Flame angels

[iceman16238]

I can get my hands on a nice healthy flame angel. I want to know how many people do not have problems with them and corals and clams. I do not want to lose any if the flame will be a problem. How good are my chances and should i risk it? Thanks

[sambryce]

Flame Angels are hit or miss...depends on the fish. I wouldn't take the risk personally, but a lot of people are successful.

[Fish-o-holic]

Originally posted by sambryce
Flame Angels are hit or miss...depends on the fish. I wouldn't take the risk personally, but a lot of people are successful.

I am one of those who have success with keeping the flame angel in a reef. My tank has clams, sps, lps, softies and the flame doesn't nip at all. I took the chance and so far so good.

[naesco]

They are now available aquacultured.
IMO that would be your best bet.

REEForm: Never buy fish from the Philippines or Indonesia where the use of cyanide is rampant.

[Triggerman1964]

I've never had mine nip anything he wasn't supposed to.

[yoda]

hmmm

[RonSF]

Eight very successful months in my 72 gal. reef with SPS, LPS, a clam and softies without a single untoward act. I love mine. From what I can tell, it's at least a little better than a 50-50 chance you will get a non-nipper. On the other hand . . . .
-Ron

[BonsaiNut]

I have a flame angel that nips. Nothing too bad, and I can never see any damage, but he definitely nips my SPS. If I feed him a lot, he nips less frequently.

[SeaStar]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by naesco
[B]They are now available aquacultured.
IMO that would be your best bet.

Naesco, I'm all for aquacultured, tank raised etc. Is there a place online that sells captive raised flames.
However, do you really think your chances are better of getting a non-nipper from captive/tank raised. I don't think they try to breed this characteristic out of them or maybe they do.

FWIW, I had a beautiful flame in my tank for about a year and a half until the blackout in the NE took out my tank. He never nipped at anything. I will replace him (tank raised if possible) once my tank is reestablished

[Guy W]

Live aquaria sells aquacultered Flames for 80 bucks, instead of 40 bucks for wild caught ones. But I think it's worth it, from the preservation of the reef standpoint.

But I don't think having them tank raised will make them any more or less likely to nip at corals. They do what they do. Cats have been domesticated for hundreds or thousands of years and some still don't mind marking their territory on your couch.

[Philip]

I never had trouble with mine. He ate anything and everything I put in the tank, but left my clams and corals alone. Such a fun fish to watch I think it's worth the gamble, but they are tough little buggers to capture.

[iceman16238]

Well, i went ahead and took the chance. I brought home a nice healthy one and it is acclimating right now. I hope it does not nip!!!! I will let u guys know how it goes.

[RudeBoy]

I'm sure he'll be fine dude.... I have one as well and have had him for almost 3 years. He bothers nothing in my tank.

[S Helinski]

I have successfully kept a flame angel in my reef tank for about a year now. He doesn't nip at any of my corals or my clam. He often nips on rock for algae and pods.

He is however, an evil bastard fish!!
He chases all of the new (and old) fish away. He nips at them when they get close.
They all have to move out of his way or, he NIPS.
He has successfully prevented my Bangii cardinals from spawning 3 times. Ive only had 3 successful little bangiies from the same spawning. ARRRG.
I wish I had the heart to trade him in.
HE DESERVES IT!!!
But he'd take all the sps branches with him...

On the other hand, he has not seriously nipped or injured anything, to my knowledge, and is very beautiful and heathy.

All my fish scurry away from him, except my blue yellowtail damsels. They stand up to him and ocasionally chase the damned fish away.

My Flame Angel is the TANK BULLY.

Hope this helps.

[iceman16238]

This is a very beautiful and healthy fish. He is as fat as he can be . Always nipping on rocks for pods and such. Busy all day nipping my rocks. But maybe 2-3 times i have seen him nip on my sps. Mainly acros and montipora digitatas. I did notice that since i put him in the tank, my acros and montis do not always have their polyps out like they did before. Is he causing this? Again, i am not here to watch him all day, so he could be nipping while i am away. Is he causing the polyp retractions? If so, he is gone, but i just learned how hard it is to catch them(near impossible ). Thanks

[iceman16238]

bump

[iceman16238]

bump again

[cw3561]

I might as well throw my two cents in. I've had one for about 8 months or so. Even cured him of a cloudy eye with garlic exteact but any way he was good for about 5 monthe then turned to the dark side and started niping my green open brain. He hasn't stoped either, now the brain never opens and i need to remove him from the tank. The little orange punk then ate an entire stock of xenia I started feeding more and he hasn't eaten any more xenia and he hasn't bothered the clam. If he starts it up again he'll have to go. I think they're beautiful but that will be the last one I ever get.

[Philip]

good luck catching him

they're evil bastards to catch (did I mention that already?)
if he eats well I'd borrow a trap and save the frustration.

[rjtib]

I have had 2 in my 240 for about a year now with no problems whatsoever. Have a number of clams a few LPS and countless SPS and have seen absolutely no problem from either one of them. They have truely been "Little Angels"!

[Kpyto]

I'll add here... I've had two Flames: The current one, and the previous one that committed suicide. The first was one of those that you'd say was a "perfect specimen." It was tragic to find him cooked to a crisp under my PCs. *sigh* It had a very cool personality - always inquisitive, and would always come to the front of the tank when I approached to look at something. Great fish, so I got another one....

Flame 2 I've had for about 3 or four months now. Started out being shy, but is getting better. Still doesn't match the personality of the first one, but fun none the less. I have recently started to add softies to my tank (GSP & Xenia), and have zero problems. I feed once or twice a day (flake, mysis, & brine), and he doesn't nip. I also leave the back pane of glass free to do what it wants (light algae growth, coraline, and some hard shelled filter feeders), and the flame uses that to graze.

Both flames have been the last fish added, and have never bullied their tank mates to any extent. Just my .02.

[Kutter]

I've had my Flame Angel for nearly a year and am happy to say that he has been a model reef citizen. No nipping at any corals or my clam. The Flame Angel also "plays' nice with the other fish. He occassionally chases my Six-line wrasse a little but I wouldn't really call it overt aggression.

[Sherok]

I paid the extra bucks and went with the tank raised at liveaquaria. This fish is awesome!

[swicked]

I've had a Flame Angel for about 2 months. Been a model citizen until 3 days ago....he started nipping agressively at my green open brain. The brain now has some small areas of exposed skeleton. I tried to catch him last night, BAH. I have a trap from the damsel days...breaking it out tonight. I'm pretty bummed, I liked that fish alot, beautiful coloring, great personality...maybe it's just PMSing. I've tried feeding the Angel more but it doesn't make a difference, he's out to kill that brain.

[iceman16238]

I did notice him nipping at my red and green open brain too.. my sps dont have their polyps out anymore. I dont like that. I will have to get rid of him. I tried catching him with a net and learned its impossible. I am hoping to nab him in a few minutes when i feed. I hope i get him.
Thanks for your opinions all. I appreciate it.