Blueline angelfish

aandfsoccr04 · Mar 4, 2019

I was browsing what was available in terms of juvenile blue line angelfish and find a few differently options. I wanted to get a little insight from anyone who may know more about this.

The first fish in the following two images is titled transitioning even though it’s only 1/8” bigger than the second fish below. I also see that it’s caught in Vietnam as opposed to the one below that is from Phillipines.

As you can see from the first two images, this is titled “tiny” Phillipines angelfish.

The third option I found was bred in captivity from a company called Poma Labs. I have never heard of this company and no idea where they aren’t based out of but from a quick glance into their website, it seems as they specialize in captive bred angelfish. I’ve attached a photo from their website as well.

In summation, my goal of course is to get the healthiest fish that is already eating frozen food. I was curious if there were different methods of catching fish in the Phillipines vs Vietnam. Has anyone heard of this company Poma Labs? I’m just looking to gather any information anyone may have about the differences between these three fish as they all look identical and are the same price point? Thanks in advance.

Gareth elliott · Mar 4, 2019

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/poma-labs-captive-bred-conspicuous-angelfish.322877/.

Transit times are going to be biggest contributor imo. Vietnam is very agrarian in many roads, ports and airports are rather slow to travel.

No idea of actual collection technique used most often though.

nbd13 · Mar 4, 2019

aandfsoccr04 said:
I was browsing what was available in terms of juvenile blue line angelfish and find a few differently options. I wanted to get a little insight from anyone who may know more about this.

The first fish in the following two images is titled transitioning even though it’s only 1/8” bigger than the second fish below. I also see that it’s caught in Vietnam as opposed to the one below that is from Phillipines.

As you can see from the first two images, this is titled “tiny” Phillipines angelfish.

The third option I found was bred in captivity from a company called Poma Labs. I have never heard of this company and no idea where they aren’t based out of but from a quick glance into their website, it seems as they specialize in captive bred angelfish. I’ve attached a photo from their website as well.

In summation, my goal of course is to get the healthiest fish that is already eating frozen food. I was curious if there were different methods of catching fish in the Phillipines vs Vietnam. Has anyone heard of this company Poma Labs? I’m just looking to gather any information anyone may have about the differences between these three fish as they all look identical and are the same price point? Thanks in advance.

POMA labs is a very good company. If you want to spend a little more get a captive bred blueline from Matt at POMA. I think they come with a guarantee as well...30 days maybe? Check on that.

If you want healthiest fish possible captive bred all the way...still a chance if disease even with captive bred fish, but much less so than wild caught.

Bob Loblaw · Mar 4, 2019

this is me · Mar 5, 2019

Yup. The Blueline is one of the stars in my tank. Love the fish. Very tame but assertive.

nbd13 · Mar 5, 2019

this is me said:
Yup. The Blueline is one of the stars in my tank. Love the fish. Very tame but assertive.

Very nice! Trying to decide between a blueline and a conspic for my current tank.

Sunny Goold · Mar 5, 2019

Stunning fish - thanks for the photos

Yeah I've only heard great things about Poma Labs - wish I could get them here in Europe as it would open up a load more fish I'd consider - (would get this for sure if I could get Poma labs)

nonstopfish · Mar 5, 2019

I would always choose a captive bred fish over wild ones with cost close to equal, but the Blueline's are out of stock on Poma from the looks of it.

this is me · Mar 5, 2019

Not sure what's the attraction of Poma Captive bred on this fish. Are they hard to get to eat?
Admittedly, I did get this fish from another member so it has already been accustomed to frozen.

this is me · Mar 5, 2019

nonstopfish said:
I would always choose a captive bred fish over wild ones with cost close to equal, but the Blueline's are out of stock on Poma from the looks of it.

While I agree with the environmental impact and what not on wild caught fish, I don't agree with over captive in-breeding like clownfish. Mother nature is a much more aggressive culling machine than a human is who only see $$ in his/her breeding experiment.

Sunny Goold · Mar 5, 2019

this is me said:
While I agree with the environmental impact and what not on wild caught fish, I don't agree with over captive in-breeding like clownfish. Mother nature is a much more aggressive culling machine than a human is who only see $$ in his/her breeding experiment.

Anything that helps (even a little bit) with survivability and not eating coral is a good thing to me and increases peoples success. I agree on the clownfish - I don't like the look of things like Wyomings. Poma does cross breed some Angels I think that naturally cross in the wild but I would rather they breed extra species and do more volume and prices will come down. I think it's fantastic that we have more options than wild as they get shut down - although I do think wild collection helps put a value on reefs and I think sustainable collection should be encouraged.

End of the day on a fish that is so expensive I think you want that 30 day guarantee and I'd pay a fairly big premium to get it for the improved chance of not eating the coral

this is me · Mar 5, 2019

When you get that captive bred angelfish, let me know how it goes with not eating your corals. Being born in a tank is not going change an animal natural instinct.
I'm not sure why people keep hoping that the angelfish they want is not going to eat their corals. The moment you put an angelfish in the tank is the moment you've accepted that it will affect your corals. Period.

alton · Mar 5, 2019

I took the following picture while at MACNA New Orleans. It was amazing that someone here in the USA captive breeding these awesome angels. No disease to worry about and since they are in tanks with multiply fish they are naturally aggressive eaters. Plus pairs are readily available.

mfollen · Dec 3, 2019

Anyone keeping bluelines or phantom angels with zoanthids or acropora? I’m thinking about one for my reef...

thanks!

Fishnut · Dec 3, 2019

I have two that I got from Poma Labs. After about 6 months in a mixed reef tank one of them started nipping at all Zoas and Sinularia corals as well as a clam. They haven’t bothered rock anemone or yuca mushrooms. The stylophora and pocillopora both died, but I never witnessed the Blue Lines bothering them. Strange that only one of them swims around all day nipping at everything in it’s path and the other Blue doesn’t.

mfollen · Dec 4, 2019

Very interesting that one nips and the other doesn’t. That’s angels for ya.

does the one do major damage to the zoas / eat polyps? Or is it more of a lighter pecking?

Fishnut · Dec 4, 2019

mfollen said:
Very interesting that one nips and the other doesn’t. That’s angels for ya.

does the one do major damage to the zoas / eat polyps? Or is it more of a lighter pecking?

. I would say pecking. The one angel would only bite off the tentacles of my paly’s and Zoas. I moved the corals to another tank, but they didn’t make it. The other angel just swims along the front of the tank begging for food whenever it sees me.

mfollen · Dec 4, 2019

Thanks! I’m getting a little one from POMA labs tomorrow morning. Hoping this one is like the latter of your two!

crossing fingers

Thomashtom · Dec 5, 2019

alton said:
I took the following picture while at MACNA New Orleans. It was amazing that someone here in the USA captive breeding these awesome angels. No disease to worry about and since they are in tanks with multiply fish they are naturally aggressive eaters. Plus pairs are readily available.

Nice!!!