Watanabei Angelfish - Jumpers?

[Gogol_frag]

Hi reefers,

It's been a while since I posted. Can y'all share from experience if you know of Watanabei fishes to be jumpers?

I am getting a male Watanabei Angelgish from World Wide Corals and and planning to have temporary lids for about 2 months until he gets used to the tank. Then, remove the lid.


In the interest of context and full-disclusure:

Currently, I run a lid-less, rimless, and sumpless tank, that is 6feet long with about 1.75' feet deep water column.

Fishes: 4 medium sized tangs (one each from each genus), 3 Bimac Anthias, 1 Lawnmower Blenny. Largest fish is a 6" Blue Hippo Tang.

Corals: Softies and LPS

Cleanup crew: an army of Snails (no Nassarius), Fuzzy Chitons and BristleWorms.

Paramaters:
Temp - 77-78 deg F
Salinity: 35 ppt
pH: 8.1-8.3
ORP: 330-350
Ammonia: Undetectable
Nitrate: 2.5 ppm
Phosphate: 0.36 ppm
Calcium: 500 ppm
Alk: 9.5 dkh
Mg: 1500 ppm

Feed: Daily- Hikari Spirulina-Brineshrimp cubes, home-grown Brine Shrimp, LRS reef frenzy, nori. Weekly - homegrown phytoplankton, CoralFrenzy.

Genuinely interested to know your thoughts about jumping (or not jumping) Watanabeis.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Ive had two over the tears and neither were

 

[Snoopy 67]

I've had a trio & Like Vetteguy53081 mine never left the water.
BUT, all fish can jump.

 

[bizarro124]

Mine has jumped once. I put it in the corner flow since it was harassing a new fish and after a few days it jumped back into the main tank.

 

[Gogol_frag]

Just retested my tank water. Sundays are my test-days:

Ca: 530 ppm
Alk: 10.7 dKh
Mg: 1570 ppm
PO4: 0.101 ppm
NO3: 0.43 ppm

Overall creatures seems active and healthy. Tank seems ready for higher bioload.

 

[Gogol_frag]

Mine has jumped once. I put it in the corner flow since it was harassing a new fish and after a few days it jumped back into the main tank.

Vettguy, Snoopy and Bizarro, have you noticed your Watanabei munching/nipping on any corals? I realize that Genicanthus are less likely to do this, but YMMV. Most folks say that Zoas are at risk. SPS are fine. I currently have neither but plan on having SPS someday soon.

 

[i cant think]

BUT, all fish can jump.

This. ALL fish jump if given the chance. Even those tiny clowns that you may love for not being jumpers will jump if given the chance and reason.

As for this specific species, these rarely jumped out of the tank but they did often jump into tanks next to them when I was working in the LFS. I also have a similar species, Genicanthus melanospilos and he will jump even after being settled in the tank for Atleast a year.

 

[i cant think]

Vettguy, Snoopy and Bizarro, have you noticed your Watanabei munching/nipping on any corals? I realize that Genicanthus are less likely to do this, but YMMV. Most folks say that Zoas are at risk. SPS are fine. I currently have neither but plan on having SPS someday soon.

SPS shouldn’t be touched by this species, if they’re going to go for a coral it’ll most likely be Zoas or similar as somr large angels seem to confuse them for sponges.

 

[Gogol_frag]

SPS shouldn’t be touched by this species, if they’re going to go for a coral it’ll most likely be Zoas or similar as somr large angels seem to confuse them for sponges.

Thank you so much Icant! OK my lids are back on . Did you say that Genicanthus Angels eat Sponges? I have lots or Sponges growing my tank (currently the undersIde of all of rock-work is covered with them). So hopefully that might be a home-coming present for the Watanabei

 

[i cant think]

Thank you so much Icant! OK my lids are back on . Did you say that Genicanthus Angels eat Sponges? I have lots or Sponges growing my tank (currently the undersIde of all of rock-work is covered with them). So hopefully that might be a home-coming present for the Watanabei

They don’t eat sponges to my knowledge, although the reason some may turn on Zoa’s is potentially due to them having a habit of eating sponges as well as being a planktonic feeder. If possible you could also try dosing Zooplankton and Phytoplankton and see if your Angel settles in slightly faster and feeds on it.

 

[Gogol_frag]

Thanks iCant! I grow Brine Shrimp and Phytoplankton and to keep the planktivores well fed. I am still tinkering with my plankton-setup, so the plankton-feeding is not yet automated. Hopefully soon.

I plan to grow Rotifers from cysts as well. My fishes prefers food to be in the water-column (since its too much work for them to pick food from the substrate ) So, I prefer to grow pelagic live-food that swim about and frozen/cubed planktonic foods that floats. Pellets and benthic copepods are wasted on my fishes.

 

[bizarro124]

Vettguy, Snoopy and Bizarro, have you noticed your Watanabei munching/nipping on any corals? I realize that Genicanthus are less likely to do this, but YMMV. Most folks say that Zoas are at risk. SPS are fine. I currently have neither but plan on having SPS someday soon.

My Watanabei doesn't pick at any corals. My Bellus picks at my plate coral's tentacles.

 

[Snoopy 67]

Not Mine but I had no zoa's.

 

[Gogol_frag]

OK. So my fish arrived. What do y'all feed your watanabeis? I am growing brine shrimp like crazy. But they wont he ready before 48 hours.

 

[Tcook]

They are not picky. My Watanabe and bellus eat everything. Mysis, brine, eggs, tdo. They don't touch any of my corals including zoas and lps. Your tank is on the shallow side of things. I would have a cover but that's just me. Post a pic of your Watanabe.

 

[Snoopy 67]

Mine ate whatever hit the water.

 

[Gogol_frag]

Sadly mine didnt make it, and passed within less than 24 hours. Was breathing heavy and never ate. Contacted World Wide Corals. Will keep y'all posted.

 

[Snoopy 67]

Was it a male?
They do not ship well.
I got them on the small size & only females.

 

[Gogol_frag]

Yes Snoopy. It was a male about 5". Real unfortunate. WWC said that they would replace it. Top notch customer service by them.

My reef should be wayy coral-ready. So, if the wait is too long, i may just get some corals instead. I'm in no rush though.

I was just hoping to get my fish-stocking completed and nutrient export/import stabilized before venturing into further corals.

My future stocking plans include 8 more fishes (completing the list at 16 for my 180 gallon).

Wish-Fish-list: 1 Koi Scopas, 3 Reef Safe Angels (consisting of 1 Watanabei Male and 2 Bellus Females), 2 Bella Gobies and 2 more Bimac Anthias. 5 of those fishes are tough to obtain. So i may have to wait a while before staring on corals. Ohh joy!

Was it a male?
They do not ship well.
I got them on the small size & only females.

 

[Snoopy 67]

After removal of a Purple Tang one of the females turned into a male giving me a trio.