Fish hierarchy

[Redbird5]

My LFS has a beautiful flame angel on sale. He would be the first fish to enter quarantine. My display tank is fallow and has been since 10/24/2025. It remain that way until at least January. There's a UV sterilizer on it. I also turned the heat up before I got the UV sterilizer. I'm not taking chances on anything.

I know there's a hierarchy of what fish enter and you do peaceful fish first. Can I start with a flame angel or do I hold off and get the clownfish first?

All fish will be in quarantine at this time. No fish will enter my display tank until the beginning of next year.

 

[atoll]

Depends on your other fish. However a flame can be quite a bulky with smaller fish unfortunately if the flame is first in. I would make it one if not the last fish to introduce unless you intend to add larger fish like a tang.b

 

[DylanE]

Probably depends a bit on the tank size. My flame angel was mostly fine in my 75 with other fish being added, and now is a total non issue in my 310 now matter what goes in. Plus clownfish aren’t exactly softies.

 

[Redbird5]

Depends on your other fish. However a flame can be quite a bulky with smaller fish unfortunately if the flame is first in. I would make it one if not the last fish to introduce unless you intend to add larger fish like a tang.b

My lemon peel angelfish wasn't the last fish, but he was the biggest in the aquarium. He would occasionally dive bomb the other inhabitants, but he was cool with everyone. It may have been the individual fish. Flame angelfish are red heads so they might be more feisty than others. Jk. No one really challenged him either.

 

[Redbird5]

Probably depends a bit on the tank size. My flame angel was mostly fine in my 75 with other fish being added, and now is a total non issue in my 310 now matter what goes in. Plus clownfish aren’t exactly softies.

Well the quarantine tank is 20 gallons. The display is 45.

 

[atoll]

My lemon peel angelfish wasn't the last fish, but he was the biggest in the aquarium. He would occasionally dive bomb the other inhabitants, but he was cool with everyone. It may have been the individual fish. Flame angelfish are red heads so they might be more feisty than others. Jk. No one really challenged him either.

Like many fish flames do have different temperaments. I had a friend who traded his flame with an LFS as it wouldn't leave any other fish alone if it was smaller or timid. He traded it for...... a smaller flame.

 

[Redbird5]

Like many fish flames do have different temperaments. I had a friend who traded his flame with an LFS as it wouldn't leave any other fish alone if it was smaller or timid. He traded it for...... a smaller flame.

There were freshwater angels that I had that were jerks. They were mainly striped. My favorites were black lace angels. They were very peaceful.