Reef safe angels

[CLR48]

Are there and large angel fish that are reef safe and don't cost an arm and a leg to get?

 

[Dylan J.]

Coral beauty is an angel fish that is reef safe n around here only cost $25-$30

 

[JumperAlex]

I don't know of any large angels, I have a flame angel and it hasn't nipped at any of my corals yet.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Watanabei Angelfish, Male
Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Lamarck's Angelfish
Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Bellus Angelfish
Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Spotbreast Angelfish
Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Tibicen Angelfish

 

[CLR48]

Are there any other large reef safe fish? I have a 150 gal with a lot of open space

 

[KoleTang]

There are not. Most angelfish like to nip at corals. Some people with larger tanks put them in, but they usually have lots of large, established colonies throughout the whole tank. So the biting is spread evenly through all of the corals. If you put them in a new tank with some small frags and a colony or two, there is a good change your corals are going to be toast.

And I would not call a coral beauty reef safe.

 

[specvjeff]

Most Genicanthus Angels get rather large and, are the only genus of Angels considered reef safe. You have a 50-50 shot with a fish like a Coral Beauty or any other member of the Centropyge genus.

Jeff Saurwein
SDMAS President
SDReefs Moderator
Sent from my Droid RAZR MAXX using Tapatalk 2

 

[CLR48]

What are some other large fish that are,?

 

[mike007]

If you have lots of corals i would be skepitical about adding Angels. Why chance it?

 

[CLR48]

Thats true so what are some other large fish?

 

[FishLipz]

To say any angel is completely reef safe would be misleading. The ones that Reefing Madness listed are generally planktonic feeders and would be the "safest" choices. I have a bellus and it hasn't touched anything in 3 years. The only other large angel I would attempt would be a regal, but they are hardly cheap for a quality specimen and are hit and miss especially with zoas and fleshy LPS like wellsos etc.

I'd look at tangs and larger wrasses like a harlequin tusk (as long as you don't keep shrimp and crabs). Everything comes with a trade off.

 

[nhago]

I'd look into the blue jaw triggerfish.

 

[scott9119]

Cross hatch triggers are my favorite. Look into those too

 

[scott9119]

Bellus angels are awesome

 

[Aqua fire/medic]

Cross hatch are amazing fish!!!!! But wouldn't angels nip at clams also?

 

[Reefing Madness]

Pink Tail Trigger
Tangs

 

[CLR48]

I already have some community fish so I dont think I can have triggers.. or can I?

 

[Connie]

I have a male/female pair of Genicanthus (Spotbreast Angelfish). They are great fish and get to be about 7".

 

[Reefing Madness]

The Triggers that are listed above yoiu would be pretty safe with. They'll just eat your CUC up though.

 

[Mike&Terry]

As others have said, if you are worried about coral nipping, stick with the Genicanthus genus.
Our full-grown male G. bellus:

MT_9776 by terryl93, on Flickr

Our female:

f_bellus by terryl93, on Flickr

We also keep a flame Angel and Regal Angel. Both will nip SPS corals and the Regal will devour z's and p's, as well as certain fleshy LPS corals. The Regal has been with us for over 4 years and started out as a model citizen (acquired as a juvenile) for the first 2.5 years.