[DrRatzlaff]

do you guys know any angel fish that look great and are reef safe?

[vtec si]

Originally Posted by DrRatzlaff

do you guys know any angel fish that look great and are reef safe?

You have to becareful with any angels, but I would say your safest bet would be a flame angel or a potters angel. Both are beautiful and have bright colors.

Martin

[DrRatzlaff]

thanks dude......any others?

[Ninong]

Dwarf angelfish of the genus Centropyge are often kept in reef aquaria but they are not 100% reef-aquarium safe. It's hit or miss. Some individuals will not cause any problems for years and then all of a sudden they start ripping things up. Others never cause problems. The majority fall in between those extremes. A lot depends on just how much trouble you are willing to tolerate. Most of these species can get by with a 40-gal tank. C. argi is probably the least risky of the bunch, followed by C. bispinosa and then C. loriculus. I have a C. bispinosa right now and it has not caused any problems. I previously had a C. loriculus that was trouble free but it met an unfortunate end due to paint fumes while I was away from home. Most of the other species in this genus are riskier than these three species.

Angelfish of the genus Genicanthus are reef-aquarium safe because they are planktivores. Females are easier to acclimate than males. G. bellus and G. watanabei are quite popular with reefkeepers. These fish are active swimmers and require a decent sized aquarium. A 100-gal tank might be marginal, anything smaller would be too small.

Both Centropyge and Genicanthus angelfish are protogynous hermaphrodites. Males are derived from females. If you add two females, one should change into a male within a short period of time, assuming both are mature females. Adding two males would be a no-no. Adding two juveniles is OK. They will sort out which one gets to be the male and which one will be the female through a process of sexual determination based on social aggression similar to clownfish but, unlike clownfish, the boss in this case will be the male.

[Poseidon]

Originally Posted by Ninong

Both Centropyge and Genicanthus angelfish are protogynous hermaphrodites. Males are derived from females. If you add two females, one should change into a male within a short period of time, assuming both are mature females.

This I did not know! I have been considering getting a male to go with my:



My tank may be to small though, as it is only 90 gallons....

[almostdiva]

Mike,

Do It! You're gonna upgrade soon, right??? My dream is to have a 125 or 150 one day that houses a Watanabe pair!



Dr. R -- You might want to check out this site: http://www.wetwebmedia.com

It gives an excellent overview of all the centropyge and genicanthus, and talks in detail about which are hardy and rates them in term of reef risk.

Rebecca