Should I risk a flame angel?

fedukeford · #1 10/11/2007, 05:28 PM

Ive wanted one ever since i started this hobby, but have never really wanted to take the chance with one in a reef. I had a coral beauty in my old 55 gallon reef, and it was perfectly fine with all the coral, but i didnt have any SPS in the tank. Now in my 125 i have everything, sofites, LPS, and SPS and am decideing on weather or not to take the risk with a flame angel. What do you guys think?

thanks
jordan

Gary Majchrzak · #2 10/11/2007, 07:41 PM

OK- we all know how these types of threads are. Somebody needs to be brave enough to post their thoughts. Personally, I'd pass on a Flame Angel in a 125 gallon mixed reef aquarium but if it were a fish that I always wanted to keep in my aquarium I'd try and find a way to make it work.

thriceanangel · #3 10/11/2007, 07:46 PM

I'd do it but I'm a reefing renegade

(or idiot!) when it comes to fish. If its something I like, I'll spend a day or two getting it out if it doesn't work...

angelo123 · #4 10/11/2007, 07:48 PM

I have sps,lps in my 75... and my flame dosnt bother anything, i say go 4 it

Engine 7 · #5 10/11/2007, 07:50 PM

DO IT!! I have a niger trigger in my reef

chrisguy · #6 10/11/2007, 08:03 PM

I gotta agree, if it's the fish you've always wanted, where there's a will, there's a way.

I also have a Niger Trigger in my reef. One of my favorite fish!!

Roger928 · #7 10/11/2007, 08:05 PM

It's roll of the dice, but my flame doesn't bother anything.

Jetsam · #8 10/11/2007, 08:13 PM

Just my EXP... I always wanted one... i got one all went well for about a week then i spent 5 dayz getting it out.. lost my Brain Coral some small SPS and started in on my candies.....I was so bummed... Now im gun shy and dont think I would get another one again... just my experience....but they are a MINT fish..

Jet

NirvanaFan · #9 10/11/2007, 09:27 PM

My flame has been in my tank for just a month. It hasn't bothered any of my coral yet. I have some birdsnest, platygyra, colt, xenia, mushrooms, kenya tree, and some green star polyps.

St.james of reefdom · #10 10/11/2007, 09:29 PM

I wouldn't do it. After the episode I went through with the Navarchus angel , I will never have an angel in a reef tank again..

My coral would fully support that decision..

I think we make choices with the direction of our tanks. IMHO and Experience when we decide to go with a reef tank. I think it precludes certain species will not be compatible with the reef.

Angel fish,I think is one of those decisions, with a reef tank we are gambling for sure..that we got the exception to the rule...

Gary Majchrzak · #11 10/11/2007, 09:39 PM

FWIW Tom @ TRS yanked a Centropyge loriculus from his 180 display. You might ask him why....

in the meantime, read this:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...hcs3/index.php

acdraindrps · #12 10/11/2007, 09:49 PM

In any event, keep it well fed. This will keep any temptation to nip corals to a minimum.

KurtsReef · #13 10/11/2007, 10:09 PM

Funny, I have been thinking of a 'worker' fish for my sump...and plan on getting something I would not put into my display just to own it. Triggers are one of those fish, Angels another...but how much algae would either eat? Perhaps a larger Tang...

Anyway back to your question...

Thats tough, but there are enough success stories with that species if its one you want go for it.

redrider911 · #14 10/11/2007, 10:29 PM

You won't know unless you try! Def would keep it well fed.

SkiFletch · #15 10/11/2007, 11:12 PM

*raises hand*

Count me in the numbers of those burned by one

dreaminmel · #16 10/11/2007, 11:23 PM

I will admit they have also been one of my "wish list" fish as well but I have put it on the backburner until I can afford to sustain a second tank designed around those fish that can't be trusted in my reef.

If you do try one my biggest suggestion would be to have someone capable of caring for it as a backup plan. I hate to see people buy fish and stress them out by taking them home only to return them to the LFS.

These threads usually don't give you a decision one way or the other... there are many who have successfully done it, there are many who have not. It completely depends on your luck of the draw with the fish.

Have you considered one of the Genicanthus species?

StashuDave · #17 10/12/2007, 07:07 AM

Do it, but you're taking a chance. I've had several over the many years and I've only had 1 that nipped corals, and quite honestly that was my last one. I'd say realistically there is about a 10 - 15% chance that a Flame Angel will pick at "coral". Those really aren't bad odds, if it starts to pick at things just have a plan for it's removal (Fish Trap, etc.)

Dave

Chrsnwk · #18 10/12/2007, 07:42 AM

Personally, I'd do it. I think I'm among the minority around here, but I like fish more than I like coral, and it's the behavior of the fish interacting with each other and the (simulated) natural environment that I like to watch. I wouldn't put something in my tank that I know for certain would absolutely eat all my pretty corals, but I'd live with a couple bites taken out of some corals if it allowed me to keep a beautiful fish that I've always wanted. I think that if you keep it well fed in general, it could hardly lay waste to everything in your tank. If it picked on a particular coral, well.. coral is easier to catch in a tank than a fish, so I'd find a way to live without that coral and trade that in to the store.

I set up my system the way it is, with 2 tanks linked together, so the one could hold some fish that might not play so nice with the reef, but still have the benefits of sharing the water of a reef. It's not a FO tank per se, but every coral I have in it is sort of "overflow" from the main reef, and if it gets munched on, I won't mind one bit.

Just my $.02

Good Luck if you decide to give it a try

fedukeford · #19 10/13/2007, 08:19 AM

all right i think im going to go for it, worst comes to worst i could put it in my refugium. if i get one do you guys think i'll have better luck getting a smaller one, or wont it matter?

thanks
jordan

Haffs09 · #20 10/13/2007, 08:48 AM

I had one in my 125 mixed reef for years and he never bothered anything. I even added a derasa clam and he left it alone...maybe I was just lucky!

SVXH6 · #21 10/13/2007, 09:41 AM

i would get the smallest one possible..

fedukeford · #22 10/13/2007, 02:37 PM

all right... i just ordered one from Bluezooaquatics thats around 2", collected from Hawaii

tmz · #23 10/13/2007, 04:08 PM

Thanks for the cetropyge article Gary.
I got one(loriculus) 2months ago. It was a trade in and had been living in a reef aquarium without hurting corals for over a year so. The owner was moving and trading in all livestock. I was pretty sure of a viable specimen, I have it in a 40gallon tank in my system,where I can catch it if need be. There is live rock in the tank and eggcrate with a number of corals. The angel does a nice job picking at the rock. It has not touched any corals in the tank. I don't,however, have any scolymia or cynarina in there.
I just received a new 36x24x24(89g) tank to add to my two display tanks and to complete my "reef wall"(299gallons spanning 11 feet including 3 linked tanks). I was thinking of putting this angel in the 89g when I get it running but I'm hesitant for all of the reasons stated in this thread. She's doing fine where she is but I'd love to have her as part of the main display.

acdraindrps · #24 10/14/2007, 01:11 AM

A sump is no place for a fish!

View Poll Results: Should i risk the flame angel?
Yes	17	62.96%
No	10	37.04%
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