Yikes!! Too Many Dwarf Angels!!

[ethompson]

Well, I ordered a few fish on-line and they came in a week ago. Until now i've only had small fish (pair of clowns, pair of clown gobies, etc.) I ordered a coral beauty, a flame angel, a randall's goby, and a Powder Blue Tang. I know the risks of putting 2 dwarf angels in a 120 and I know that a 120 is pushing it for a powder blue.

Well, the angels are doing great and are peaceful with eachother but the powder showed up near death and the Goby was non existent. The pbt died so I e-mailed them to let them know exactly what happened and they were willing to send me the another fish and the missing goby at NO charge.

Well, they sent me the complete order. I now have 2 coral beauties, 2 flame angels, and the powder blue. The powder blue is in the 20 gallon quarantinetank that was set aside last week for the first pbt. I've got the 2nd coral beautyin the sump and the flame angel in the refugium.

The new batch of angels are considerably smaller than the first batch.

I live over an hour to the nearest lfs and have no reefer friends in the area. So...what would you do? (I think I know your answer)

Tank is a 4'x2'x2' 120 with ~120 pounds of live rock in the system and a couple of zoathids and mushrooms. I have a 29 gallon sump and a 15 gallon refugium. MyReefCreations MR2 skimmer, a panworld 70rlt returned through 4 penductors. (lots of flow)

ethompson

 

[dippin61]

send them to me? =P

 

[ethompson]

So...can you pick them up?

 

[wayne in norway]

I'd consider pairing the angels. How big are they - if one is very small then it's almost certainly a female, and it would have a reasonable chance of success. If neither is super large (say 1 is 1 1/2, one is 2 1/2)
2 pairs in a 120 might be pushing it though, but if it's long rather than tall.........

 

[jmaneyapanda]

please do not try putting the new angels in with the others. As you said, I probably wouldn't have even put the two dwarves in the 120, but same species will end up with deaths for sure. Find them a new home.

 

[Deleted member 82742]

where in Michigan do you live?

 

[Angel*Fish]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8183436#post8183436 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by wayne in norway
I'd consider pairing the angels. How big are they - if one is very small then it's almost certainly a female, and it would have a reasonable chance of success. If neither is super large (say 1 is 1 1/2, one is 2 1/2)
2 pairs in a 120 might be pushing it though, but if it's long rather than tall.........

Ditto - how long from nose to end of tail?
Also what would you say the length of the blue part on the tail and anal fins of the flames are horizontally? Relative to the fish - the female's blue trim is much much shorter than the male's - of course you have to be careful comparing differently sized fish

If one of these angels (CB or flame) is a juvenile, I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to pair them At least where I am juvenile Centropyges are few & far between


How much time passed between the two shipments?

 

[flameangel88]

That looks like a good problem you have there and you've new friends poping up for a visit.

I would give it try for them to pair up but monitor closely and if that doesn't work out then separate them and call up local reefers that you are putting down on the waiting list.

 

[Angel*Fish]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8185160#post8185160 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by flameangel88
That looks like a good problem you have there and you've new friends poping up for a visit.

I would give it try for them to pair up but monitor closely and if that doesn't work out then separate them and call up local reefers that you are putting down on the waiting list.

You'll want to make sure they are appropriate candidates first

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Do you think its really a good idea to pair two pairs of centropyge in a 120? I have never tried it before, but it sounds like a disaster waiting to happen to me. But, again, I have no experience, aside from literature.

 

[Angel*Fish]

Are you talking to me? Well..as long as they won't be making any hybrids, it will be ok... j/k

Well I didn't really address that - but I agree with Wayne --seems like it's pushing it. I don't have two pairs in my 100g but depending on the fish, the length of the tank, the layout of the rocks, how often the fish are fed and who else is in there with them - I'd think it could be ok

As far as I know we haven't established that either of these fish would be good candidates for pairing. I figured the odds were that if ethompson were shipped any juveniles, it would not be likely that both the CB and the flame were, so the issue would never come up.

However there are some folks on this board who never shy away from the controversial question - and I think they know who they are :lol:

 

[ethompson]

As far as trying to pair the angels, The new coral beauty is about 3 inches with the old one barely larger. These don't look like good candidates at all for pairing.

The new flame is 2.25 inches long with the old one (one week) being about 3.25 inches. This would be the only possible candidate for pairing.

What are the chances that this would/will work? I don't have much coral so I could try it and pull rock out to catch the little guy if it gets ugly.

So...would you try it with the flame? He's currently in the refugium learning how to eat flakes and frozen.

ethompson



p.s. I live about an hour north of Grand Rapids, MI

 

[LargeAngels]

I know you aren't talking about me Angelfish (hehe.)

Angelfish is right. First it must be determined that they are compatible as pairs. Then I put the fish into a clear container, with holes for circulation, into the main tank and observe the behaviour of the the two fish. This also allows them to get over the initial automatic attack that some angels do. If after a couple of days they don't show much aggression I release the fish. Keep a VERY close eye on the pair.

This picture is of one venustus in such a container being introduced to another. They are now a happy pair.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Jeez- I should've known better Angelfish!!! I would think that an "established" centropyge- especially a recently "established" centropyge would not tolerate another conspecific in a 4 foot by 2 foot by 2 foot square. Regardless of rock layout or tankmates. I am only speculating, though.

 

[ethompson]

Oh great Angel*Fish, please give me insight into your great wisdom in all things aquatic. What are the chances of acclimating this 2.25" flame angel with the 3.25" flame and coral beauty. Oh great one, please enlighten me

 

[LauraCline]

lol, use this as an excuse to get another tank.

 

[Deleted member 82742]

ethompson, you have a PM

 

[petoonia]

Post in the Marine Aquarium Society of Michigan forum. You will probably be able to find someone close to you there. Im sure someone will help you out.

Good Luck!!!

 

[petoonia]

Nevermind. I just checked out that forum, and its pretty much dead! You could try contacting them another way.

 

[wayne in norway]

I'd have thought considerably smaller meant a bigger differnece in sizes. The flames are possible.
If you have a couple spare tanks I'd say suck it and see - if they haven't started scrapping after a week I'd guess you're in good shape. The Coral beauties are not good candidates.
A pair of dwarves is better than two singles for sure - but you don't want casualties