Angel in a Reef tank

[Reginald Reefer III]

I think the key is to buy them captive bred, very young, and get them on the food you want them to eat from day 1 and not let them get hungry. Once they get hungry and haven't been fed in awhile, your LPS are their next meal.

I have a captive bred coral beauty and flame angelfish. Both are model citizens. The coral beauty is aloof, but the flame angel is smart as hell. That flame angel is one of the most inquisitive and spiteful fish I have ever owned.

 

[backbayreef]

Well — depends on different species of angelfish right? For example, larger species such as Holacanthus and Pomacanthus will devour zoas and your other corals like candies.

 

[areefer01]

Instead of asking if one can keep angels with corals, ask: what corals can I keep with angels?

I think either can be asked but when possible the hobbyist replying should add more context.

• Fish source and age (wild vs captive bred, raised)
• Coral types, size
• Reef maturity, age
• Amount of live rock, reef structure
• Feeding frequency and type
• Single, pairs, spawning
• Food competition

I treat the fish similar to that of a puppy or kitten. Bored animals may be more prone to getting into trouble. Likewise, a hungry fish may nibble more than one that is full. Aggression may also be more, or less, if there is competition for food, or not enough.

Hobbyist have to remember that fish are pretty busy foraging, looking for food, spawning. Our little boxes all things considered are static in size and food. Some hobbyist try to feed as little as possible to keep the scary nutrients away. Frequent small feedings go a long ways of keeping fish happy and engaged.

 

[realwizer]

Well — depends on different species of angelfish right? For example, larger species such as Holacanthus and Pomacanthus will devour zoas and your other corals like candies.

My Majestic from Biota has not touched my clam, gonis, or moseleya. But absolutely these are more known or prone to go after LPS and clams.

As with many things, the specific fish matters. You will always get stories of bad angelfish and good ones. I think people just need to be prepared to rehome or deal with the eating if they get an angel and go in with the knowledge.

 

[Mrcote1]

I havent been able to find any forums where someone said an angel ate their torch corals, so perhaps there is hope... im getting inspired.

I just bought a full grown male pink square anthias instead today as a show fish, maybe I have room for one more show fish.....

 

[djkms]

Instead of asking if one can keep angels with corals, ask: what corals can I keep with angels?

Can keep:
1. SPS (with limited success, slow growth and little/no PE). Smooth skins do great!
2. Euphyllias (torches, hammers, frogspawns)
3. Mushrooms (discosomas, Yumas, etc)
4. Some softies (toadstool, nepthea, etc)

Can’t keep:
1. Zoas
2. Meat corals
3. Chalices
4. Scoly
5. Macro algae
6. Aiptasias (if trying to breed nudi- lol)

This is a pretty accurate assessment.

 

[reefernc02]

One of the hardest lessons all reefers have to learn is that this is a give and take hobby I’m an avid admirer of the large angel fish but would never risk my coral for one same with large butterflies my all time dream fish were Achilles tangs and wrought iron butterfly fish I have the Achilles but once again will never own a wrought iron due to the being coral demons

 

[X-37B]

My swallowtail works well in my 150 acro system.

 

[raythereefer]

I havent been able to find any forums where someone said an angel ate their torch corals, so perhaps there is hope... im getting inspired.

I just bought a full grown male pink square anthias instead today as a show fish, maybe I have room for one more show fish.....

My maculosus ate my torch corals ! And my bubble coral. Nipped at my hammers but not to the point they died. Same with favias and platygyras didn't seem too keen on those. I keep feed nori every day now and that keeps him occupied he doesn't bother much currently. Rock beauty is good as gold doesn't touch a thing

 

[gregoryalln854]

I currently have 6 angels ( coral beauty, Lamarck, flame, Pygmy, flame back, bicolor) in my mix reef. It’s loaded with zoas, torches, meat corals, and a little bit of everything. It honestly just depends on the angel. You have to be prepared to catch the angel and move it somewhere else, or return it, if it decides to start eating corals. Also, it may take a month before they decide to start nipping so just keep an eye on things. I once had a sail fin tang, after 2 years, decide that it had a taste for gonis, so you just never know what a fish will do.

 

[edsbeaker]

I have a flame angel and a coral beauty that don’t bother anything. My Regal has eaten every zoa he can reach. He leaves all of the palys alone though, and so far hasn’t developed a taste for anything else, including my torches. To me it’s worth the loss.


I think the only way to ever know would be to try it, but it’s always a risk.

 

[edsbeaker]

Sorry, double post

 

[Luisn17]

I have a good numbers of angels, including a majestic, two flames, two flame backs, coral beauty, missing a few. I love angels. Never seen any of them touch a coral. The one that did touch a coral was the so-called reef safe: “Lamark’s Lyretail Angelfish”. Took down two hammers, so I evicted him from my main tank. Surprisingly, my other coral hungry guy is my powder blue tang, loves leathers and Duncans.

I have Zoas in the tank also. The majestic came in with adult colors and I was ok keeping whatever corals my angels won’t eat. But so far, no issues but I only want zoas, euphyllia, elegance, and some sticks. Now, I won’t risk a clam, sponge, any really fleshy expensive coral.

Here is a video:

 

[daikaijureefer]

My flameback angel cleans the algae from the base of my sps. She doesn’t touch the corals.

 

[Sam7]

Maybe they just like sea food

“Why do some of the best looking fish have to be coral eaters“



Because I never left softies that grow fast and grew to incorporate sponges in my systems, I have no problems with Angels. While I enjoy Red Sea Pulsing Xenia and Green Star Polyps, I have no animosity with fish rescycling nutrients. While I do minimum water change for nutrient export, I do frag & sell corals.

 

[skyrne_isk]

LPS polyps will likely be slurped up like spaghetti by most full-size angels. SPS is generally safe(r).

For me it depends. I’ve never had a Pomecanthus or Holocanthus eat torches or hammers. But blastos and other similar LPS, forget about it.

 

[Koty]

I have CBB already about 4 years. Ate all my Acans. I added a juvenile Imperator few months ago. Ate all the hydroids and started munching on my Trachiphylia. Video shows all the corals I have. Zoas are still intact

 

[Jasonak]

I have kept bluefaced, (one in my tank right now), and emperor's in my display with clams torches, hammers and LPS and tons of SPS zero issues. Ive also heard many other reefers say these same fish ate everything in there tank. It is just luck of the draw.

 

[reef’r]

I just added a lemon peel to my tank. My SPS polyp extension has been zero since and I’ve actively seen it nip the corals. Hasn’t touched any LPS or Zoas…. Bummer. PE at night is fantastic on my sticks while the angel is sleeping in the rocks

 

[Mrcote1]

I just added a lemon peel to my tank. My SPS polyp extension has been zero since and I’ve actively seen it nip the corals. Hasn’t touched any LPS or Zoas…. Bummer. PE at night is fantastic on my sticks while the angel is sleeping in the rocks

Lemonpeels are really nice, thats a bummer.

How hard is it to catch an angel in a large reef?