angels in a reef???

[Anonymous]

I just visted two LFS, and they both have large Queen Angels in established reef tanks with LPS and soft corals. The angels looked incredible in there, and I'm interested in adding one to my 180, but I'd always read that the full-sized angels will make a meal of sponges, corals, and other inverts. What's the deal?

 

[Anonymous]

Queens are definitely one of the least "reef safe" angels. Pomacanthus and Holacanthus in general are bad news (although spectacular fish). If you're set on a Queen in a reef I'd suggest a very large tank. like 300 gallons or better. Then you'll just have to experiment to find the corals that the fish won't eat, or at least won't eat too much. I'm sure there are many. Finding them could be a long and expensive process, though.

I guess my suggestion would be for a non-Pomacanthus, non-Holacanthus large angel. A number of these have been shown to do well in reefs, being at least as "reef safe" as the more commonly kept pygmies. I have personal experience with Majestic and Goldflakes, and folks I know have Asfurs and Regals. These might be fish to consider, if they appeal to you.

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fwiw, imo, ime, ymmv, etc.

 

[Anonymous]

In your experience, what corals are most vulnerable to angels? Also, how damaging might a Blueface Angel be?

 

[Anonymous]

The riskiest corals with angels are usually fleshy LPS like Elegance and open brains. Also possibly xenia and similar softies. Problems with SPS seem to be rare (but they do happen). Leathers and shrooms seem to be the safest. Other corals fit somewhere along that continuum. Clams someplace in the middle.

Blueface are in the same genus as Majestics, which are one of the safest large angels. So, I'd say the odds are good with those, although still no guarantee. Blueface are not an easy fish, I would seek an excellent supplier.

I had a Majestic with elegance, frogspawn, various softies, and clams, without problems.

 

[Anonymous]

I have a 75 gal tank with a few different species of shrimp and hermits , also starfish and 2 long tent. aneomies - since I have no coral ; could an angel " fit in ? " ( I have about 65lbs of live rock also )

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jdd

 

[Anonymous]

I recently removed my adolescent Navarchus (Majestic?) angel from my reeftank. I started him off well and did all the things right: q'd him in a separate tank and got him eating a variety of prepared foods, etc. This fish is about 4" long btw.

When I put him in my reef, he picked sps coral polyps so that they wouldn't extend, he also picked on my fungia till skeleton was showing. He never actually killed any of my corals, but he stopped them from growing.

HTH
James Wiseman

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Reefs.org Channel Operator

 

[Anonymous]

Be aware that many of the angels may do fine when juveniles but can and usually will become more destructive with age. I have a coral beauty and flame angel in my reef set up and they are doing well as long as they are fed often - otherwise they begin to pick on the corals and clams.