Flame angel in a reef tank?

[y2says]

I've had a flame before, but only in my fish-only tank. I've heard about them nipping on soft corals. My girlfriend loved the flame until it died from ick. Now I'm getting a 180g tank that's going to be a reef and I think the flame will add a lot of color and character to the tank going in and out of the caves. What do you guys think? Try it? What if I do and find out that it is eating my polyps and soft corals? How will I get it out? That's my main concern. If I get it and want to take it out, how will I do it?

 

[ksauerb322]

I have a flame angel and it doesn't bother any of my soft corals (devils hand, mushrooms, colts) and it adds tons of color and movement in my tank along with a few tangs and a few other things

 

[broomer5]

I had a flame that ate corals.
I would take jwtrojan44's advise, or roll the dice.
Just be prepared to do whatever it takes to remove the fish should it be a coral nipper.

 

[flameangel]

I had a coral beauty that did not bother any of my corals. It is a beautiful dwarf angel as well and is one of the more peaceful dwarfs. Mine was no problem at all. It ate algae off the live rock, but that's as close as it ever came to nibbling on stuff!

 

[maury]

I ahve a CB and a flame in my 55gal reef, put them both in at the same time, and they are best of friends. Neither nip at any corals, and I have a large variety of hard, soft and SPS's. I ahve read that these species are your more 'reef safe' angels. However, I'd take the above advice into consideration as well, as we are dealing with an animal with a brain the size of a bb. Who knows what it might decide to taste next?

 

[reef-addict]

I've had a Flame Angel in my tank for almost 2 years now and according to my knowledge he hasn't eaten anything yet. I have a ton of polyps and lots of mushrooms.
I feed him the angel sponge food, the ones you keep in your freezer. So he basically sticks to that. I guess it comes down to what your risking in your tank, i only have some cheap corals but you may have some expensive stuff you might not wanna risk it. <img src="graemlins//uhuh.gif" border="0" alt="[U-Huh]" />

 

[y2says]

WOW...hard decision to make. I also had a Coral Beauty too that was in my 35g reef and it didn't bother anything. Well, we'll see I guess. If she wants it bad enough, I might just have to get it (as long as she is willing to take it out if needed).

 

[dwarfs]

every reef tank pics ,i have ever look at on different sits, they all have flame angles in their reefs? i was going to get on some day? it's a pretty fish and cost quite a bit of money. i have read where some people think they are nipping at coral,but, are just cleaning it of alage an food that floats down on the corals??

 

[y2says]

That is a good point to look at Dwarf.

 

[bigred]

My Flame hasn't ever niipped at my corals but my tang has but like you said I think he is just trying to get the algea.

 

[k.lee]

Originally posted by dwarfs:
<strong>every reef tank pics ,i have ever look at on different sits, they all have flame angles in their reefs? i was going to get on some day? it's a pretty fish and cost quite a bit of money. i have read where some people think they are nipping at coral,but, are just cleaning it of alage an food that floats down on the corals??</strong><hr></blockquote>
You can tell when an angel bites coral. Idf the lights are on, the coral will immediately retract, or worse lose a polyp, and/or ion the morning be missing heads.
Look out for flatworms tho, look like nudibranchs. I just grabbed two off my clove polyp colony after seeing some tentacles were missing. The worms were brownish with a white central area of pigmentation on the back, and about 1/2 -3/4" long.

 

[k.lee]

Originally posted by Bigred:
<strong>My Flame hasn't ever niipped at my corals but my tang has but like you said I think he is just trying to get the algea.</strong><hr></blockquote>
What kind of tang?

 

[von_rahvin]

i have a coral beauty and i have both clams and corals and so far (7 months) she has not done anything to bother them. but with the pygmies it is a dice roll. i just got lucky this once.

 

[y2says]

Well now that I have my 180g tank, my girlfriend demands that there be a flame angel in it. She said "I reef tank is not complete without a flame angel."

 

[k.lee]

Originally posted by Y2SAYS:
<strong>Well now that I have my 180g tank, my girlfriend demands that there be a flame angel in it. She said "I reef tank is not complete without a flame angel."</strong><hr></blockquote>
lol gl /shrug
my 45 hexm, and I think the bugger would commit suicide

 

[ironreef]

Sure make your girl happy then she will like the hobby. But IMO let your corals get established first= won't slime ect this way the flame won't nip at new thing which they like to do. Clams also. get the flame last. I have a cherub that doesn't touch my corals but its well fed. My buddy had on and it went after all new addition= corals= softies never sps just any softie

 

[sharkbait]

I have a coral beauty and it wasn't a problem until I noticed it taking a nibble or two at my clams But it looked like it was doing a taste test and doesn't bother them anymore. But rule of thumb is NO ANGLES <img src="graemlins//uhuh.gif" border="0" alt="[U-Huh]" /> swim at your own risk.