Coral Beauty in a reef - is it worth it?

[Acanthurus1517]

Hey all,
So for a while now I’ve “Will I, won’t I”’d adding a Coral Beauty Angel to my 55 gallon mixed reef, and after finalizing some things in the aquarium am thinking about taking the plunge at last. Now, my question isn’t necessarily about if these fish are coral safe, since I know they are quite unpredictable, but rather what your experiences have been - have you ever had a CB in your reef? If so, how much damage did it do, if any? Was it ok for some time before going rogue?

Here’s what’s in the tank, just to give you guy an idea of what it would be moving in with:

FISH:

Midnight clown
Yellow watchman goby
Royal gramma
Neon goby
Melanurus wrasse
Firefish (will be added sometime before the CB)

INVERTS:
Mixed hermits and snails
Sand tiger conch
Rick boring urchin
Banded serpent star

CORALS:

Mixed Zoas and Palys
GSP
Rhodactis mushrooms
Candy canes
Hammer
Torch
Frogspawn
War favia
Mummy eye chalice
A few acans and micros
Leptoseris
Cyphastrea
Monticap and digitata

So based on you guys’ experiences, what do you think? - should I bite the bullet or find another fish to try? All replies are welcome

 

[dwest]

I never tried one. Any time I had a coral not doing well I would wonder if the fish was the culprit.

 

[jassermd]

I have both a coral beauty and a flame angel in my 280g DT. Although folks say you shouldn't have 2 together, mine have been homed in the same tank for nearly 4 months without any issues.
Both are model citizens. Haven't seen them nipping at the corals or each other for that matter. They are very social and are quick to recognize me as the "feeder". They don't bother any of the other fish and are good tank mates. My CB has buddied up with the harlequin and follows him around like a puppy... Kind of funny to see.
It's hit or miss... I keep mine well fed and they eat like champs. Maybe that's the reason?

 

[Big Smelly fish]

Never had one cause damage to any corals, I can’t say that about the flame angel

 

[homer1475]

I think I've had just about every dwarf angel at some point or another over the years. While IME the lemon peel angel has been the least destructive, and least bullyish, the coral beauty was the most destructive, and most prone to chasing and nipping.

The CB was the absolute worst dwarf angel I've had in my reef.

 

[Drich5150]

Our cb is a model citizen

 

[homer1475]

Just a small FWIW.....

If your into SPS, once you add an angel, you can kiss PE goodbye.

Even if they don't nip, I swear to god SPS know when theres an angel in the tank.

Anecdotal at best, but heres my story.

I have always had some sort of dwarf angel in my reef, but I was never really into SPS. When I did finally get into SPS I would have great PE for a few days, then nothing. My SPS have always had great color, and grow well, just no PE.

I lost my last flame back angel to jumping, and did not have one for quite a few months. Suddenly after a couple months I noticed my sticks were fuzzy as heck, like nothing I have seen before in my tanks. PE was great for many months. I was in an LFS one day and my wife fell in love with a tiny little lemon peel. Needless to say I brought it home. Within a day, all my sps pulled their polyps in again, yet I never saw any of my angels nip. Still to this day with the lemon peel in the tank I have 0 PE.

I wonder if angels give off some pheromone that SPS can sense?

 

[Kmst80]

I got so far only LPS, Anemones and Riccordea and my CB hasnt touched any, model citizen probably due to the fact that i have enough algae for him to nip on.

 

[Brittanyjo]

I took my scans out and put them in the sump because they got picked on by multiple fish

 

[Acanthurus1517]

I have both a coral beauty and a flame angel in my 280g DT. Although folks say you shouldn't have 2 together, mine have been homed in the same tank for nearly 4 months without any issues.
Both are model citizens. Haven't seen them nipping at the corals or each other for that matter. They are very social and are quick to recognize me as the "feeder". They don't bother any of the other fish and are good tank mates. My CB has buddied up with the harlequin and follows him around like a puppy... Kind of funny to see.
It's hit or miss... I keep mine well fed and they eat like champs. Maybe that's the reason?

That’s great to hear! I’ve heard feeding well is a factor in reducing the chances of coral nipping, and I have a good variety of things to feed the CB and the rest of my fish, frozen brine and mysis, hikari pellets and nori being among them.

Also, cool knowing everyone gets along in your tank

 

[EHaddad]

I got a Coral Beauty had nori in the tank, fed him nori pellets and Mysis. He still destroyed my corals he’s in my sump now.

 

[jassermd]

I'm fortunate to have a 40g along side my DT for "tempering" new inhabitants. After QT, they go into the 40b for a while to see if they pick at coral. I have a full selection on the buffet... some scoly's, euphyllia, mushrooms, etc... They are the frags I keep, so no real loss (except the mini scoly's).
I watch them closely for several weeks to see how they do... if they pick, they go, or stay in the 40. If not, they get to move up in the world and get a home in the 280 DT.
I have a juvi emperor there now who's proving to be a model citizen. Had a bicolor angel that ate 4 scolys... needless to say, he's since found a new home.

 

[WirelessMike]

Hey all,
So for a while now I’ve “Will I, won’t I”’d adding a Coral Beauty Angel to my 55 gallon mixed reef, and after finalizing some things in the aquarium am thinking about taking the plunge at last. Now, my question isn’t necessarily about if these fish are coral safe, since I know they are quite unpredictable, but rather what your experiences have been - have you ever had a CB in your reef? If so, how much damage did it do, if any? Was it ok for some time before going rogue?

Here’s what’s in the tank, just to give you guy an idea of what it would be moving in with:

FISH:

Midnight clown
Yellow watchman goby
Royal gramma
Neon goby
Melanurus wrasse
Firefish (will be added sometime before the CB)

INVERTS:
Mixed hermits and snails
Sand tiger conch
Rick boring urchin
Banded serpent star

CORALS:

Mixed Zoas and Palys
GSP
Rhodactis mushrooms
Candy canes
Hammer
Torch
Frogspawn
War favia
Mummy eye chalice
A few acans and micros
Leptoseris
Cyphastrea
Monticap and digitata

So based on you guys’ experiences, what do you think? - should I bite the bullet or find another fish to try? All replies are welcome

I have a Biota CB in my reef tank for over a year and he’s a model citizen. Actually my favorite fish. I don’t have any high dollar acros or hard corals. So I can’t speak for those, but he hasn’t touched any of my other corals either.

 

[Acanthurus1517]

Just a small FWIW.....

If your into SPS, once you add an angel, you can kiss PE goodbye.

Even if they don't nip, I swear to god SPS know when theres an angel in the tank.

Anecdotal at best, but heres my story.

I have always had some sort of dwarf angel in my reef, but I was never really into SPS. When I did finally get into SPS I would have great PE for a few days, then nothing. My SPS have always had great color, and grow well, just no PE.

I lost my last flame back angel to jumping, and did not have one for quite a few months. Suddenly after a couple months I noticed my sticks were fuzzy as heck, like nothing I have seen before in my tanks. PE was great for many months. I was in an LFS one day and my wife fell in love with a tiny little lemon peel. Needless to say I brought it home. Within a day, all my sps pulled their polyps in again, yet I never saw any of my angels nip. Still to this day with the lemon peel in the tank I have 0 PE.

I wonder if angels give off some pheromone that SPS can sense?

Interesting that you say that, since I know it’s happened with one or two other people. May I ask what kind of sps are affected? Is it all, or just specific ones like acros and montis?

 

[Acanthurus1517]

I'm fortunate to have a 40g along side my DT for "tempering" new inhabitants. After QT, they go into the 40b for a while to see if they pick at coral. I have a full selection on the buffet... some scoly's, euphyllia, mushrooms, etc... They are the frags I keep, so no real loss (except the mini scoly's).
I watch them closely for several weeks to see how they do... if they pick, they go, or stay in the 40. If not, they get to move up in the world and get a home in the 280 DT.
I have a juvi emperor there now who's proving to be a model citizen. Had a bicolor angel that ate 4 scolys... needless to say, he's since found a new home.

Woah, wish I had the room for that kind of tank lol

 

[albano]

I can’t think of a single time in the past almost 50 years that I haven’t had a flame and a CB together in at least 1 of my tanks.

 

[Acanthurus1517]

@WirelessMike Interesting that you bring that up…I wonder if anyone else can confirm that Biota/captive bred CBs are safer with corals?

 

[CanuckReefer]

Had one for 6 years. Model citizen, now I am trying to discover if it's the CB or the Eibli that hits at Acans? Tried 4 times, not sacrificing another lol....in saying this, my stock is somewhat similar to yours but a few less species in a 90. The Acans the ONLY thing that may have been hit. Every individual fish is also different, your feeding patterns, mine, numerous factors. I say go for it, and rehome if it becomes problematic.... won't be hard to find a reefer willing to take a CB off your hands. Beautiful fish.....and in your 55 the showpiece IMO, They have personality, and always darting in/ out, picking at the rockwork.

 

[Troyntu]

I recently put a dwarf coral beauty. A couple days later I noticed my small toadstool not opening at all.
One day (2 days ago) I just happened to look at the tank and witness the coral beauty nipping at the polyps on the toadstool and the toadstool closed up

now I know why. It going away this weekend

 

[Spare time]

Hey all,
So for a while now I’ve “Will I, won’t I”’d adding a Coral Beauty Angel to my 55 gallon mixed reef, and after finalizing some things in the aquarium am thinking about taking the plunge at last. Now, my question isn’t necessarily about if these fish are coral safe, since I know they are quite unpredictable, but rather what your experiences have been - have you ever had a CB in your reef? If so, how much damage did it do, if any? Was it ok for some time before going rogue?

Here’s what’s in the tank, just to give you guy an idea of what it would be moving in with:

FISH:

Midnight clown
Yellow watchman goby
Royal gramma
Neon goby
Melanurus wrasse
Firefish (will be added sometime before the CB)

INVERTS:
Mixed hermits and snails
Sand tiger conch
Rick boring urchin
Banded serpent star

CORALS:

Mixed Zoas and Palys
GSP
Rhodactis mushrooms
Candy canes
Hammer
Torch
Frogspawn
War favia
Mummy eye chalice
A few acans and micros
Leptoseris
Cyphastrea
Monticap and digitata

So based on you guys’ experiences, what do you think? - should I bite the bullet or find another fish to try? All replies are welcome

I think giving it a very wide variety of food is key. Animals target certain foods to hit certain nutritional goals, be that macro or other nutrients. Providing a wide array of food might aid in preventing them from eating coral.