fingers every day because these are beautifull fish and not sure I could let them go.

 

[snorvich]

zoanthids will be toast. Meaty LPS are at risk.

 

[Reef264]

I kept an Adult Blueface Angel for a Year and a Half.He was absolutely gorgeous and I miss having one every single day.It destroyed Acans, and nipped at Zoanthids for a few weeks, but I never witnessed the Angel nipping at my Acropora or Montipora.Truely a fascinating fish, one with striking beauty, mine had the personality of a Clownfish, and always greeted me when I entered the room, and ate from the palm of my hand.Had to sell if as it got too big.

Goodluck.

 

[deansreef]

I have had a blue face angel in ,my 240 gallon cube for a year now. Eats every lps I have tried so far. Only safe lps so far is frogspawn. I am frustrated as I want to keep corals as well as the blue face. Any suggestions for coral to try other than SPS !????! Dean

 

[ThRoewer]

Anemones (yes, they are corals!) with a pair of clownfish as protection should work.

Mushrooms (also corals) should be fine as well.

Zoas (corals as well) will likely be cleaned up quickly.

LPS or leathery corals will be difficult with most large angels.

Individual personalities of the angels also play a big role.
I have a Bali and a Philippine regal angel, each with zoas in their respective tanks and the Bali doesn't even look at them, while the Philippine may nip a little on those he can reach but doesn't do much damage. One of the other regals I have had in the past would have cleaned them up in no time.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[BlueMac92]

As stated above, every fish is different. But mine didn't touch mushrooms, Xenia, or leathers. Definitely loved Zoas though.....

 

[scooter31707]

IMO, I think leathers, GSP, and SPS will be fine.