Angelfishes in a SPS dominant reef aquarium. Is it possible in the long term?

ED WELSON · Dec 10, 2023

I always dreamed of having a Pomacanthus navarchus, P. imperator or a Pygoplites diacanthus in a community aquarium with a predominance os SPS but with lots of Zoanthus and some clams but I never had the courage to try an Angel. Can you help me with this issue? Best Regards

KrisReef · Dec 11, 2023

It will work fine as long as you are willing to replace the zoa's and clams after the Angelfish has lunch. My experience with smaller angels is that they are fine until the day they realize that they can eat the SPS, or clam, or zoa that they had been ignoring since they were added to the tank.

SOme folks do have larger angels in mixed reefs, and if the tank is large enough the sps may not suffer too badly. Clams and Zoa's are probably not gonna make it out alive long term but maybe you will get lucky?

Maoiwowie · Dec 11, 2023

Sps only... no clams, no softies, no lps. No big problems. 1 Goldflake, 1 Regal, 1 Venustus, 1 Multibar, with a school of cardinals and chromis'; my tank is about 18 months old.

jda · Dec 11, 2023

I have found others to do more damage to sofites and clams than to SPS. My current emperor is in a FOWLR and did me a huge favor and ate every rouge zoo and paly in my tank.

The are a risk for the softies and clams moreso than the SPS, IME. If large angels are your thing, I have never had Chrysurus be bad citizens in any tank.