Flame angel with bicolor

jtf74 · Jul 20, 2021

These two angels are in a 280 gallon with lots of live rock. I have had the bicolor for two years and its fat and healthy and has always been bold with other large fish like my 4" maroon, copperband, and a yellow tang I used to have. The tang might get irritated but the bicolor was too agile and swam circles around the tang. My larger copperband also had to threaten the bicolor a few times with its top fins at first as the bicolor pestered it for a few days. So I recently got a flame angel. The seller told me it was 2.5" which is about the same as my bicolor, but its probably closer to 3.5" and thicker. I had it in an acclimation box but after 3 days it escaped yesterday. Since its bigger and thicker the bicolor has been able to out maneuver it and get away when the flame chases it. My guess is the flame took up where the bicolor sleeps and they are jockeying for territory. The bicolor is eating and swimming around like normal and keeps going back to the side where the flame is only to be chased off then goes right back again moments later. No torn fins yet, and I'm hoping that the flame will get tired of it after a few more days. The bicolor doesn't seem stressed and almost seems to be antagonizing the flame to chase it. There have been a few instances in the 4 hours I watched where the flame saw it and didn't give chase, but not many. Hoping this won't go on forever. Anyone had a flame that just wouldn't stop chasing another angel? I had hoped the flame would be smaller not larger so I am concerned it may keep bullying.

PeterC99 · Jul 20, 2021

Your large aquarium might have enough room for the both of them.

Good luck!

jtf74 · Jul 28, 2021

These fish are doing well together. The flame gives chase sometimes and other times ignores. The bicolor hasn't changed behavior and both are always in and out of the rocks. The flame is pretty bold though and doubt this would have worked in a smaller setup.