Flame Angel NOT Reef Safe!

kayak385

kayak385

Member
My flame angel has killed my purple gorgonian.
Lately I had a scarlet hermit crab that had a kenya tree on his shell, cute at the least.
I took it off and put it in medium flow/light.
I looked at it yesterday and its half picked off.
She is cute, but not cute enough for me to keep if I want a couple corals.
Is there a way to train her not to attack my corals?
I know she isn't a dog and stuff, i was just wondering because if she can learn how to beg then she should be able to learn not to eat corals!
Any suggestions?
 
mandarin w

mandarin w

Member
It is in an angles nature to pick at corals. That is why they always say, "Reef Safe - add with caution". If she has developed a taste for corals. Then it is too late for her. She will alway like a little sampling of the good stuff. Even if you try to keep her well feed, she will still nibble. Like a kid and the cookies jar. As long as it is with in reach, they will try for it.
 
azfishgal

azfishgal

Active Member
Originally Posted by mandarin w
It is in an angles nature to pick at corals. That is why they always say, "Reef Safe - add with caution". If she has developed a taste for corals. Then it is too late for her. She will alway like a little sampling of the good stuff. Even if you try to keep her well feed, she will still nibble. Like a kid and the cookies jar. As long as it is with in reach, they will try for it.
OK, I was wanting to get a Flame Angel for my 125 gallon tank (not set up yet), but if it is going to eat my coral...........
Would getting it at a younger age help. What kind of coral do they eat, all kinds? I was going to start off with soft simple coral first.
 
turningtim

turningtim

Active Member
As stated some angels will pick. It really depends on the individual fish. Flames and beuties usually don't not say that all don't. I have seen Lemons that don't but the rap is they always do. So its a case by case thing.
I would have to agree with Mandarin if its going on now it will be hard to stop.....
 
azfishgal

azfishgal

Active Member
OK, then I will go ahead with the Flame Angel, and if it starts misbehaving, I'll take it back and get a new one.
 
kayak385

kayak385

Member
Originally Posted by TurningTim
What are you feeding and how often?
Feeding pellets and frozen angelfish food. Pellets 4times a week, once a day, and 3 times a week, once a day for the frozen. The angel picks off all the rocks from diatom stage to now, so it probably just thinks i'm putting 5star meals on different parts of the rockwork so it can enjoy something really good now and then.
 
kayak385

kayak385

Member
that stinks too, because I wanted to get as much info as possible about flame angels, natural habitat, mating, etc and this kind of ruins it unless I have a 200 gallon tank full of corals for her to pick at but not kill the coral so they have time to regrow,(until she finds her favorite coral to eat).
 
lion_crazz

lion_crazz

Active Member
Originally Posted by mandarin w
It is in an angles nature to pick at corals. That is why they always say, "Reef Safe - add with caution". If she has developed a taste for corals. Then it is too late for her. She will alway like a little sampling of the good stuff. Even if you try to keep her well feed, she will still nibble. Like a kid and the cookies jar. As long as it is with in reach, they will try for it.
I agree. I would not trust most angels in a reef tank.
 
kayak385

kayak385

Member
Originally Posted by Johnny84
My Flame never picked at my corals, but he did fight with my other fish, so I had to take him out.
My flame used to not even look at my 2 green chromis(my only 2 other fish) and now when its eating time he will chase them... she's turning into Ms. Piggy
 
johnny84

johnny84

Member
I've read that if your going to add a dwarf angel to your tank to add them last, most sites say that Dwarf Angels are semi-aggressive and should be added with caution.
 
kayak385

kayak385

Member
Originally Posted by Johnny84
I've read that if your going to add a dwarf angel to your tank to add them last, most sites say that Dwarf Angels are semi-aggressive and should be added with caution.
I agree, and it seems that if my flame was added after the 2 corals I tried, they would have survived. Now my problem is...
Can I put my flame in another tank, then add the corals and other fish and reintroduce my flame into the tank, or would I have to change all my rockwork and everything?
It seems that my tank needs major changes.
I need to take the cc out and replace with sand.
I need to add another power head or two to get the right flow
I need more critters (cleanup crew)
 
alyssia

alyssia

Active Member
Originally Posted by kayak385
what did you feed them?

mysis, emerald entree, frozen angel formula (I think it's made by ocean nutrition)
 
johnny84

johnny84

Member
Originally Posted by kayak385
I agree, and it seems that if my flame was added after the 2 corals I tried, they would have survived. Now my problem is...
Can I put my flame in another tank, then add the corals and other fish and reintroduce my flame into the tank, or would I have to change all my rockwork and everything?
It seems that my tank needs major changes.
I need to take the cc out and replace with sand.
I need to add another power head or two to get the right flow
I need more critters (cleanup crew)
I wish I could answer that but I can't, I just took mine out and sold it to someone that wanted him for his tank. I didnt want a semi aggressive tank. Right now my tank is very peaceful and my fish dont hide anymore.
 
kayak385

kayak385

Member
Originally Posted by Johnny84
I wish I could answer that but I can't, I just took mine out and sold it to someone that wanted him for his tank. I didnt want a semi aggressive tank. Right now my tank is very peaceful and my fish dont hide anymore.
well thats good that your tank is happier now. I just want my flame and my other inhabitants to be happy as well. If I have to get rid of her I will be very sad.
What other fish would be good with a flame that is already territorial? There have to be some fish that won't fight her but will not take her crap.
 
johnny84

johnny84

Member
all fish are different, they all have their own personality, so I dunno if your question can really be answered. Just search around for some semi aggressive reef safe fish and then make a choice from there.
 
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