Rock beauty

[bromito757]

Hello every one my name is Bobby. I have a Question? I have a new rockbeauty angle fish in my tank and every one that I have talk to say that it is one of the hardest fish to keep alive because of their diet. If some one has one that has lived for awhile can you please recommend the type of food and the name of the people who make thank you very much.

 

[anonome]

Welcome to the boards Bobby.

The Rock Beauty is indeed one of the hardest angelfish to keep alive due to the fact that they eat tunicates, sponges, zoo's, and algae. In our tanks we can usually supply them with algae, but the rest can be very expensive to feed and without proper lighting will wither and die before they can eat them.
But, with this said, it can be done. They make a frozen food for angelfish that is mostly a sponge diet. This will help tremendously. Supplement the food with vitamins. Of course nori is always a good staple to give them. This can be bought in sheets and cut to size for the tank, and or fish. Mysis is always a good food to add, but not all will accept it, these tend to only want a sponge diet.
You have a beautiful fish and with care will be a good investment, not to mention a center piece for the tank. But, probably the most important factor in their long term survival is a prestine tank as far as water quality. They need extremely high quality water, and good flow. Good luck, and keep us posted.

 

[bromito757]

Thank you for the reply. Right now I'm feeding him a mix of Brine shrimp, and Marine cuisine all made by San fran Bay Brand. He seems to nip at the food but not really eat. My water Quality is great, and He Acclimated to my tank rather quikley. My buddy told me if the fish starts to get a black line on its head then it means he is starving. I noticed this morning that their is a slite change on his head like a dark tint. Hopefuly I can reverse that in time. Thank you again for your time, and awsome tips.

 

[aquaknight]

Originally Posted by Anonome
http:///forum/post/2770369
The Rock Beauty is indeed one of the hardest angelfish to keep alive due to the fact that they eat tunicates, sponges, zoo's, and algae.
Just wondering how the sponge/tunicate based diet is the reason for the low survival rates of Rock Beauty's, when every large angel's (short of the Genicanthus speices) wild diet is identical (sponges and tunicates)? There are thousands and thousands of success stories on Emporer Angels, a large number of which, I highly doubt get the proper sponge based foods.
Rock Beauty's are in the Holacanthus genus, which includes the Passers, Queens, and Blue angels. You have to be doing something seriously wrong to kill those fish. There has to be something more to it. Perhaps coral (zoas or something) make up a large percentages of their diet, or sponge is entirely 100% and the bits of percentages of sponge in the prepared food we use, isn't enough?

I also hear getting them to eat is another major factor.
BTW, Anonome, I didn't direct that at you, I've just heard the same thing more then a couple of times. It also gets tossed around a lot for Regal Angels too.

 

[anonome]

AquaKnight, you bring up a very interesting question, what is it that these fish lack in our aquariums? I would have to say that probably the main reason for a low survival rate would be that they are enclosed. Most of the angelfish species swim really far from their home base to forage for food. Even if we give them a spacious tank and lots of rockwork to forage there is definately something missing. The companies that make up our food for the fish have done one heck of a job to supply the needed nutrients, and food. But, some fish do better in our tanks than others. They adjust their feeding to what is available, and some just don't get it.
The rock beauty is one of those that tends to resist the prepared food, lowers their immunity and then perishes. Is it the way they are collected? Or is this a fish, like the potter's angel that only a handful survive our enclosed systems for a long period of time?