keeping a rock Angel???

[Dunedain]

have any of you had success in keeping a rock Angel (holacanthus tricolor)? They're pretty, inexpensive, and relatively small (8in)but are portrayed as finicky eaters.

And can sponge be something easily obtained to feed their adult diet?

 

[jamesw]

Yes, they are finicky eaters and most die of starvation in closed aquaria.

No, live nutritional sponge is NOT easy to obtain.

Hope that helps,
James Wiseman

 

[platylover]

won a small one (3-4") at a local fish club raffle. it ate everything I threw at it, (brine shrimp, mysis, spirulina flake, formula 1, formula 2, nori) and looked good up until it dropped dead for no apparent reason.

 

[Dunedain]

oh geez

 

[Super Len]

They've got a relatively morbid track record. Collectors still bring them in because they're in demand (a beautiful fish as you mentioned) and they're relatively easy to catch. Personally, I'd wouldn't attempt one, no matter how inexpensive; H.tricolor is one fish I wish they'd stop importing (like filefish & ribbon eels). People have been known to be able to keep them alive for years, but these are exceptions rather then the rule.

Live sponges are not easy to obtain, since Poliferas don't ship well. Ocean Nutrition et al. sell "angel" food that incorporates some sponge matter, but I've found these foods aren't enough to sustain these specialized feeders. Some specimens adopt other foods as substitute, but most do not feed at all in captivity. Juveniles that feed primarily on algae (readily available) are generally less hardy to begin with, so don't be tempted to go that route.

I recommend against buying a Rocky Beauty.

 

[Super Len]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by platylover:
<strong>won a small one (3-4") at a local fish club raffle. it ate everything I threw at it, (brine shrimp, mysis, spirulina flake, formula 1, formula 2, nori) and looked good up until it dropped dead for no apparent reason.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Yeah. They do that a lot in captivity. No one knows why.

 

[bowfront]

I'd like to start out by saying I agree with all of the negative points mentioned above about keeping holacanthus tricolor or rock beauties as we call them here in FL. That said, I do know of one success story.

I have a friend that I used to dive a lot with. Against my advice he once collected a 2" specimen and brought it home to his small FO tank. On the boat I had advised him that I wasn't having much luck in keeping these guys alive for any time. Anyway he was somehow successful in getting it started on flake and frozen food and ultimately keeping it for about 5 years in a 30g without any sponge diet.

I'm not advocating that anyone try to keep these and actually I would be the first to agree that they should be protected from collection for home captivity but as usual there are occasional exceptions to every rule. I’ve never tried one in a reef tank but have the feeling that like other Atlantic angels they would have a field day with Pacific corals.

 

[Dunedain]

ok, thanks for the replies