Which Dwarf Angel?

[Long Time Beginner]

I think I want to get a dwarf angel as my "show fish" for my 54g tank. I have soft corals, starfish, shrimp, hermits, and snails. I also have two ocellaris clowns, a yellow clown goby, and a purple pseudochromis.

The three dwarf angels I like the most are the lemonpeel, flame, and coral beauty. Which of these three would be best suited for my tank? I want something that will hardy and not too aggressive. I know that angels in general are hit or miss for reef-safeness but if one is more likely to be safe than the others, that's also something I'd like to know.

Also, if there is another type of angel that you'd suggest, let me know. I don't want a pygmy cherub though, I just don't like their looks that much. Only flashier looking angels please.

Please don't suggest other types of fish in this thread, I really just want help picking the best dwarf angel.

 

[Tyrosinase]

I would not go with the Lemonpeel. In my honest opinion, these fish are more miss than hit when they are in a reef tank. If you keep the flame angel or the coral beauty well feed and there is some algea for them to graze on, then either fish should do fine.

 

[cheeks69]

Dwarf Angels IME are generally reefsafe but they're grazers and will nip at rockwork and corals it's just their nature
I have had many dwarfs and I've never seen one consume a coral, but I have seen them irritate the corals and clams to the point of decline and eventual loss Clams Trachyphyllias and Zooanthids in particular.

PS as far as being hardy IMO the Coral beauty is the hardiest.

 

[RobbyG]

I think the Flame is the safest of those choices.

 

[LisaD]

I like the coral beauty best. It's more subtly colored than the flame angel, but I like the shape and personality better. If you look around, there is a lot of variation in their coloration. You can find some really unique and bright ones out there if you take your time selecting one.

 

[Bret61081]

I added a lemonpeel to my reef a week ago...so far so good...no problems...not agressive at all...even picking at the nori...fingers crossed it stays this way!

 

[tryffin]

If you're looking for flashy, both <a href="http://www.meerwasser-lexikon.de/eng/16/248/Centropyge/potteri.htm">Potters</a> and <a href="http://www.meerwasser-lexikon.de/eng/16/260/Centropyge/ferrugata.htm">Rusty</a> Angels can be quite spectacular. Potter's look kind of metallic, you can sort of tell that in the picture but photos don't do them justice. They don't ship quite as well as the two you mentioned, though, but they should be hardy once you're past the first couple weeks. Flames are always so cute ... and I agree with LisaD, Coral Beauties vary widely in coloration depending on location ... I've seen almost solid gold/yellow to blue to purple and various patterning.

I always take my time choosing, since the fish will be with you a long time ... once I get an idea of what I want, I scope out the various LFS every week or so, and when the right fish with the coloring I want (and a cute personality) comes up then I jump.

 

[cheeks69]

Actually they will appear to do very well in the first few months but then start to decline usually after 6 months. Mine was very healthy and lasted 8 months but somehow got caught in a ph which destroyed it's dorsal and caudal fin eventually it died. He was the most beautiful Dwarf I ever had.

Long Time Beginner if you like Dwarfs then I would get "Angelfishes" by Helmut Debelious. It's beautifully illustrated and gives ya some general info on which dwarfs will adapt well to captivity.

Here's also a great read:

What a Darling Little Angel: The Genus Centropyge