a frustrating day

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Chad C.

Member
Well, on Thursday I ended up purchasing a flame angel for my 65 gallon tank. I did the drip method to acclimate her and she seemed healthy as could be. She seemed to pick at the flakes I fed the tank but wouldn't rush up to get them. I assumed she wasn't accustomed to the feeding times yet. Today I got back home and she's dead :( I'm trying to figure what I have done wrong but need some ideas as to why the flame angel died.
 
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MarkShimala

Member
Lots of things could be the issue. First. I would start with what your current tank readings are.

Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates? What size tank and what are the other inhabitants? What is the waters temp and salinity level or specific gravity? Was it your display tank or a quarantine tank?

This is why I keep a simple 10gal setup as a quarantine tank and run copper. Nothing fancy. I just put filter floss in the hang on filter and take 10 gallons of water out of my display tank and out it in the QT. Then I do the drip method. After a week or so if they look good and not stressed off to the display tank. Never had a fish disease or a fish die after a couple of days in my display tank.

The flame angel could have come with a disease. If that is the case kepp a close eye on the rest of your tank.
 
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deejeff0442

Active Member
All i can say .i have kept salt fish for almost 30 years. Lost alot of fish along the way. Alot of times it just happens and dont drive yourself nuts trying to figure it out. Just keep the water parameters in check. About all you can do. Make sure its a good store you buy the fish at. If its a local store look around at all the fish .
 
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Chad C.

Member
Ammonia nitrate and nitrites are at 0. I have a 65g tank with 2 clownfish and a damsel. None of the fish were hostile towards the flame angel at all, in fact I think they were more frightened of her by her size. Water temp is 75.2 with salinity at 1.024. It was my display tank as I have kids and no safe place to set up a qt. Doesn't look like any disease with it as it looked normal and the other fish aren't showing symptoms.

I use RO water from the LFS I bought the angel from. So it's the same water.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Angels are just a lot more sensitive to changes in chemistry and can stress pretty easy. Ph and oxygen levels can be a large factor.

Clowns and damsels are in the same family with each other and are considered pretty hardy. I had a major crash once that killed pretty much everything but my ocellaris and blue damsel. Where as my coral beauty and hippo tang didn't stand a chance.
 
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Chad C.

Member
Yea, I mean my tank stays stable on its readings. My two clowns are still doing just fine so I don't think it was a disease of any sort. I guess it's just beginners unluck lol
 
lmforbis

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
It is frustrating when you don't know why. Back in the 90s when I had my first SW tank I lost a number of angels,coral beauty,flame, potters. Never had much luck with them. About 10 months ago I bought a flame that is doing great. I think there are a number of reasons I'm having luck with the flame no. I have a much better fish store now where the fish are all quarantined prior to going out for sale. I think it was a healthier specimen to begin with and I have learned a lot in the last 17 years. I don't really keep any difficult fish though, well maybe my butterfly might be a bit harder but he has eaten from day one which is my biggest hurdle with fish.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Hello,

To be perfectly honest with you...I couldn't keep a flame angel alive to save myself the first year my tank was up and running. One day is about all it lasted. I was actually afraid to purchase dwarf angels at all, I went through two within 3 months and then gave up..

Two years later, I tried again, this time with a Lemonpeel angel... no problems and smooth sailing. For whatever reason, I just think the dwarf angels are hyper sensitive, and new tanks are just not developed enough for them. That has been my experience, so I said what I did (people...please don't post how you had no problems keeping them in new tanks, and I'm full of you know what). I could keep other fish, just not those fish, but once the tank was matured, the death stopped. So in spite of the reason, maybe you just need to wait a bit more before you add one.
 
jay0705

jay0705

Well-Known Member
Flames are tough. Coral beauties are tanks compared to them lol. Established tanks are extremely helpful if not required for a flame and even then, there's no guarantee
 
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MarkShimala

Member
flower said:
Hello,

To be perfectly honest with you...I couldn't keep a flame angel alive to save myself the first year my tank was up and running. One day is about all it lasted. I was actually afraid to purchase dwarf angels at all, I went through two within 3 months and then gave up..

Two years later, I tried again, this time with a Lemonpeel angel... no problems and smooth sailing. For whatever reason, I just think the dwarf angels are hyper sensitive, and new tanks are just not developed enough for them. That has been my experience, so I said what I did (people...please don't post how you had no problems keeping them in new tanks, and I'm full of you know what). I could keep other fish, just not those fish, but once the tank was matured, the death stopped. So in spite of the reason, maybe you just need to wait a bit more before you add one.
Click to expand...
Lemonpeels are great ones too.
 
lmforbis

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
I've heard they are difficult. I had one years ago and it died. They sure are pretty. Divers Den has one I've been considering just not sure how well it will do with my flame.
 
jay0705

jay0705

Well-Known Member
Yes, I see those often. It sucks that they don't mix. There are soo many nice looking ones.
 
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