What ever happened to the 'French' Angel?

[Genomecop]

I’ve had my 10 inch French for 5+years, not the prettiest angel I have, but certainly a great addition......an adult Grey Angel is as good as it gets imo. Opinions are opinions, but I think both are impressive fish.

care to share a pict?

 

[ca1ore]

Actually I bet the fish would stand out in your large tank Ca1ore - although I don't believe they are reef safe. Oh - but I think they get HUGE...

I kept a French angel years ago and you are correct that it got HUGE: dinner plate sized. There are just too many other angel choices that are both smaller and more attractive.

 

[Darth_Kirk]

care to share a pict?

How about a quick lunar video? I’m not a good fish photographer.

 

[Quinn123]

I love French angel fish, just don’t have big enough tank to keep them in.

 

[Genomecop]

How about a quick lunar video? I’m not a good fish photographer.

Says video unavailable

 

[ca1ore]

As irony would have it, there was a French on DD today.

 

[Quinn123]

As irony would have it, there was a French on DD today.

Yes I saw that too, I was thinking about ordering it, but too big.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Whats the reason for the lack of Caribbean intrest?

They get large, some do and some Don't do well in captivity and they are general classed native fish. Many years ago, most every store had French, blue and queen angels. Since then, so many fish are captive bred as well as new discoveries, increase in reef systems VS. Fish only as many had years ago contribute to this.
We go to the carribean annually and always see French and queen angels at minimum

 

[ca1ore]

Yes I saw that too, I was thinking about ordering it, but too big.

Plus really not reef compatible. Better and more attractive options like regal, Asfur and emperor ..... To list three of my favorites.

 

[clsanchez77]

I have been in this hobby for about 20 years. What I have seen over time is a global shift in interests in the hobby. Twenty years ago and more, it was all about Saltwater "Show" Fish and large tanks. Today it is about smaller tanks and an assortment of high end sticks. We now only stock our tanks with fish that are compatible with these systems.

I'm not a huge fan of the French Angel, but the Queen Angel is my all time favorite. I hope to have a 400 gallon tank for one - one day.

As far as Caribbean Fish go, my current 110 gallon is stock with Caribbean Fish and Gorgonias. I carefully selected Indo-Pacific corals to mimic Caribbean natives that are not accessible (legally) to the hobby. Not everybody is into just colorful sticks these days. The only angels I have is a mated pair of cherub pygmies...paired with a harem of Royal Grammas, a blue chromis and red spotted hawkfish (actually a Falco due to error, but this will be fixed soon).

 

[uhgster1]

I think that larger salt water fish in general are less popular as a whole because we’re smarter and more conscious about the fact that even a 200 gal+ tank is still just a nano tank to these awesome animals. Think about it.

 

[djreef]

...and their personalities are unmatchable.

DJ

 

[Genomecop]

They get large, some do and some Don't do well in captivity and they are general classed native fish. Many years ago, most every store had French, blue and queen angels. Since then, so many fish are captive bred as well as new discoveries, increase in reef systems VS. Fish only as many had years ago contribute to this.
We go to the carribean annually and always see French and queen angels at minimum

Ah. Queen Angel, another throwback.

 

[DTSinn]

there are, rock beautry, queens, hybrids not to mention the French and gray Angel's, they are even hard to find here in N. Florida. I used to collect juveniles back in Palm Beach reefs. I think they were over harvested.

 

[DTSinn]

overharvesting and deteriation of the atlantic reef trac has impacted many species

 

[JasPR]

French angels have always been on my list of top ten favorites. Love scuba diving with them and love raising them from little guys to adults ( only takes a few years). But they ARE very large fish and it is a mixed blessing that they are not as popular anymore. Personally I think the minimum size aquarium to keep these beauties well, is 200 gallons. 300 gallons and up better. Here's my current one, raise since the size of a silver dollar. currently the largest fish in my 440 gallon all fish tank. P.S I also think the trend towards micro reefing and mini aquariums is all off a lot of stunning old school species-- again, maybe a good thing from the humanitarian point of view

 

[Genomecop]

French angels have always been on my list of top ten favorites. Love scuba diving with them and love raising them from little guys to adults ( only takes a few years). But they ARE very large fish and it is a mixed blessing that they are not as popular anymore. Personally I think the minimum size aquarium to keep these beauties well, is 200 gallons. 300 gallons and up better. Here's my current one, raise since the size of a silver dollar. currently the largest fish in my 440 gallon all fish tank. P.S I also think the trend towards micro reefing and mini aquariums is all off a lot of stunning old school species-- again, maybe a good thing from the humanitarian point of view

So beautiful..and what's the one off to the side...emperor?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Remember the ever confused as a French - the Gray angel

 

[Surfzone]

I was going to say something similar. I was traveling to India for work. I will usually try and find a place I haven't been to on the return leg and get a layover somewhere for a couple days. This go around I was trying my hardest to get back to the UK or Ireland but crossing carriers is a bit expensive - just the luck of the draw. So I was able to select Paris. Called up a friend from Ireland, asked if they wanted to meet for a couple days in Paris, and that was all it took. Picked a hotel in the city but off the beaten path, affordable, grabbed a map, talked to receptionist, and off I went. Much to my surprise I had one of the more memorable 4 days in a while.

It helped that I had good company from a friend I haven't seen for a while who also knew someone who lived in town. So he took us to all the resultants the locals eat at, was able to translate (which was good, I didn't want to eat bone marrow or monkey brain something or other), and pick some good wine. My point is that it was the farthest thing from my list of places I wanted to lay over. I tried to get to London or Dublin but ended up in Paris - really super glad I did. It was 10x better than what I expected.

This reminds me of when I first got stationed in South Korea. I wanted Germany, but S. Korea is what I got. Made some amazing Korean friends and got to ski on the same slopes the Olympics used. All in all it was one of the greatest years of my life. I guess that's why I've been there twice for a total of 2.5 years. I would go again if the USAF would send me.

 

[radiata]

An aside...

My favorite French Angel story came from an LFS near Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn, NY. Sheepshead Bay is awash with fishing charter boats. One day a guy walked into the LFS with a fish hanging on a line. The owner told him that he'd have paid $100 for it if he had brought it in alive...