Bicolor Angelfish

[Jeff Myers]

This morning my girlfriend picked up 2 bicolor angelfish (1 for each tank). They are going in two frag tanks, but I'm reading that they eat al kinds of coral. Does anybody have experience with these or do I flush?

 

[Sosuke]

They may more may not eat your coral but I would try to take them back to the LFS if you're worried about them eating coral

 

[Sailfin11]

It's always a 50/50 risk with angelfish and also depends on what type of corals you have in the frag tanks. Angels tend to leave SPS alone, but may nip at some zoas and LPS. So far, I'm 2/3 for angels that haven't bothered coral.

 

[Sosuke]

LPS are mostly goners with dwarf angels IMO but you could always get lucky

 

[canadianeh]

maybe get a tang instead if you want to use it to treat algae? Otherwise, it may be like having one kid in disneyland all by himself?

 

[Jeff Myers]

I appreciate the rapid response. I think I have the confirmation on what I was thinking. Thank you

 

[snowhite]

I wouldn't put angels in a frag tank.

 

[Big G]

This morning my girlfriend picked up 2 bicolor angelfish (1 for each tank). They are going in two frag tanks, but I'm reading that they eat al kinds of coral. Does anybody have experience with these or do I flush?

Return the fish to the store or re-home them to someone running a fish only tank.

 

[ca1ore]

Hope you were joking about 'flush' ……

Agree that angels are not a good choice for a frag tank. Fish as gifts never worked out for me ….. whether from GF, wife or kids. I discouraged it years ago.

 

[Jeff Myers]

Hope you were joking about 'flush' ……

Agree that angels are not a good choice for a frag tank. Fish as gifts never worked out for me ….. whether from GF, wife or kids. I discouraged it years ago.

Definitely was joking. I agree with fish for gifts too. I have to find a home for them soon. Thank you

 

[vetteguy53081]

They are very capable of eating coral. susceptible to bacteria if water conditions deteriorate and finicky with feeding also requiring sponge as part of diet.
I sold some at my pet store and quit ordering them for these reasons.

 

[Jeff Myers]

They are very capable of eating coral. susceptible to bacteria if water conditions deteriorate and finicky with feeding also requiring sponge as part of diet.
I sold some at my pet store and quit ordering them for these reasons.

Thats what im seeing and hearing.

 

[Jeff Myers]

Well, with that being said, I have two bicolor angelfish for sale. I will deliver to you in south Florida. Super cheap. I get them wholesale and its to much of an issue to take back. $70 for the pair

 

[Zionas]

I hope they’re healthy because from the sources I’ve read, they’re not exactly considered hardy among the Centropyge angels or even angels in general. Much of it comes down to collection practices for this species, as far as I understand.

As for whether they’ll eat your corals or not, I’m not sure. One can only hope for the best, but these two specimens may happen to be well-behaved. Or not.

Also, I don’t know the size of your tank, but it could be a somewhat risky proposition to have two dwarf angels of the same species unless they’re a known male / female pair. From what I’ve heard (take this with a grain of salt), sometimes getting a smaller one and a bigger one may lead to a pair if they don’t damage each other too much.

Good luck OP with the fish and your corals.

 

[mort]

Bicolour angels are one of the least reefsafe dwarfs (although they get 6" so not really dwarfs) so I wouldn't add one anywhere near corals. I'm a big fan of them and the only reason I don't have one is because I have things I don't want eaten.

If you want a similar looking colour scheme get a royal gramma but they aren't much use in a frag tank beyond looking pretty.

 

[zoomonster]

Don't think I have ever seen so much misinformation in a thread likely mostly from people that "heard" but never actually owned angels. Probably not in a frag tank but I have kept dwarf angels in soft, mixed and sps reefs for 30+ years. In the 200g mixed I have now I have flame, flameback, potters, bicolor, multicolor. Most places list them as reef safe with caution but other than occasionally nipping at corals they don't bother my LPS, SPS, shrooms, ricordia or zoas. If anything the hardest part about them is getting a group that is not attacking each other. They may eat sponge in the wild but they certainly don't require a sponge diet and spend most of the time grazing like a tang. All my fish live off mysis, nori, spirulina flakes, prime reef flakes, spectrum pellets and are extremely fat and healthy. In my experience they are far hardier than most fish especially tangs. Really wish they would eat sponge as I'm having a black sponge problem.

 

[4tanks]

D

Don't think I have ever seen so much misinformation in a thread likely mostly from people that "heard" but never actually owned angels. Probably not in a frag tank but I have kept dwarf angels in soft, mixed and sps reefs for 30+ years. In the 200g mixed I have now I have flame, flameback, potters, bicolor, multicolor. Most places list them as reef safe with caution but other than occasionally nipping at corals they don't bother my LPS, SPS, shrooms, ricordia or zoas. If anything the hardest part about them is getting a group that is not attacking each other. They may eat sponge in the wild but they certainly don't require a sponge diet and spend most of the time grazing like a tang. All my fish live off mysis, nori, spirulina flakes, prime reef flakes, spectrum pellets and are extremely fat and healthy. In my experience they are far hardier than most fish especially tangs. Really wish they would eat sponge as I'm having a black sponge problem.

Ditto that my dwarf angel don't bother mine either

 

[Sosuke]

Don't think I have ever seen so much misinformation in a thread likely mostly from people that "heard" but never actually owned angels. Probably not in a frag tank but I have kept dwarf angels in soft, mixed and sps reefs for 30+ years. In the 200g mixed I have now I have flame, flameback, potters, bicolor, multicolor. Most places list them as reef safe with caution but other than occasionally nipping at corals they don't bother my LPS, SPS, shrooms, ricordia or zoas. If anything the hardest part about them is getting a group that is not attacking each other. They may eat sponge in the wild but they certainly don't require a sponge diet and spend most of the time grazing like a tang. All my fish live off mysis, nori, spirulina flakes, prime reef flakes, spectrum pellets and are extremely fat and healthy. In my experience they are far hardier than most fish especially tangs. Really wish they would eat sponge as I'm having a black sponge problem.

I've had dwarf angels and they ate all my LPS corals, I'm just trying to help OP with my experience with them to prevent a possible disaster in his frag tank

 

[mort]

Don't think I have ever seen so much misinformation in a thread likely mostly from people that "heard" but never actually owned angels. Probably not in a frag tank but I have kept dwarf angels in soft, mixed and sps reefs for 30+ years. In the 200g mixed I have now I have flame, flameback, potters, bicolor, multicolor. Most places list them as reef safe with caution but other than occasionally nipping at corals they don't bother my LPS, SPS, shrooms, ricordia or zoas. If anything the hardest part about them is getting a group that is not attacking each other. They may eat sponge in the wild but they certainly don't require a sponge diet and spend most of the time grazing like a tang. All my fish live off mysis, nori, spirulina flakes, prime reef flakes, spectrum pellets and are extremely fat and healthy. In my experience they are far hardier than most fish especially tangs. Really wish they would eat sponge as I'm having a black sponge problem.

200g is some of the reason for this "good" behaviour, plus most of the angels you have are pretty safe normally apart from the odd nip here and there. Bicolours have a reputation for eating corals because they often do, you might get one which doesn't or doesn't eat much (I had one that was fine with everything apart from brain corals but then tried another that went after everything) but by having a large tank it's less of a problem or less notable.
I agree they aren't that tricky to acclimate for the most part and a lot of their reputation for nipping is an overreaction to them just exploring their world but some do have a deserved rep for being naughty and unfortunately the bicolour is one.