Evolution's cruelest joke

[brett559]

Evolution is a jerk sometimes. Look at these fish! These are easily among the most beautiful fish you can put in a tank.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/a...es.cfm?c=15+16

They don't get too big. They are active and personable. They aren't too mean. Most eat prepared foods with gusto. Every color of the rainbow is in there - red, blue, orange, yellow, purple, white.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND they eat corals.

Boooo!

[jda]

Evolution also made the Genicanthus Angelfish which meet all of your criterion as well, but are sexually dimorphic and you can have pairs and trios.

I have had many dwarf angels that were good reef citizens over the years. Multicolor, Flameback and Flame have been good for me.

[ca1ore]

Is the link to dwarf angels, it's not working for me? I've kept a great many and most have been acceptable citizens. Keep them well fed, in an active tank and accept that the fleshy LPS be avoided. I have flame, potter and lemon peel in my current reef. If the link was not to dwarf angels ...... well, never mind.

[jda]

It was that link.

[saf1]

Originally Posted by brett559

Evolution is a jerk sometimes. Look at these fish! These are easily among the most beautiful fish you can put in a tank.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/a...es.cfm?c=15+16

They don't get too big. They are active and personable. They aren't too mean. Most eat prepared foods with gusto. Every color of the rainbow is in there - red, blue, orange, yellow, purple, white.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND they eat corals.

Boooo!

Some people have good luck, others bad. Some add after they have a large enough growth or population that it can withstand picking, casual eating, among other things. That is actually how I handled it.

I had a Matted Filefish for three or so years. I kept it after it resolved my aiptasia troubles since it appeared to eat other foods. Over the course of three years it cleared out most if not all of my zoa's which I didn't care too much about. I also noticed it would pick on my LPS (Hammer corals). Anyway it continued to pick and eat some of the Hammer's branches but never seemed to do more than the Hammer could grow or manage.

I added a Xenia frag though that it went after. Since the Xenia was not able to establish growth faster than the fish could consume, he was traded in...it is all about balance and comfort.

In this case there is risk but also reward

[brett559]

Originally Posted by jda

Evolution also made the Genicanthus Angelfish which meet all of your criterion as well, but are sexually dimorphic and you can have pairs and trios.

Too big. Too bland. Too expensive.

[exsequor]

My coral beauty does just fine in one of my reefs

[brett559]

Originally Posted by exsequor

My coral beauty does just fine in one of my reefs

For now..... mwhahahahahaha!!

[Bdial]

I had a coral beauty and flame angel together in an sps tank for a few years before the tank gave out and I lost them. I currently have a flame that is a year old and a model citizen. They are hit or miss. Had two other large angels that got evicted immediately for devouring some lps. Hit or miss.

[ca1ore]

I always say that 'given enough time and opportunity they will all pick'. Then somebody will say some variation of 'well, I've had _____ for __ years and it's been fine', to which I respond that 'you haven't waited long enough' .... amuses me at least.

[brett559]

It does seem like the pygmy, flameback, coral beauty, and flame angel are pretty darn safe with most corals. I'd love to add a flame to my system.

Just breaks my heart I can't keep lemonpeels, potters, or bicolor.

[Pelagic_e36]

Originally Posted by exsequor

my coral beauty does just fine in one of my reefs

same.

[ca1ore]

Originally Posted by exsequor

My coral beauty does just fine in one of my reefs

You haven't waited long enough .....

[hogfanreefer]

Originally Posted by brett559

It does seem like the pygmy, flameback, coral beauty, and flame angel are pretty darn safe with most corals. I'd love to add a flame to my system.

Just breaks my heart I can't keep lemonpeels, potters, or bicolor.

My flameback was an angel (pun intended) for almost a year. Then my acans were gone, then he started on my euphyllia, zoas and Duncan. One of these days I want a second tank that's SPS only and I'll try to keep some dwarf angels and maybe a regal

[maxxII]

Find a small one. QT it and feed it heavily in QT.
When you put it in your display, continue to feed it heavily.

That will alleviate ALOT of the issues people run into.

But nothing is fool proof. I had a Regal Angel for 7.5 years. The first 3.5 years it was a model citizen with zero issues. At 3.5 years, it decided that clams and zoanthids were evil and had to be eradicated.

My current Regal has been with we for a little over a year. It is currently a model citizen...we'll see what happens down the line.

Same with my Flame angel. I got it when it was tiny and I feed heavily. So far so good...only been about a year with it, so time will tell.

Best bet is to choose the fish or animal you want, then design the system around keeping it.

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by ca1ore

I always say that 'given enough time and opportunity they will all pick'. Then somebody will say some variation of 'well, I've had _____ for __ years and it's been fine', to which I respond that 'you haven't waited long enough' .... amuses me at least.

Yup it's not a matter of if it's a matter of when ......15yrs in the hobby and I watch people say mines been a model citizen for 1/2/3..5 yrs .....then I see the post of how do I catch my Angel lol

Spa guys seem to have it better but being a zoa guy I don't trust angels anymore my last flame started nipping at zoas he had to go prob my last try at one with softies

[jda]

I have a African Flameback currently that is a very good citizen. Who knows how long it will last.

You really think that Watanabei Angelfish are too bland? Mine are a decade old and about the size of a mature flame angel at 4". They are not cheap, I will give you that.

[lespaul339]

Originally Posted by exsequor

My coral beauty does just fine in one of my reefs

Same here.

[MuShu]

Most angels really do better in SPS reefs. I was looking at possibly getting an Emperor when I upgrade, but the more I read, they seem to be reef safe with SPS but not LPS and zoas, which are my corals of choice.

I hear that the goldflake is completely reef safe. I'm hoping that as they get more popular, the price will drop considerably.

[maxxII]

Originally Posted by MuShu

Most angels really do better in SPS reefs. I was looking at possibly getting an Emperor when I upgrade, but the more I read, they seem to be reef safe with SPS but not LPS and zoas, which are my corals of choice.

I hear that the goldflake is completely reef safe. I'm hoping that as they get more popular, the price will drop considerably.

The only reef safe angels are the Genicanthus species. All others are a gamble.

[brett559]

Originally Posted by jda

You really think that Watanabei Angelfish are too bland? Mine are a decade old and about the size of a mature flame angel at 4". They are not cheap, I will give you that.

No, the Watanabei are pretty, the males at least (the females just look like a big chromis to me). But they are pricey and from what I've read, harder to keep. Female bellus are kind of pretty, but they don't touch some of the dwarf angels IMO.

[brett559]

Originally Posted by MuShu

Most angels really do better in SPS reefs. I was looking at possibly getting an Emperor when I upgrade, but the more I read, they seem to be reef safe with SPS but not LPS and zoas, which are my corals of choice.

I hear that the goldflake is completely reef safe. I'm hoping that as they get more popular, the price will drop considerably.

Oh yeah, the big angels are the dream. Emperor angel is my absolute favorite fish. I love goldflakes as well - a store I frequent when I visit my family in Southern California (Reef Lounge USA) has a beautiful goldflake in one of their display tanks. Live Aquaria had them on sale a few weeks ago - they were like $175 off regular price.

Blueface is another gorgeous specimen!

[exsequor]

Originally Posted by brett559

For now..... mwhahahahahaha!!

I think a lot has to do with the type of "reef" you keep, too. My main zoa colony puts out 7-12 heads every two weeks, and the other corals are fast, too, so when there has been nipping it hasn't been noticed, or a big deal.

But CBs are always model citizens until you leave the house, that's when the coral gets nipped. When you gone and they workin an appetite, yo

[OrionN]

I just have SPS and anemones. I never have any problem with Flame, Flameback, Fireball or Cherub angels. My SPS and Clams Grown like gang busters. It is true that they take nip here and there, I do rarely see it. This does not cause problem for my SPS. Their courtship and spawn are very interesting to watch.

For each reefer, the degree of tolerance toward occasion nip is different. As long as my SPS are healthy and growing, I could not care less. I had some Red Bugs in some of my SPS which have since go away without treatment. I think my angles and Leopard wrasses are responsible. Sometime seeing the fish nip at corals my be because they picks parasites off of the corals.
I one angel that I always have problem with, 0/3, is the C. nox. A very beautiful, strikingly graceful fish, always go for my SPS as soon as she is our of the bag.
I never interested in any other dwarf angels so I do not have experiences with them.

[quantumfuzz]

I feel your pain man. Angels and butterflies. Natures cruel joke on the reefkeeper.