[knutcracker]

hi guys,

I recently got a flame angel for my 26g reef. I have always thought that flame angels don't nip at corals. I am quite dissapointed that I am wrong. He is now constantly nipping at my favorite coral, a small flourescent green leather. Is there anything i can do other than get him out of the tank? I try to keep him well fed. I am oh so frustrated. please advise.

[Reefland]

Angels are a hit and miss ballgame when it comes to placing them in a reef tank. Most of the time, Dwarf Angels will not do any damage, epsecially if they are well fed. I do say most of the time, they are known to nip at corals and whenever placing one in a reef, it's risky. I don't know anything you can do other than trying to keep it well fed.

[Poseidon]

We gotta remember that these are live creatures, and not all of them will do what is expected, just like people! Flames have been know to nip at clam Mantles and other corals, it is just part of their diet...

Sometimes you get one that is very well behaved, and another of the same species could be very destructive! I got lucky, here is a picture of my Odonus Niger when I first added hime to my REef tank!

[saltjunkie]

damn, i want a trigger for my reef so bad.. but im skurrreed

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by Poseidon

We gotta remember that these are live creatures, and not all of them will do what is expected, just like people! Flames have been know to nip at clam Mantles and other corals, it is just part of their diet...

Sometimes you get one that is very well behaved, and another of the same species could be very destructive! I got lucky, here is a picture of my Odonus Niger when I first added hime to my REef tank!

Cute little guy. Be sure to tell us how he's doing three or four years from now.

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by knutcracker

hi guys,

I recently got a flame angel for my 26g reef. I have always thought that flame angels don't nip at corals.

Some do, some don't. Some will go for years without any problems at all and then all hell breaks loose.

Many people do keep flame angels successfully in large reef tanks but most of those hobbyists will admit that they tolerate the low levels of occasional misbehavior. A few hobbyists insist that their flame angels are perfect little angels while others report that theirs turned out to be the devil incarnate.

The truth is that individual specimens vary greatly in their propensity for creating havoc in a reef aquarium and individual hobbyists vary in what they are willing to tolerate.

[knutcracker]

do you guys have any tricks to get my angel out of my tank without having to take my tank apart? TIA

[Samper]

you can get him used to eating from a turkey baster and try to snag him that way when he's not suspecting anything.

[knutcracker]

thanks samper, that's a good idea. Now, should i leave the net in the tank throughout the time i'm getting him used to eating from a baster? like having it constantly set up somewhere? or just bring it into the water as i catch?

[bguile]

knutcracker, I usually use a clear container and basically guide (read "chase") my fish into it, gently of course. once inside i quickly take it out the water.

[saltjunkie]

you do nt want to catch an angel with a net...
his scales.. usually around his head, cheek are.. or what ever.. im not very scientific.. will get very very snagged in the net.. and it is very difficult to remove, and will stress the fish greatly....

[Reefland]

I only use a net in the event a fish is dead, or as a last resort do to the spot I have to get (like a corner overflow). It is best to use some sort of container to catch marine fish.