key hole angel reef safe ha

lancelogaglio · #1 08/27/2007, 09:28 PM

take it from me if you have a reef aquarium save yourself the heart ache of watching your thriving corals get eaten by a fish that is supposed to generally be safe in a reef enviroment. STAY AWAY FROM THE ******* THAT IS KNOWN AS THE KEYHOLE ANGEL! i recently bought this fish and added it to a mostly lps tank and what a mistake that was.i read that this species occasionaly may pick at zoos or xenia but read nothing about its driving hunger for brain corals! it just couldnt get enough of my show piece moon brain or my open brain corals. i have been trying everything to get this fish out of this tank and after discovering the damage to these corals they were moved to another tank. does aanyone have any ideas on how to get this fish out of the tank without tearing it down. i have taken out problem fish before with little trouble but this bastard does not want to go, i have a homemade fish trap in there right now but if anyone has any tricks i will be all ears. thanks for letting me vent and for any info you all might have

edwing206 · #2 08/27/2007, 11:48 PM

Try draining the tank until there is a little bit of water and get him out. That's how I got my clown trigger out.

lancelogaglio · #3 08/28/2007, 12:31 AM

thanks for they idea will keep in mind if i cant get him with the trap did any of your corals or coraline growth suffer from air contact. i drained a tank down one time to get a fish out and the coraline that was encrusting the back and side glass turned white and it took months to grow back. im not as concerned with the coraline as i am the corals that may be exposed to air or di you move them

edwing206 · #4 08/28/2007, 12:42 AM

I left the corals in the tank out of water. It took like 10 minutes. No harm done.

mst3kguy07 · #5 08/28/2007, 09:26 PM

I do not waste my time with fish just feed him and get the net scoop him at the right time.

edwing206 · #6 08/28/2007, 11:42 PM

Easier said than done. If you don't get them the first time they realize what's going on.

lancelogaglio · #7 08/28/2007, 11:50 PM

this fish is smart and apears to have no food that intrests him i have caught tangs by putting a piece of seaweed in aveggie clip and waited till they came to eat that was a easy catch but this one is sneeky and seemingly arrogant

CarlC · #8 08/29/2007, 09:51 AM

Ever see a picture of a reef at low tide? Exposure to air does not harm them. Exposure to hot tropical sun does very little to them. They will produce a heavy mucous layer for protection. If you have enough flow the mucous will be washed away.

Coraline will probably bleach alittle. The longer you expose it to air the more severe it will be. It will grow back fast if your parameters are inline.

Michael lists a brain coral specifically as being picked on by this species.

Carl

jda · #9 08/29/2007, 03:27 PM

I have kept my corals (mixed) out of water for more than an hour with the lights on with no ill effect. The coralline wasn't even hurt, but the rock and sides of the tank stayed moist.

Peppermint and other shrimp can die in that timeframe though.

Sheol · #10 08/29/2007, 03:37 PM

Who the heck told you Keyhole angels were reefsafe??! They are one of the more destructive centropyge in a reef & also grow larger than most othe other angels in this genus. Thus increasing the damage they can do.

Lemonpeels, Heralds, Bicolors, Keyholes, Ebil's, Halfblacks are the more destructive Centropyge. None of which is TRULY reefsafe (which term is somewhat misleading anyway. Fish are individuals..).

Sincerely,
Matthew

lancelogaglio · #11 08/31/2007, 12:39 AM

ok its done! i couldnt take it any more, he started in on my trumpets and i snaped. dont worry he has made it through this unharmed for those of you who were thinking it, i tore down the tank today to get the bastard out and spent 4 hours putting it back together. for those who have been through this know once you pull apart the aquascaping there is no chance of getting it exactly the same way . on the other hand i actually think it came out better than before. most of the time was spent on the left side of the tank due to the lack of space caused by the off set overflow that only gives around 12 inches on that side, wich makes aquascaping a chore to say the least. hopefully the keyhole will find a suitable home barren of any corals or maybe with a owner that doesnt care if his corals are destroyed. i think the lesson learned here is that if you read a fish "may" nip at corals it means they probably will, fish are induviduals some will love to feast on corals and some may ignore them entirely,it is impossible to be certain. the question you must ask yourself is, am i willing to take a risk that may destroy everything we as aquarist work towards, having the perfect aquarium. oh and if you are in a store and your trying to decide if your gonna take this chance, dont listen to the clerk that tells you there wont be any problems keeping him in a reef tank. desire and being told what you want to hear is a dangerous formula!