My Regal Angel

Baalz · #1 08/31/2004, 07:58 AM

In my quest to rid my sps tank of zoanthids I decided I was going to try a Regal Angel.
My first attempt was a small red sea Regal Angel that I placed in my 180g reef tank. Within minutes my achilles tang tried to kill him. I was able to quickly get him out and put him in an attached 40g frag tank. He died within a day.

2 weeks later I found a Pacific Regal Angel that was larger then my first, about 5-6". I placed this fish in my 40g first. In this 40g I have a complete assortment of frags, sps, a clam, xenia, and lots of zoos. This fish seemed very healthy and immediately started to take nori and dulce. Hell he would even feed out of my hand. After a week I noticed him eating zoos as well.

Now my dilemma, to place him in my 180 would my achilles kill him? I fretted over this for several weeks before taking the plunge last Saturday.

When I first put him in 180 my achilles flared all up and jetted around tank and dodge him. BUT! he did not try to slash or bite him like he did to the first. I took the gamble that this regal's size would intimidate the achilles to not mess with him. There is also a Pacific Sailfin tang in my 180 that gets along with the achilles and takes not crap from him either.

Well within a few hours I was rewarded with this.

And they all seem to get along extremely well.

Just a quick question for any Regal owners..
He only seems to want to eat Nori or Dulce. This fish wont even look at anything else I feed to him or the other fish. I'd assume he will pick on the zoos like he did in the 40g. But will this be enough for him to survive long term? eating just Dulce or Nori?
Maybe with time he will pick up eating other foods from the other fish.

DJPB · #2 08/31/2004, 01:03 PM

That's a great story! I'm glad that they are all getting along and life is good. I too have a regal similar in color pattern as yours. However mine was eating prepared foods at the LFS before I brought him home. Here is a link to a recent thread that you will find all kinds of regal tips info and experiences. Good luck with that beautiful fish!
http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...ht=regal+angel

oreocookie713 · #3 08/31/2004, 03:21 PM

why would u want to get rid of your zoo

bartzenegger · #4 08/31/2004, 03:29 PM

you are lucky i have not been able to get a regal to eat enough to survive. take care of him!

Baalz · #5 08/31/2004, 03:41 PM

oreocookie713,
Because Zoanthids can cause havoc ina sps system. They can spread like wildfire and choke off corals. I've had them grow up around the base of acros shading the base so it eventually dies at base and becomes a less stable coral

Scuba Dog · #6 08/31/2004, 09:49 PM

Baalz

Congradulations on the regal making it! I have always had the same idea, but my dilema is my wife likes the zoa's and xenia...was hopeing to play ignorant and state i dint know the angle would eat them but she read one of my posts and i got the lecture lol, as far as the regal eating I would try other foods and maybey youl hit the jack pot, a few different brands of flakes perhaps , some spirolena or formula 2

moonpod · #7 08/31/2004, 11:35 PM

just be patient. I basically feed mine dulce and mysis. The mysis took awhile, but the dulce was like right away.

vmiller · #8 05/17/2005, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Baalz

My first attempt was a small red sea Regal Angel that I placed in my 180g reef tank. Within minutes my achilles tang tried to kill him. I was able to quickly get him out and put him in an attached 40g frag tank. He died within a day.

Sounds too familiar. A medium size copperband and a small hippo are the casualties of my Achilles.

Quote:

Originally posted by Baalz

Now my dilemma, to place him in my 180 would my achilles kill him? I fretted over this for several weeks before taking the plunge last Saturday.

Again, too familiar. Sometimes I wish I didn't like this fish so much.

Quote:

Originally posted by Baalz

BUT! he did not try to slash or bite him like he did to the first. I took the gamble that this regal's size would intimidate the achilles to not mess with him. There is also a Pacific Sailfin tang in my 180 that gets along with the achilles and takes not crap from him either.

I've wondered if big fish is the key, but worried that I would just have a big messy fight on my hands. The smaller fish can at least get into the rocks. I also like buying smaller fish to see them grow, but I'll get over it.

Did your Sailfin go in before or after the Achilles?

The last fish I tried adding I kept in a separate tank previously as you did and I partitioned a third of my 180 when I added it. It seemed to work pretty well. Maybe the partition wasn't even necessary. It was a Potters and it was pretty big for a dwarf angel.

How are they all doing now? I haven't made my mind up yet, but I'm considering adding a Regal Angel in with the Achilles.

Baalz · #9 05/18/2005, 07:42 AM

The Sailfin and Achilles were added same time originally.
The Regal Angel did fine with the Achilles. Never once did I see the Achilles chase him. After like 4 months or so I sold the Regal because he began eating on some LPS. He never touched SPS and he ate all the zoos.

If you decide to add a Regal with your achilles make sure he is same size or larger. I think that was the key in my case. Also be sure that the Regal is eating and healthy before you buy him. I dont think the original Regal I bought died from the Achillles since I removed him right away when the Achilles went after him.

ledford1 · #10 05/18/2005, 10:39 AM

I guess my Regal has been backwards. She's eating mysis and brine, but isn't a big fan of nori yet.