Flame angel in reef

[Dr.DiSilicate]

I'm wondering if I should get one. I have a 175 gallon mixed reef that is heavy on the sps side with a couple clams. Sooooo should I get 1. Opinions based on experience or otherwise welcome. I'm thinking keep him well fed and such, worth the risk? I also have a lamark angel in the mix.

 

[ReefCheif]

I had one in my 180 as well as a coral beauty and never had one issue, not one at all. I had clams and decorative shrimp and the never messed with anything, never picked at any corals either.

 

[aztecdreams]

I have had a couple. Before the crash I had one that was perfect model citizen. The second one not so much

 

[djkms]

Every flame (10+) I ever put in my reef nipped sps eventually.

 

[Dr.DiSilicate]

Every flame (10+) I ever put in my reef nipped sps eventually.

That's not what I wanted to hear. any luck with other small angels?

 

[FluidDesigners]

Probably would have better luck with the cherubs...

That's not what I wanted to hear. any luck with other small angels?

 

[Aaron]

Mike, I have had one in my 90 gallon for a year now. Fat, happy, and perfect citizen but I don't have any acans, brains, or zoas like you do (all SPS with a few random LPS).

 

[Aaron]

What really sold me when I was deciding was seeing them in almost every professional reef aquarium I've visited in the last few years (Japan, San Fran, Boston,...etc).

 

[djkms]

As a note all the flames I purchased were from Quality Marine and sourced out of Central Pacific. You might have better luck with ones from East Asia?

 

[CRW Reef]

No experience myself but I do know that Ki @ Keys Island actually has a m/f pair in one of his frag tanks at the store. Which he actually was talking about trying to breed if he can figure out what type of phyto (pretty sure he said phyto) the larvae eat (something about them only getting to day 3 and thats it). Anyway Im sure Ki could tell you more himself. Also dont forget he is a sponsor too

 

[zombie]

Mine hasnt touched anything yet. I also feed continuously and got an angel from another member thay didnt nip any of hos corals. Unless you have an autofeeder feeding multiple times per day and feeding foods that include sponge, meats, and veggies in its diet your looking 50/50 at best.

 

[Dr.DiSilicate]

As a note all the flames I purchased were from Quality Marine and sourced out of Central Pacific. You might have better luck with ones from East Asia?

I wondered if origin might make a difference.

 

[ValG]

I have one in a 150 gallon mixed reef and as long as I have him fed well he is not touching anything. But if I miss any feedings for whatever reason and then watch him then I can see that he nips at some SPS. It is a great fish though. Super active and fun to watch.

 

[ValG]

I am more worried about my CBB though. That one will go after more types of corals when hungry.

 

[zombie]

I wondered if origin might make a difference.

It's very possible, but I think feeding habits are the main issue. If you talk to people that had flames eat coral and ask them what they feed and when, almost every one feeds frozen or pellets one time per day and some put a sheet of nori in at the same time. Other than the occasional troublemaker, I think any flame can be fine in a full reef IF it is fed a balanced diet no less than 2 times per day.

 

[Dr.DiSilicate]

As a note all the flames I purchased were from Quality Marine and sourced out of Central Pacific. You might have better luck with ones from East Asia?

The fish I am looking at was purchased from exotic reef in LA. I'm not sure where they get fish from. Any ideas?

 

[Dr.DiSilicate]

Mike, I have had one in my 90 gallon for a year now. Fat, happy, and perfect citizen but I don't have any acans, brains, or zoas like you do (all SPS with a few random LPS).

What and how often are you feeding? Nipping at zoa isn't all that bug of a deal to me. The SPS would suck.

 

[zombie]

Mine is with everything, clams, acans, zoas, chalices, milles, acros, montis...the list goes on. I feed a mix of algae pellets, formula 2 pellets, and neptunes AFS food. It is set to an autofeeder that feeds 15 pellets 6 times per day while lights are on. I put a nori sheet in the tank before I leave for work and feed 1 cube worth of elite reef blend frozen when I get home. Hasnt touched a thing.

 

[Dr.DiSilicate]

Mine is with everything, clams, acans, zoas, chalices, milles, acros, montis...the list goes on. I feed a mix of algae pellets, formula 2 pellets, and neptunes AFS food. It is set to an autofeeder that feeds 15 pellets 6 times per day while lights are on. I put a nori sheet in the tank before I leave for work and feed 1 cube worth of elite reef blend frozen when I get home. Hasnt touched a thing.

Thanks! I do have an auto feeder I've never used. I surely could start.

 

[zombie]

It might help too if you do an extended quarantine with it. If it is freshly captured when you get it, it is still used to grazing on sponges all day long. If you make sure that it has nothing to graze on, but gets consistently fed at regular times in quarantine, it should get into the habit of waiting for its food rather than constantly grazing.