Least aggressive Dwarf Angel?

[aschroeder]

I'd like to add a Dwarf Angel to my tank that currently has a Tomato Clown and a Citron Goby. My tank has lots of live rock and various coral including mushrooms, zooanthid, an anemone, and a Bubble coral. It's lit with metal halide.

I was thinking about a Pygmy (Cherub) or a Flameback, but I've read that they are very aggressive. I have a 6-year-old Flame Angel in my other tank that has been a model citizen. I want something different for this tank. Others I like are Bi-Color and Lemonpeel, but I've read they can be a problem too. Any suggestions? Or should I avoid them all together?

[Dave Cox]

I've had experience with 3... Flame, LemonPeel and Bicolor. Bocolor was least aggressive, Flame most.

[Crusty Old Shellback]

I've always had good luck with coral beauty angels.

Currently in my 400G I have a coral beauty, Rusty and Potters angels introduced in that order. The first 2 got along fine with only a day of harrasing. When I added the Potters, he was harrased for a couple of days but all is fine in the tank now.

[Tang Salad]

My flame angel has been known to help old ladies cross the street.

[aschroeder]

Originally posted by Dave Cox
I've had experience with 3... Flame, LemonPeel and Bicolor. Bocolor was least aggressive, Flame most.

I love bi-colors, but I've heard they're not very hardy and more likely to pick at corals. Any truth to that?

[vessxpress1]

Originally posted by Tang Salad
My flame angel has been known to help old ladies cross the street.

lol

[ionredline0260]

My coral beauty found a cure for aids

[MrSpiffy]

What about a pygmy angel? They're a little smaller than a dwarf, but still neat. I like the Cherub angels.

[mdrumm]

my potter's is great. no aggression.

[aschroeder]

Originally posted by MrSpiffy
What about a pygmy angel? They're a little smaller than a dwarf, but still neat. I like the Cherub angels.

The Cherub angel and Atlantic Pygmy Angelfish are the same thing. Just different names

I really like this fish and the fact that it is smaller than other Dwarf angels is a bonus. Is it true that they are more agressive than other Dwarf angels?

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...pcatid=455&N=0

[MrSpiffy]

Check the customer commends on that page. They say that their pygmies were pretty well-behaved. Man... now I want one!!

[specialkb]

I'm thinking about a lemonpeel. what are your experiences with them in a reef tank. so they pick alot?

[MrSpiffy]

I've heard lemonpeels can be pretty aggressive, on top of their picking at corals and clams.

[bgiles11]

In my experience, coral beauties, and flames are the most docile, and hardiest. Currently I have a coral beauty, and a keyhole. The coral beauty does every now again show some aggression towards the keyhole, but they are fine. Bi colrs do have the reputation of picking at corals/clams. Lemon peels are a little sensitive, and can also be aggressive. Cherubs are some mean lil sob's. It is hit or miss. What size tank also dictates how well they will get along.

[wrott]

My Cherub is very aggressive toward anything that doesn't get out of it's way-Chromis (larger than him). It kicked my B/W Ocellaris into a 20g after almost killing it, but doesn't mess w/ my mama tomato or foxface. It and the FF nipped a closed brain to death.

[cfarrow2]

My CB only harasses my blue damsel. Leaves everything else (including all my soft corals) alone. He only gets on the damsel when it gets too big for its britches. Pretty funny.

[Jutta]

my coral beauty is an angel in every way!

[hahnmeister]

All Centropyge angels can be a pain for one reason or another, even the tiny cherub. They can nip at clams, eat polyps, etc. Just not worth it to me.

So I started keeping 'swallow tails' or Genicanthus species. These guys are model citizens IME. The only downside, if you could call it that even, is that they sometimes like to chase around fairy wrasses... but nothing serious. The up-side is that it keeps the tenmicki wrasses I have schooling. FWIW, I think it provides a nice balance to the tank, as the wrasses could get overly 'pesky' to the other fish if the Lamark's wasnt there to keep them in check.

The Lamarck's Angel is a good one to start with to try out. Cheap, kinda cool looking (its like someone crossed an angelfish with a bangii cardinal). But if you get into them, a pair or trio of swallowtails or wantanabe's is hard to beat.

FWIW, my Lamark's is eating flatworms as well.

[Landon B.]

I have a pair of Atlantic Pygmy Angels. They have been super well behaved. Only fish agression I have seen is when I introduced a pair of Dispar Anthias. They chased the Anthias around for a few days but now things have calmed down. I havent had any negative coral related issues with them either.

I have heard stories of others having difficulties but I have been nothing but happy.

[Dave Cox]

Originally posted by aschroeder
I love bi-colors, but I've heard they're not very hardy and more likely to pick at corals. Any truth to that?

My Bicolor experience was not a happy one, I'm afraid - like many ohers, from what I've read. He just didn't adapt to feeding in my aquarium, despite witnessing him take flake in the shop.

[InLimbo87]

I had a coral beauty, wasn't aggressive at all towards my other fish. But, it did have a liking for my sps so he went back to the fish store.

[MrSpiffy]

Originally posted by hahnmeister
All Centropyge angels can be a pain for one reason or another, even the tiny cherub. They can nip at clams, eat polyps, etc. Just not worth it to me.

So I started keeping 'swallow tails' or Genicanthus species. These guys are model citizens IME. The only downside, if you could call it that even, is that they sometimes like to chase around fairy wrasses... but nothing serious. The up-side is that it keeps the tenmicki wrasses I have schooling. FWIW, I think it provides a nice balance to the tank, as the wrasses could get overly 'pesky' to the other fish if the Lamark's wasnt there to keep them in check.

The Lamarck's Angel is a good one to start with to try out. Cheap, kinda cool looking (its like someone crossed an angelfish with a bangii cardinal). But if you get into them, a pair or trio of swallowtails or wantanabe's is hard to beat.

FWIW, my Lamark's is eating flatworms as well.

I'm thinking that many of the people wanting to keep dwarf or pygmy angels is that they have smaller tanks. The Genicanthus species is a larger angelfish that requires a good 100 gallons or more.

In any case, I probably won't ever get a larger angelfish unless I have a pretty big system to spread out the aggression and/or nipping/eating of corals and clams. Otherwise, I'd get a dwarf or pygmy to avoid those issues all-together. It's always oh-so-tempting to get a pygmy. But restraint is required, since I have a small tank and can't afford for that little fish to wreak havoc on my 30-gallon.

[aschroeder]

Originally posted by MrSpiffy
In any case, I probably won't ever get a larger angelfish unless I have a pretty big system to spread out the aggression and/or nipping/eating of corals and clams. Otherwise, I'd get a dwarf or pygmy to avoid those issues all-together. It's always oh-so-tempting to get a pygmy. But restraint is required, since I have a small tank and can't afford for that little fish to wreak havoc on my 30-gallon.

My other tank is only 40 gallons, and my Flame Angel is a model citizen. The only time he shows aggression is to defend himself against my nasty striped damsel. They do this funny dance where they face off and spin around each other twitching. It lasts for a few seconds and they move on.

Your tank is big enough for a Dwarf angel, it all depends on the fish's personality.

I'm going to avoid the Pygmy since their aggressive tendancies scare me with a small clown and tiny citron goby. I am still concidering a Coral Beauty since most people seem to have luck with them.

[InvaderJim]

My Cherub Angel has been nothing but good since I added him to my tank. It gets along well with my true perc. I even see them swimming next to each other.

[aschroeder]

Originally posted by InvaderJim
My Cherub Angel has been nothing but good since I added him to my tank. It gets along well with my true perc. I even see them swimming next to each other.

Now you're tempting me. How big is your tank?