"Reef Safe" Angels

[Preme]

Let's try this again!

So I'm sure many of you saw the thread I created about "Reef Safe" Butterfly's. After putting more thought into it I've decided against getting one for my tank (well, most likely :rolleyes:).
But after putting more research into fish and coming across a few different species of Dwarf Angels that I haven't seen I became in love with a few.

So I would love to hear your experience with dwarf angels, and which have worked best and worst in your tanks.

The ones I were looking into:
- Golden Angel
- Multicolored Angel
- Venustus Angel
- Multibarred Angel
- Potters angel

I'd only be keeping one of these options in my tank, which is SPS dominated along with a few Zoas and LPS (scoly, Frogspawn).

 

[sc50964]

I had a venustus angel and he went to town on my SPS. Not sure about the others to corals but all except the multicolored, especially the golden, can be difficult to acclimate to prepared food.

 

[4FordFamily]

The truth is that all angels are a risk. Some less than others, but a risk. IMO they're beautiful and worth it.

 

[Preme]

The truth is that all angels are a risk. Some less than others, but a risk. IMO they're beautiful and worth it.

I'd risk it also just not 100% sure I want an Angel destroying my expensive Scoly I just got ;)

 

[4FordFamily]

I'd risk it also just not 100% sure I want an Angel destroying my expensive Scoly I just got ;)

Yeah I say I risk it but I only keep cheap, easy coral! :)

 

[JaimeAdams]

I had a Potter's that never touched anything including big fleshy LPS. I have heard mostly positive reports from people with Potter's in their reef tanks.

 

[rbraunberger]

I currently have a flame angel, and two bellus angels. Don't bother a thing.

 

[4FordFamily]

I had a Potter's that never touched anything including big fleshy LPS. I have heard mostly positive reports from people with Potter's in their reef tanks.

I've had a few potters in reef without issue, and another that ate zoa and picked at the resident clam.

 

[Preme]

I had a Potter's that never touched anything including big fleshy LPS. I have heard mostly positive reports from people with Potter's in their reef tanks.

I've had a few potters in reef without issue, and another that ate zoa and picked at the resident clam.

Good to know... I was leaning towards the potters.

I currently have a flame angel, and two bellus angels. Don't bother a thing.

I absolutely LOVE the bellus angels!
My tanks only 56 gallons 30" x 18" x 24". Although I've heard of people keeping females in smaller tanks, I still don't think mines big enough.

I do like the flame angel.. just not as much as some of the other dwarfs.

 

[sc50964]

Yes 56g is too small for large angels. Maybe a 2" baby Bellus angel would be okay. As to dwarf angels, you can probably just have one. When ppl comment on how little damage were caused by their angel(s), it's also important to know tank size or how many corals there are. In a big system that has robust coral growth, angel's nipping may not be so apparent due to robust growth.

 

[Scubabeth]

Just want to plug the cherub (pygmy) angel, Centropyge argi. Beautiful fish. Like @4FordFamily, we don't have expensive coral, so the risk of nipping is not a huge issue for us. The only things I've seen ours nip at is a gorgonian from time to time; no damage done.

 

[sc50964]

Nipping may not be a big deal for SPS, but it's certainly a larger deal for LPS. These single polyp corals will often succumb to the stress from being picked on

 

[Preme]

Yes 56g is too small for large angels. Maybe a 2" baby Bellus angel would be okay. As to dwarf angels, you can probably just have one. When ppl comment on how little damage were caused by their angel(s), it's also important to know tank size or how many corals there are. In a big system that has robust coral growth, angel's nipping may not be so apparent due to robust growth.

Yes. From what I've read I've also heard that larger tanks can handle the nipping more (which is obvious because they have a larger quantity of corals).
In my tanks I like a balance of fish and coral. The coral is a little more important to me then fish, but still I don't just want to throw in a few fish I decently like. From the time I've put into to researching fish, I'm pretty familiar with what will and will not work in my tank.

That being said my favorite species of fish are Butterfly's, Angels, Wrasses and Anthia.
I've seen success with certain types of this fish in similar size tanks.
Not sure I want to "push the limit".
That's what's lead me to the dwarf angels. I do deep down have a place in my heart for Wrasse and will always love them... but if I want one Wrasse I want more lol.

Just want to plug the cherub (pygmy) angel, Centropyge argi. Beautiful fish. Like @4FordFamily, we don't have expensive coral, so the risk of nipping is not a huge issue for us. The only things I've seen our nip at is a gorgonian from time to time; no damage done.

Definitely a possible choice for me.
While they are not my favorite dwarf angel I still do like them quite a bit... will defiantly keep them in mind!

Nipping may not be a big deal for SPS, but it's certainly a larger deal for LPS. These single polyp corals will often succumb to the stress from being picked on

Yes I totally agree with you on this!
That's my worry in my size tank.
I've seen success with many different dwarf angel in similar size tanks, which were housed with a large variety of coral.
From what I heard each angel is never the same, some pick on LPS, some pick on Zoas. It's just wether you get lucky or not.
I've also heard if you kept them well feed them won't up as much... but some disagree with this.

 

[Maritimer]

From your list, I've only got experience with one - a Marshall Island multibar. Beautiful, charming, _full_ of personality and style, he seemed to be doing very well in my QT, eating well and thriving ... and then caught one one of the white-spot diseases. Not certain whether it was ich or velvet, and frankly it looked different from either. Hadn't realized at the time that the chelated copper medication I was using was diluted by 75% from what the bottle indicated. The loss of that fish is a heavy regret . . .

They have a reputation for being difficult to start eating and get thriving.

Golden angels have a reputation for being shy.

Have you looked at the African flame-back? Good-looking fish, stays quite small, and not terribly expensive depending on where you're looking. (NYAquatic has them for something like $15!)

~Bruce

 

[Preme]

From your list, I've only got experience with one - a Marshall Island multibar. Beautiful, charming, _full_ of personality and style, he seemed to be doing very well in my QT, eating well and thriving ... and then caught one one of the white-spot diseases. Not certain whether it was ich or velvet, and frankly it looked different from either. Hadn't realized at the time that the chelated copper medication I was using was diluted by 75% from what the bottle indicated. The loss of that fish is a heavy regret . . .

They have a reputation for being difficult to start eating and get thriving.

Golden angels have a reputation for being shy.

Have you looked at the African flame-back? Good-looking fish, stays quite small, and not terribly expensive depending on where you're looking. (NYAquatic has them for something like $15!)

~Bruce

I have looked into the flame backs! As I mentioned earlier I do quite like them, but not as much as some of my other choices.

I absolutely love the multibar and wouldn't mind trying it out. Have you heard how reef safe they are?
Wouldn't want to take the risk if they would destroy the reef...

 

[ibob991]

I love my coral beauty, never touched anything in the tank (lps and softies).

 

[chasekwe]

I've had success with a Potter's not bothering anything in a mixed reef. He would "kiss" some of the SPS colonies but never caused even the least bit of visible distress.

I don't know to what degree it helps but mine was eating prepared foods voraciously at the LFS before purchase. So when it went into my tank with all the delicious corals it wasn't even looking at them due to the interest in mysis, pellets and the like. I think some of these more difficult angels that people often work hard to train onto prepared foods may enter the displays where the only food source they interpret is the corals and so a bad habit is formed.

That said, we've all heard the countless stories of angels being model citizens and then after months or years developing a taste for corals so who can say.

 

[NealH]

+1 on the cherub angel. I've had one for about a year and it doesn't touch anything. I have mostly sps and a few lps. He's great, but a little neurotic--likes to swim up and down one side of my tank a lot. My tank is a reefer 250, so about the same size as your.

 

[Preme]

I've had success with a Potter's not bothering anything in a mixed reef. He would "kiss" some of the SPS colonies but never caused even the least bit of visible distress.

I don't know to what degree it helps but mine was eating prepared foods voraciously at the LFS before purchase. So when it went into my tank with all the delicious corals it wasn't even looking at them due to the interest in mysis, pellets and the like. I think some of these more difficult angels that people often work hard to train onto prepared foods may enter the displays where the only food source they interpret is the corals and so a bad habit is formed.

That said, we've all heard the countless stories of angels being model citizens and then after months or years developing a taste for corals so who can say.

It seems the potters has worked well for quite a bit of people.
I don't know... I'm not in a rush to get anything. I'm going to look over all my options for the dwarf angels and most likely pick my favorite. If it works out to be great in the tank I'll keep it, otherwise I can bring it to the LFS.

I love my coral beauty, never touched anything in the tank (lps and softies).

Coral beauties are very nice looking...
I've been eyeing up the one on Divers Den lately.
http://m.liveaquaria.com/diversden/ItemDisplay.cfm?c=2733+3&ddid=344098
Not sure if I wanna pay that much for a coral beauty though.

 

[ibob991]

Coral beauties are very nice looking...
I've been eyeing up the one on Divers Den lately.
http://m.liveaquaria.com/diversden/ItemDisplay.cfm?c=2733+3&ddid=344098
Not sure if I wanna pay that much for a coral beauty though.

That one is only expensive because it has the tiger striping. A regular one like mine is around 30-40!