Paging all Rock beauty owners. Has anyine successfully kept one lo g term?

[DrewBrees713]

i did lot if reading and understand these arent begginer fish and im no begginer Not an expert but can hold my own when it comes keeping fish long term.
I know their primary food source are sponges. A juvi is better than an adult. And they may nip corals.
Anyone on board has one for more than a year? Thanks

 

[ca1ore]

I had one for a decade; definitely a picker. Needs a big tank as well, with lots of live rock. I'd judge it to be comparable to the potters in terms of difficulty. I know a couple of folks that have kept them as well. I have a tiny one in QT right now, but it's a tank setup with live rock with sponge and pods. The idea is to give it its natural foods while hopefully acclimating to frozen foods. If you can get one into mysis, etc., they are quite hardy IME.

 

[DrewBrees713]

Nothing in my area for a RB. Maybe next week or so.

 

[roberthu526]

Just picked up one from LFS. It was eating frozen mysis so I paid right away. It’s about 3” and looks pretty healthy. I feed my angels hikari angel diet mainly. Do I need to buy sponges from time to time to supplement?

 

[ndrwater]

I think most of the Angel formula frozen foods have sponge in them. Definitely a trick to long term success. As mentioned before, lots of room to roam amd rocks to graze on

 

[saltyhog]

Rock Beauty and Bicolor angels are fish I would love to keep one day in an SPS tank. Just not brave enough to try one in my mixed reef.

 

[roberthu526]

I think most of the Angel formula frozen foods have sponge in them. Definitely a trick to long term success. As mentioned before, lots of room to roam amd rocks to graze on

I have it in a 300G tank.

 

[roberthu526]

Rock Beauty and Bicolor angels are fish I would love to keep one day in an SPS tank. Just not brave enough to try one in my mixed reef.

Exactly what I am doing. Angel fish with SPS only tank.

 

[cracker]

Thanks for this info I didn't know Coral Beauty's were difficult eaters .

 

[Muttley000]

Thanks for this info I didn't know Coral Beauty's were difficult eaters .

Rock beauty are much different than coral beauty. Thinking you may not have typed what you were thinking

 

[rc1626]

I had one for about 7 years. Definitely the boss of the tank. My favorite fish until I tried twice to put a cleaner shrimp in the tank. Both times within minutes it plucked the eyes out of the shrimp. Put him in my frag tank and unfortunately it jumped out to its demise. Mine ate everything. Pellets, frozen, flakes, nori......etc. Thinking about getting another.
Mine was a Diver's Den purchase so I knew it was in pretty good shape and eating before I bought it.

 

[cracker]

@Muttley , You are correct Sir ! Had to two mixed up .Thanks

I just did a quick search. Two completely different fish !

 

[ca1ore]

Just picked up one from LFS. It was eating frozen mysis so I paid right away. It’s about 3” and looks pretty healthy. I feed my angels hikari angel diet mainly. Do I need to buy sponges from time to time to supplement?

I have not found the rock beauty to ‘need’ sponge nutritionally, but that it can be useful in weaning them onto other foods. If you have one that will take mysis, brine, etc., I don’t think it’s mecessary to be supplementing with sponge.

 

[ReefTeacher]

I have found a small Rock Beauty is not heard to wean onto pellets.

 

[roberthu526]

Here a video my wife took this afternoon. She thought this rock beauty was gorgeous too lol

 

[ReefTeacher]

I have found a small Rock Beauty is not heard to wean onto pellets.

Sorry....VERY bad typo: a small Rock Beauty is not HARD to wean onto pellets.....

 

[ca1ore]

That’s a terrific video.

 

[crezguy]

Reviving this thread. I have a rock beauty that I eating all(Nori, PE Mysis, Reef Rod). Should I include Sponge specific foods for long term living. Any suggestions on such sponge rich foods?