Potter's Angelfish

[SuperNerd]

Anyone have luck keeping this fish longterm? http://www.hawaiisfishes.com/fish_of_month/past_fom/fom_04_04.htm
If yes, how long?
Is it reef safe like a cherubfish or reef safe like a coral beauty or flame angelfish?

Liveaquaria lists them as an "expert only" fish.http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=453
I see them all the time at a certain LFS. They're in all sizes over there, making me THINK that they have been bred like the flame angelfish.

[GovtCheese]

no luck here... I think there in the same "reefsafe" class as the flames or CB :thumbsup:

[Kimo]

I have had a potter's angel for 3 years now. He is F-A-T and very happy in my 180.

It is reef safe like the coral beauty and flame. YMMV.

He is my favorite fish. He constantly picks at all of the rocks and glass, follows the other fish around (You DON'T want to know why ;)) and is very peaceful.

The only coral he picks on is plating montipora, but that is only when he is not getting enough to eat, like when I go on vacation.

He does NOT pick on my:

Maxima Clam
Open Brain
Frogspawn
Candy cane
Acropora
Fungia
Zoanthids

I'm really happy with him.

[zfunk007]

I can't understand why Dr. Foster and Smith would label this fish "expert only." This makes no sense, they are not particularly difficult to keep. I believe that Scott Michael's book labels them a 4 out of 5 which means they are pretty durable. I agree.

We have had one in one of our 250 gallon coral display tanks for months at my LFS I work at and he is happy, healthy and doesn't pick at any of the corls we put in with him. You should get one. Very nice fish.

[Rothie]

The difficulty is getting them to eat.Similar to a leopard wrasse.Either they eat very well right away or they don't eat at all.I've had both experiences.

[Aquaguru]

I have had mine for 3 months now and he has been great to me and has the most personality out of any of my other fish. Right when I introduced him to my tank he started eating and I never had trouble getting him to eat. Even though he has only been in my tank for 3 months he has never nipped at any of my corals. I have mostly LPS with a few softies like leathers and GSP. He is a very calm and non-aggressive fish. He is always out and swimming and rarely hides from me. I'm wanting to try a clam in there with him but I'm still hesitating on it or not.

[Jerry W]

Reportedly, keeping one for months is no measure of success. It seems that many don't make it past a year or two. Maintaining them in large reef tanks is one of the secrets to long term success. I've kept two of them in different FOWLR tanks. One died from my negligence. The other was going strong after a year but I traded it in. They are really nice fish but IMO, a bit more of a challenge than the average centropyge angel.

[MrPike]

I have had one for a year, and he's an ok fish. Very pretty and all that, but occasionally nips at sps, and my clams, not enough to do any significant damage or to keep them from extending their polyps, just enough to irritate me :mad2:

According to WWM, they are difficult because they do not ship well at all. For every one that survives quite a few die. This is why a lot of people do not recommend them. If ya get one and it eats well, then I dont see them being any more difficult then a flame or coral beauty.

-Garrett

[WifesaysImnuts]

I've had one for two years and the person I got him from had him for three. Five years in captivity for that little guy and he's still going strong.

He's a little aggresive with new fish, he even had a sqaurespot anthias that was twice his size cowed into a corner for a week. Once they realize he's the boss that goes away.