Fins ablaze: Have you kept a Flame Angel?

[Reefer911]

I wonder if getting a small specimen would make a difference in the temperament. That’s my concern as well.

 

[C_AWOL]

Have a pair along with multiple other angelfish together in a tank for 1-2 years (some angels were added later). Model citizens unlike the majestic that ate all the sacrificial torches. The pair of flameback angelfish in there are way more aggressive incomparison (even sometimes bully the regals in there despite the size difference)

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

I'm on my second one! last one I had for over 10 years in a 55g then a 90g, he was great with awesome color, everyone always asked about him. I've had a few tanks since then and a flame has always been on my want list! I got this guy a year or so ago and he has been pretty good he definitely runs the tank, he's a nipper but not a biter so he's cool, this one just like the last one, everyone always wants to know what the red fish is!

I love how they utilize the rock work and swim around the coral all day they are really fun to watch use the tank and all the swim through.

it's a great fish!

 

[Ziggy17]

Didn’t know they went after like colors. Interesting

Yeah, it was a surprise to me as well. He leaves everything else alone, just the two with red on them. Maybe he’s a one off in that regard.

 

[Reefer Reboot]

This one may try at times to be the boss but gets quickly put in it's place. As far as eating corals go, my Foxface probably beats him to it.
(See this mornings feeding, )

 

[JayM]

I'd like to, and almost did - but opted for a Coral Beauty as the advice I got said that I'd likely have better luck with my Lemonpeel getting along. Either bad luck, or bad advice as my Lemonpeel beat the Coral Beauty to death within a few days. I tried like hell to catch one or the other, but never even came close to nabbing either one.

I'd still love to have a Flame, just not interested in another fight to the death.

The strange thing is that the Lemonpeel doesn't harass anything else, and he was one of the early additions.

 

[exnisstech]

I've had mine for a bit over 9 months. It's in with mostly growing sps but a few fleshy LPS including a pretty large acanthophylia. Every once in a while it will give a small chase after my tail spot blenny but hasn't touched a coral. Other fish are a yellow tang, 2 spot bristletooth tang, CBB and six line. Softies are no longer in the tank..

 

[Jimbhoy13]

Fins ablaze: Have you kept a Flame Angel?

The Flame Angel, Centropyge loricula, is a very colorful dwarf angelfish and is recognizable for many marine fish keepers. Because of its smaller size it can be kept in a wide array of tanks ranging from mid-size to large tanks. Although not a fish for a nano-tank, these fish do not require a large tank that is appropriate for many marine angelfish. Once it settles in, The Flame Angel can be found swimming around the tank and picking at algae. However, be warned that they are considered semi-aggressive so be aware of the tank mates and order of introduction. Have you kept a Flame Angel? If so, please tell us about your experience and feel free to share tips with the R2R community!

Photo by Quality Marine / @Nutramar Foods


This QOTD is sponsored by Nutramar: https://www.qualitymarine.com/nutramar/

“Nutramar’s 100% natural food products are used by public aquaria and breeders around the world. They offer superior nutrition to your most finicky and delicate fish and invertebrates."

Yes. It was my favourite fish. No problem with other fish or corals. Very sad when it died. Would love another.

 

[Klaas]

I got a flame angel 2 months ago and he has been a model citizen just eating algae from the glass and rocks. No interest in corals. Perhaps also that my tank is 500 gallon and there are lots of rocks to nibble from.

 

[Grog]

Had lemonpeel, coral beauties, and flame angels at different times. Liked them all and had no issues. All fun fish that add colors to the tank. Wish I could have a flame angel again but I've got a lemonpeel in the tank and don't want to create drama.

 

[diana2433]

I currently house one in my Red Sea 300XL. It’s a model citizen with my corals, but he grouchy with any fish that have and red colouring. He chased my purple firefish around until the fire got fed up and jumped, and he only had a little red on him with more purple…. I have a tight lid on the tank, but found a small space where the light cutout was…. He now tries to bully the Lyretail Anthia that has a reddish colour to it, but the Anthia can hold it‘s own. But I now know that I can’t have the McKosker wrasse I really wanted, or any other red coloured wrasse, as he will just beat the snot out of it. So bummed about that.

I got the angel to eat the pineapple sponges and keep the rocks clean, which he is awesome at. Plus he’s always out in the open swimming and he’s awesome to look at with a good personality.

Great fish, just can’t house another red fish in my smaller sized tank. So there’s the rub.

zig.

I have a beauty. My second. The first was introduced with a royal Caribbean Angel (deep blue). The LFS said I should try introducing the 2 at the same time. The flame kept pulling pieces of her tail out. She lasted less than 2 weeks

 

[vetteguy53081]

 

[Rickarded-Reefer]

I always want to get one, but I got expensive Acantho, Scoly, and Indophyllia in my tank. I heard that they always nip on those meat corals. Anyone has success keeping one with meat corals?

I currently have one in my mixed reef tank with OG Bounce’s and a few high end Yuma’s. Got lucky with this little guy because he only enjoys picking at the rock work and algae film on the back of the tank.

 

[FernBluffReef]

Just bought a flame last Friday. He’s being a picky eater, refusing but seems to be improving. Crossing fingers.

Just re-entering reefing. Had a flame some 23 years ago but only for a short time before a hitchhiker Mantis shrimp took him and others out. Had to learn to trap back then

 

[Rickarded-Reefer]

I’ve had great success with these little guys over the last 20 years. One of the first fish I ever owned when getting into the hobby. The bright colors and curious nature makes them a super fun fish to watch and raise.

When I first got started in this hobby I was much more willing to throw caution into the wind, flush money down the toilet and run the risk of having one bite and eat one of my Mushroom Corals. There was no high end expensive coral in my tank and losing a mushroom was the least of my worries.

Fast forward 18 years, now having a striving mixed SPS/LPS echo system with everything getting along in harmony is more important to me than simply replacing something that doesn’t work out. I’ve been on the hunt for one of these little guys for almost a year now after my last one died during the pandemic. None of the LFS’ in my area had them. They all kept telling me they were out of season. Thankfully I’m an outside sales rep and travel all over SoCal. While making account calls, I found one in a part of CA I don’t frequent often. Unfortunately he looked a bit rough around the edges and decided not to take the gamble.

4 weeks later, I stopped into another shop while I was out and about. They had just received 2 from their supplier and couldn’t pass up a deal at $40. It took a few days for him to open up and come out of hiding. But he was soon jumping into the mix and being a model citizen in the system.

Super Blessed and Thankful everyone is happy, coexisting, and he’s not a biter!!! Was a bit worried he’d go after someone of my OG bounces and higher end Yuma’s. Also having a Coral Beauty in the tank too had me rethinking why I did it. The only thing either of them cares about is eating algae off the rock work and back of the glass.

 

[Rickarded-Reefer]

Just bought a flame last Friday. He’s being a picky eater, refusing but seems to be improving. Crossing fingers.

Just re-entering reefing. Had a flame some 23 years ago but only for a short time before a hitchhiker Mantis shrimp took him and others out. Had to learn to trap back then

I’ve been using Garlic Guard. Got mine to open up and eat like a pig.

 

[Flame2hawk]

Have a pair along with multiple other angelfish together in a tank for 1-2 years (some angels were added later). Model citizens unlike the majestic that ate all the sacrificial torches. The pair of flameback angelfish in there are way more aggressive incomparison (even sometimes bully the regals in there despite the size difference)

Did you purchase an already bonded pair? If not, how did you get them to pair up?

 

[C_AWOL]

Did you purchase an already bonded pair? If not, how did you get them to pair up?

None of the angels I paired up (or added in general) were bonded upon purchase, just stocked them as I found them (after doing a 45 day quarantine) with the exception of my regals which I purposely got a smaller gray belly first and then found a red sea variety after

 

[RickSanford]

I kept one for a little over two years. Was the third fish in the tank. He never bothered the corals and got along with everyone else in the tank. Ate like a horse. A tank crash after being gone for an extended work assignment took him and most of the rest of my fish. I will positively have another in the future. This video was about 6 months after he was added to the tank.

 

[peterhos]

Had flame angels for 20 years. Beautiful fish. No obvious problems. Yesterday I saw one for £200 .. almost got my wallet out.