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Bicolor Angel Not Eating Hi MacL, <Hi Wid> Thanks for the reply, I was anxious about it as I was lurking around WWM site... and your mail pop up :-) <I'm sorry its taken so long to get back to you again, lets talk about appraisals, and other boring not fish stuff!> For maintaining the biological filtration I'd probably be continuing feeding the shrimps, star, and corals in there, may be a bit heavier than usual. <Sounds great> I have one more problem here, hope that you bear with me. The 1.2" bicolour angel mentioned is actually a new purchase. Perhaps it is not so wise to purchase such a young specimen. It seems alright but I have never seen it eat any flakes (2 types) that I fed, even after soaking in garlic. I left 2" square kelp in the tank and hoping that it will nibble on it but have no luck, even soaked it in garlic too. <I'd suggest live brine soaked in Selcon or Zo? If you can find it live Mysis.> However this little guy is active and keeps nibbling on some plastic piping that I put in there. But I don't know how long can this little guy last in a bare tank which is so clean. It is the 3rd day since I've got it. (I know might a bit early to worry, but I really don't want to ruin such an apparently healthy specimen) <Notorious for not being good eaters, try some live foods and get him started eating, then switch.> My questions are: 1. Should I put a piece of live rock from my main tank which might harbor some ich for it to nibble on? And another problem is I am dosing ParaGuard as a preventive measure in the quarantine tank and am afraid that live rock may not be good. <I would buy a piece of fresh before I took that chance.> 2. Can I use some warm white fluorescent to encourage some algae in my quarantine tank for it to feed on? At the moment I am using a single 18W NO daylight tube. <6500 spectrum is daylight, easy to find at hardware stores.> I might try fresh seafood today, but it is not its main diet. Or may be get some Nori. <Always worth a try.> Thanks again for your wonderful work that serves us so well in time of need:) Wid <Don't give up Wid, try the live foods and the Nori and hopefully you'll get her eating. MacL.> Angel or Demon? (Coral Beauty In A Reef Tank) Hi, <Hi there! Scott F. with you today!> I'm writing to ask an important question. I have a medium sized coral beauty angelfish, a cleaner wrasse and a ocellaris clownfish in a 29 gallon tank. I have recently turned my fish only tank into a beautiful reef tank. I have only a few mushrooms and a large brain coral in the tank along with about 50lbs of live rock and also numerous crabs and a few snails. I want to turn the tank into a beautiful coral reef. <An admirable goal, indeed!> I want to know what are the most compatible corals to place in the tank that are the least attractive and delicious to the coral beauty? Your help is greatly appreciated. <Well, in my experience, Coral Beauties can be some of the least inclined of the Centropyge angels to munch coral, but the possibility still exists. I'd definitely avoid most LPS corals, as they seem particularly tasty to Centropyge angels! I'd recommend the more "noxious" soft corals (as Scott Michael calls 'em), such as Sinularia, Cladiella, Sarcophyton, and Lobophytum. I do successfully keep some SPS species with them as well, with good results. I stop short of fully endorsing these fish for reef tanks, however. The possibility exists, particularly in a smaller system, that these guys could "turn" at any given time and start turning your beautiful reef into a FOWLR tank! Proceed with caution here> Lastly, I'm running an emperor 400 filter with a powerhead for water movement a 24" Aqualight power compact (130 watts with built in fans and ballast/reflectors) and a SeaClone 100 protein skimmer. <Soft corals can do okay under this setup. You may need more current and regular use of chemical filtration media to help remove allelopathic compounds produced by softies> Almost forgot, if you can answer one additional question. My owners manual for my SeaClone 100 says I should close my air line and open it 3/4 to 1 1/2 turns depending on the level my water is above the protein skimmer. It does not tell me how many turns for my tank size and I'm stumped. My skimmer is about 3 to 4 inches below the top of my water and I've heard that a lot of bubbles coming from my skimmer is not good for my tank or fish. <No- it's not a good thing> However, when I went to my LFS the main reef tank in their store had a skimmer that was going crazy with bubbles. My skimmer turned to 1/2 turn is already producing some bubbles in my tank, but the tornado effect in the skimmer is very weak and not collecting anything but moisture in the collection cup. I've turned it to 3/4 turn and tornado effect has improved with no spurts of water being pumped out but an actual constant stream coming out of line. Can you tell me with the powerhead and the emperor 400 creating a pretty good flow rate in the 29 gallon should I increase the air/ water mixture to 1 or 1 1/4 turns even though I'm getting a considerable amount of bubbles from the 3/4 turn but still no collection of waste in the collection cup? Your opinion is needed in both situations ...........Thanks, LeBron <Hmm...Unfortunately, I cannot be of much help here, because I have no personal experience with this particular skimmer. This model has a reputation for being a bit touchy, in terms of adjusting to get a good skim. I'd play around with it a bit and just see what works for you, or you could contact the manufacturer and see if they have any good advice for you. You may want to post on the WWM Chat Forum to see what some of your fellow hobbyists have done with this skimmer to get better results. Good luck! Regards, Scott F> Venustus Angel I have purchased the beautiful Centropyge venustus. It is a very healthy specimen, and I am going to do everything in my power to keep it this way. Can you share some of your vast knowledge of this species with me and the fine readers of the media? Thanks so much. <Please see here re: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/centropyge2.htm and the Related FAQs (linked, in blue, above). Bob Fenner> More Water-More Questions! A few more questions if you don't mind <Ask away! Scott F. with you again!> Question 1 Why is my borate alkalinity so low, SeaChem test kit recommends 1.5 to 2.0 meq/l and mine is 0.8 meq/l? Should I even care if my total alkalinity is 4.0 to 4.5 meq/l? <I'd be more concerned with total alkalinity, myself> Question 2 Does LR use up calcium? Placed another 70 lbs of LR in my tank and now calcium down to 280 ppm? <Well, live rock, in and of itself, does not really use up calcium. The calcium-loving plants and creatures that reside within it, however, do. So, you may see the calcium go down as a result of these organisms utilizing the available calcium> Question 3 I wish to scrap the idea of a small refugium and make a 35 gallon fuge, 36inches deep (I know quite deep but the only way I can get the volume I would like). Will a 8 inch DSB work well in this application? <Sure- a remote deep sand bed is a real bonus to your system!> Is 4, 6 or 10 inches better? <I like a 6 inch bed, but you could go towards 8 inches. There is a "diminishing return" after around 10 inches, meaning that you're not getting anything out of the extra depth, so I would certainly not exceed 10 inches> Should I get some live sand or just let it turn live in time from the LR? <Either way is fine. Remember- "inert" sand will become "live" in due time...> Question 4 Do I need something to keep the sand stirred up? If so what? (Don't really want to spend money on unrequired creatures, just want denitrification, lower maintenance) <I really don't like the idea of sand-stirring animals in a deep sand bed. In my opinion, if they're too aggressive at stirring, they can disrupt the very processes that you are trying to foster. some people gently siphon from the top inch or so, but again, I don't think that is a mandatory procedure> Question 5 Is 150 gph about right for this size fuge? Water will overflow back to the sump from the top, and by pumped in about 6 inches above the DSB. <Should be okay...Remember, the most productive refugia receive water directly from the display tank, before skimming, etc, to take advantage of the nutrients available> Question 6 Your thoughts on this set-up. Egg-crate suspended about 4 inches above the DSB with pvc. 50 lbs of LR placed on the eggcrate. Macro-algae grown on the LR. <Sounds okay, but I'd utilize a more "free-floating" macroalgae, such as Chaetomorpha (my personal favorite)...just dump it in!> Question 7 What would be adequate lighting for this set-up? I was thinking about four 23 watt pc lights from a home improvement store. I don't know the color temp or any specs on the bulbs except they are cheap and should last about 10,000 hrs. Do I need to have a bulb specifically designed for marine use? <It would be nice, but not mandatory. If you could purchase a few full-spectrum bulbs for the macroalgae, that would be best, IMO> Question 8 Should I run the fuge w/o lights for a month or so and then slowly turn on one light at a time (opposite from the display lights) until after about 3 months all 4 lights are running? <Your call here. Obviously you need to light things if you're growing macroalgae. Lots of people utilize the "reverse daylight" approach, where the refugium lights come on after the main tank lights go off. The benefit is a more stable pH. Others use a 24/7 photoperiod in the refugium....the debate rages on about which is the best option> Question 9 Will these fish likely all get along in my 90? (In addition to the clowns) 4 inch regal tang, 3.5 yellow tang, 4.5 inch tang of another variety (suggestions) introduced in that order. <Honestly- I'd cut it off at one tang. I'd get either a Yellow Tang, Kole Tang, or the Regal...but just one, okay? All tangs really appreciate having extra "territory" in which to roam...> I would also like 1 or 2 3-inch coral beauties. In one year I would like to sell the two unsexed clowns and get a 1.5 inch niger trigger, and only keep him until he gets big enough to become a problem. Will this likely work? <Well, 2 Centropyge angelfishes in most any tank under 200-300 gallons is a gamble, IMO. There could be some potential harassment between the two...As far as the Niger Trigger...I have a personal opinion that it's not cool to keep a fish that you know will outgrow the tank...I mean, just when this fish is really accustomed to your tank's conditions, you "give him his walking papers" as they say, only to leave the poor fish to an uncertain fate at the LFS...I'd much rather see you get a fish that you can and will keep for its full life span; one that will not become too large for your tank... There are so many to choose from! On the other hand, if you will be buying a much larger tank in the next couple of years, then it's no problem to make him a temporary resident of this one. Plan for the "end game", and you should be really happy with your tank for many years to come! Good luck! regards, Scott F> Re: Lemonpeel It's a 55 gal w/ 50# live rock. I have a sand star a brittle star, scarlet cleaner shrimp, coral banded shrimp, pistol shrimp, watchman goby, blenny, Pearlscale, black and white Heniochus, royal gamma, clown, long tentacle anemone, bubble tip anemone, 3 other fish under 1 inch and several crabs. See attached file for water conditions. If you have any advice I would really appreciate it. His breathing seems fine, he eats real good but he lays down flat on his side. Thanks in advance. <Let's see... keep up with the water changes and everything should be ok. You do have a lot of fish in a 55 gallon tank this might be stressing the Lemonpeel out! Please check into a bigger tank soon! Has the angel been doing this for a while or is it rather new? I think it just might be the angel getting some shut-eye. Hope this helps!! Phil> Dwarf Angel in a dwarf system... big problems? Hello, <Hi there> Quick question for your Q&A board- I have recently purchased a Bi-colored angel- I watched him eat in the store before purchasing. I brought him home and he ate the day I put him in the tank and the 2 days following that- He was eating Krill, bring shrimp and Caulerpa (plants). A few days later I tested the water (which was fine) and added a Royal Gramma. Since then the Angel has not eaten- He picks the rocks a little but stays hidden- His color is good and he doesn't look sick but he hides often and won't eat. The Royal Gramma doesn't seem to bother anyone in the tank so I don't think that it is a Quarrel. <Might be bothered just the same> Since then I have tried smashing Angel food (formula???) into the cracks in the rocks near his hide out but he won't come out and look at me, much less eat in front of me- Any suggestions? Could it be grazing enough to stay full? <I hope so... see below> One more thing- was it a mistake to add a Bi-colored angel to a 30Gl reef tank in the long run? <Yes. Too small a space to culture enough food on live rock etc... I would trade this fish in for something smaller. Perhaps one of the dwarf-dwarf Angels of the tropical West Atlantic... Centropyge argi, C. aurantonotus... Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/angels/Centropyge/index.htm and the linked FAQs files therein. Bob Fenner> Thanks, Hank Dwarves from TWA! One last question, if I do stick with the 2 dwarf angels, which would be the best match with a flame, the Centropyge argi or a Centropyge aurantonotus? <These two are remarkably similar, no real reason for one over the other.> Thanks, Rich. <You are welcome. -Steven Pro> Feeding Planktivores Thanks for your reply. I decided to go with the Centropyge ferrugata and the Cirrhilabrus scottorum. In fact they are in their new home. Of course the wrasse is in the back hiding. Since I do not have an upstream refugium at this time, what would be your suggestions on feeding my wrasse and Sunburst? <thawed frozen mysids, Gammarus and Pacifica plankton can be the staple. Supplement with any dry food possibly/taken. Also offer Sweetwater Plankton (incredible jar food for Anthiines).> Doug <best regards, Anthony> Coral Beauty trouble (Bob's turn) Bob, I have a Coral
Beauty I just purchased Saturday and placed in a 20 gallon quarantine
system. The fish seemed healthy at the store; bright colors, active,
clear eyes, nice plump shape, etc. I have it in a 20 gallon long by
itself with a set of barnacles for cover, a heater, thermometer, and
Tetratec 300 filter seeded (for 4 weeks) with bacteria from my 55
gallon tank. I have tried to get it to eat everything I have, frozen
krill, frozen plankton, frozen Formula Two, flake Formula Two, and
Nori. It won't touch a speck of food and now has very cloudy eyes
and is not very active. Any ideas? <Perhaps "just
shock" from collection, being moved about... some Centropyge
species are consistently like this... I would either move this animal
prematurely (as in not waiting for the whole two weeks quarantine
interval) to a stable live-rock equipped tank (through a freshwater
bath process), or place some thoroughly cured LR in the twenty with it
(as food source and to stabilize water quality)> My water parameters
are 78 degrees, 0 NH3, NO2, NO3, and 1.023 salinity. I have the
fluorescent light that came with the tank on for twelve hours a day. I
don't know what could be the problem so I don't know what to do
to try to help this beautiful fish. Please help by suggesting what
could be wrong and what I should do. Thanks again, Amy <Please read
through the parts of WetWebMedia.com re "Quarantine",
"Dips/Baths", and the genus Centropyge for more background.
Bob Fenner> Dwarf Angels Thank you for the quick response to my last question. Your valuable advice makes the hobby so much easier. It's nice to finally find a source of helpful information. <You are welcome.> I was reading your section regarding dwarf angels. You mentioned their sensitivity to copper with or w/o formalin, but in the flame angel article it said to be prepared to use copper if needed. Will flames tolerate copper, or formalin. <Their are several people who write for this website and we all bring different experiences to the table. Bob probably wrote the Flame Angel article with Anthony writing about the dwarf angels sensitivity to copper and/or formalin. IME, I try to minimize any and all medications. There are instances where you have to medicate, but there are other options; quarantining, daily water changes for Cryptocaryon/Marine Ich, and lower salinity treatments.> Thanks, Rich. <You are welcome. -Steven Pro> Coral Beauty Hello Everyone, Hope all is well. I am in the process of saving a coral beauty from the freezer at the LFS. It is missing an eye and cannot be sold, so I will be taking it home and trying to rehabilitate it. <Good for you.> One eye looks to be gone and is kind of white and slightly fuzzy, not a big nasty fuzzy spot, but kind of fleshy, like when you just lose your eye. It will be going into a quarantine tank <Excellent!> and I was wondering if I should add anything to the water to help the healing process. <1 tablespoon of Epsom salt per 5 gallons of water and a medicated food for bacterial infections would be great.> The tank will be a 10 gallon with a Penguin 125 back filter for circulation, I will not be adding the carbon insert. Should I add some medication, or wait and see if she heals on her own. <I would wait, but be prepared to add a broad spectrum antibiotic if it does not respond to or eat the medicated food.> I know the odds are not in her favor, but she has a better chance in my med tank than she does in the freezer. Thanks a lot, and best regards, Gage <Good luck to you and your fish. -Steven Pro> Coral beauty or Yellowfin? Bob et al, I recently (6 weeks ago) added what I thought was a Coral Beauty, only to see on your site that it may be a Yellowfin or moonbeam dwarf. How can I be sure? <You should be able to distinguish them from the photos. Please see here for additional pictures www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=10974&genusname=Centropyge &speciesname=flavipectoralis> My guy looks more like the guy in the Yellowfin pic, and has the bright yellow pectoral fins, also bright blue dorsal fin, blue tail and blue head, a yellow body with blue stripes. <The yellow body part is off for this fish. All the photos I have ever seen show a pretty dark body. There is a lot of hybridization amongst Centropyges. Perhaps you have one. Feel free to send us a picture if you can get it, something in the 400 KB range.> Your description "good fish for medium aggressive fish-only set-ups" kind of concerns me. The Yellowfin is currently the only fishy inhabitant of a 55 gallon with some mushrooms. I'd like to add some more softies in the future (I have 4x48"NO fluorescents). I also have a gold striped maroon clown freshly in the quarantine tank. Do you foresee any problems? <No> I've been watching for some nips at the mushrooms, none yet, keeping my fingers crossed. <LPS corals would be in more danger along with Xenia and feather dusters.> Any tankmates to suggest? <As per most Centropyge.> It would also have to be DSB safe, no sand sifters eating my pods. <Not a problem with this fish. -Steven Pro> Dwarf Angel I have a 30x30x30 cube that is skimmer less with a 55 gallon fast-water refuge. Both tanks have DSBs, lots of LR and a good size pod, sponge, and worm population. The 55 is also filled with Caulerpa, racemosa. Originally I had hoped to get a showpiece Tang and display Dwarf angel. Due to space limitations and the docile nature of the rest of the inhabitants I went with a Kole tang. Unfortunately the tang has no interest in macro algae, seeming to prefer detritus. As the Caulerpa gained a foothold in the tank, I decided that I needed a grazer and picked up a "Yellow Rabbitfish" to assist. The Rabbitfish turned out to be a Siganus Corallines. I love the fish and it's blue spots, but now I am worried that I overstocked myself and would be better off adding no more bioload. <agreed> Current inhabitants: Kole tang, blue spotted spine foot, sixline wrasse, 6 green Chromis, 2 pearly Jawfish, 3 neon gobies, and one purple Firefish. The Dwarf Angel was the last in the stocking plan. Beauty and the ability to get along with it's tankmates is of prime import. I have a ZERO fatality rate since I assembled this tank and I want it to stay this way for a while. I am not very concerned with the price of the fish, and would like the fish to be somewhat unique. <C. multicolor... a magnificent beauty for which pictured do it no justice. Too many females and sub par males imported. Have a nice male cherry picked from LA. They are an incredible palette of color> I was hoping you would be able to recommend the most suitable dwarf angel for this tank, if there is one. <small enough to fit in indeed and actually quite hardy once established. Also eats prepared foods quite agreeably> here is a link to the tank: http://www.users.qwest.net/~broh/Tank/wholethingfront.JPG Thanks for the help, Bill Roh <best regards, Anthony> Re: Qs on Golden Pygmy Angel Hi Steven (or Bob), Thanks for
your prompt response. As of today (4th day), the Golden Pygmy continues
to hide and does not show itself most of the time. She is still picking
on live rocks. Her colorations remained bright and clear. <Very
typical for the species. I have not been out to collect this
Centropyge, but have some reasonable second-hand reports on the
circling of an area, crushing of Acroporids work it takes to "get
it out" in the wild... and friends who have made attempts at
forming captive breeding harems> <<A challenging fish that is
prone to cyanide capture.>> Are most deepwater species captured
illegally in the trade? <No, most are not... necessary or expedient.
Many deepwater (more than 130 feet depth let's say) are very easy
to approach (I have caught Tinker's Butterflies in Hawai'i with
a simple hand net) and poisoning, anesthetizing takes time, money...
things dive/collectors don't have much of> Do you know of any
LFS that get their live stocks from reliable source, i.e. net-caught
specimens? <Several. For exotic species you might try
mail-order e-tailer Marine Center in Texas for instance> Many FS
claimed to import from reputable shippers overseas. I have learned that
their claims were not true. BTW, I live in the Los Angeles area. I am a
frequent visitor to Jeff's Exotics, Aquatic Depot, Marine Depot and
Strictly Fish. Do you have any other recommendations? <Are you in
the industry? If so, do go by Sea Dwelling Creatures, Quality Marine,
Pacific Aquafarms...> <<Frankly, any research should have been
completed prior to purchase. If you could not find enough to educate
yourself on the proper care of the animal in question, best to leave it
at the store...> <Same as most other Centropyges, algae.>>
I always based all my purchases after much research. That include
purchasing equipment other than live stock. I have kept dwarf angels. I
have a Flame Angel in residence for two years now. She is very active,
healthy and is constantly in motion. I also thought that the
requirements are similar (like all other Centropyge species). I was
wrong. I am not sure now. Any final comments? <Mmm, none from me.
Steven?> <<Nothing particular that I have heard of research
wise.>> That was the reason I wrote: To get some professional
advice or suggestions on this unique species, Centropyge aurantius. I
am a novice on this subspecies. I have heard that this species feed on
sponges besides algae. Please redirect my inquiry to whom you think has
much working knowledge with this Bali species. :) Thanks, Kenneth Kon,
Redondo Beach, CA <Not much more I know Ken, but can cast about for
more info. This is a relatively hardy species for the genus, but one
toward the far right of the scale in terms of shyness. It only gets a
bit more bold with time in captivity. Bob Fenner> Yellowfin Dwarf Angel Hi guys, was hoping to get some info on Centropyge flavipectoralis. <We have some: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/angels/centropyge/index.htm and fishbase.org: http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=10974 Beautiful fish, though not commonly sold around here. There seems to be very little information out there concerning this species. <Not a great beauty, much demand... the usual "founder effect"... the species that that folks are already familiar with keep being ordered... new/novel ones ignored all the way back to their sources> Would it be safe to assume its care and diet are similar to the Coral Beauty? <Yes, I believe so> Also- and here's the big one- how reef safe is it compared with other dwarf angels? <Mmm, well "safer" on a scale of such things... none are absolutely "safe"...> Coral Beauties seem to be some of the most well-behaved of the bunch, with definite exceptions. Thanks for any info you can provide/link me to. Travis <Bob Fenner> Yellow-fin Dwarf Angel Thanks Bob, those two links were the only info I could find on the 'net. I see we're consistent! Could you please explain to me the reasoning behind this statement? "... Yellow-fin Pygmy Angel (2), is a good fish for medium aggressive fish-only set-ups." Is this a more aggressive fish than the Coral Beauty or other Centropyge species? Do you mean medium size and aggressive nature, or fishes with a medium amount of aggressiveness? <The latter. Sorry to be so unclear. This is a more outgoing dwarf Angel than most. Bob Fenner> (Sorry to sound like I'm splitting hairs.) Theoretically, this fish would be living in my 46 gal LPS/Softy reef with a pair of ocellaris clowns and a lawnmower blenny. A big "thank you" as always, Travis Atlantic Pygmy Angel Hey WWM Crew! You guys have one great site! <Thank you kindly.> I'm having some tank problems and I think you can help. My father is VERY big into marine reef tanks, and at 15 I'm getting in to them also. Sadly my dad had a heart attack and has mild brain damage, forcing him into a rehab for at least 6 months. <I am terribly sorry to hear about your troubles. I wish your father a quick and complete recovery.> I can take care of most of the tanks, but the little 3 gallon mini-tank is bugging me. It is the Eclipse Mini 3 Gallon. It's only resident is a small Atlantic Pygmy Angel, I'm having trouble feeding him. He was bought the day before the "heart attack". I'm feeding him "Ocean Formula Pygmy Angel Formula" and some lettuce on a feeding clip. He just nibbles on his food and goes into his cave. Is this species shy like him or is he still getting used to his new tank. <I am guessing a little bit of both, shy and settling in.> Any help I could use! <Try instead Nori or Seaweed Selects in the clip and frozen Mysis shrimp.> Thanks, Phil <Best of luck to you and your father. -Steven Pro> Centropyge I have been told to only keep one dwarf angel per tank. <generally true... of same and mixed species. Only experiment in larger aquaria (over 100 gallons/6 feet long)>> But there are so many that I like. My local fish store has a 30 gallon reef tank setup with a coral beauty and a Flameback in it. <rare exceptions do occur but usually such mixes are irresponsible or at least unnecessary risks with living creatures> They say that the two fish have been in that same tank for about a year together with no skirmishes that they have seen. <even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes> I have looked at the fish and they are not marked up. So is this just a one in a million shot? <simply uncommon> Or do I just need to get the idea out of my head? <yes, please! So many other beautiful fish in the sea... why take the chance with living creatures?> If it were possible I would keep 3 or 4 different Centropyge in my tank. <that is honestly insane in anything but an enormous tank <smile>> A little advice as to what I should do would be great. I'm dead set on at least one Centropyge, but would like more. I just can't come up with what would go with a dwarf angel. <what you need is a 500 gallon aquarium, my friend <VBG>!> Thanks for listening, Mike <best regards, Anthony Calfo> Last Fish...I promise! Hi Robert, <<Hello - JasonC here...>> I was thinking about picking up a Flame Angel today and adding him to my 180 as the 'final fish'. I currently have the following... 2" Bi-Color Angel, 1" Velvet Damsel, a 1" Green Chromis, a 3" X-mas wrasse, a 7" Hippo Tang, a 6 1/2" Imperator, 3/4" Percula clown, a 6" Auriga Butterfly, 3/4" Neon Goby and a 1" bi-color Pseudo. That's 10 fish all living nicely with each other... (except once in a while the Imperator Angel chases & nips the Auriga Butterfly to keep him out of his area especially during feeding time), but for the most part the tank is pretty much stress free and with no parasites present for a month now... the neon goby and UV sterilizer seem to have done their job in cleaning the tank! I have always wanted a Flame Angel but I am concerned about adding this fish with the Bi-color Angel. <<That would be my concern too.>> I have read about the Pygmy Angel compatibility issues and know that I should not put 2 small angels in the same tank together. <<But this is a pretty large tank. How much live rock [read as hiding places] do you have?>> I asked a few LFS guy about this and he keeps telling me there will be no problems in having them together in my size tank. <<Famous last words from a local fish store.>> Will the bi-color angel accept the flame angel if introduced properly? <<You mean with formal introductions? "Mr. Bicolor, meet Mr. Flame." No, there's no easy way or 'proper' way to introduce this fish. It will work or not.>> If I get a much smaller Flame Angel is that better? <<Hard to say, but certainly a smaller fish will be more likely to suffer from the stress of being hassled by the bi-color.>> After quarantine, I intend on using a sheet of glass to separate a section of the tank where they can look at each other for a while to get used to each other. <<Uhh... this comment makes me think you don't have enough decor in your aquarium. I couldn't put a sheet of glass in my 180 without hours of breakdown. You'd be much better off with more live rock, which equals more cover.>> Will any other fish pick on the Flame Angel? <<Not on a normal day, but if it becomes weak or distressed everyone may pick on it...>> Any ideas or should I not add the Flame Angel? Thanks! <<I would hold off. If I've misread, and you actually have #180-plus of live rock, then things will likely turn out fine. If you don't have a lot of places for a pygmy angel to hide, things aren't going to end well for the newcomer. Cheers, J -- >> Bicolor Angelfish Got A Bicolor Angel fish. Have now (after buying it) read that they are difficult to keep and especially to get them to eat. <Are you pulling Bob the Fishman's fins here? Why would you do such a thing?> Have you ever owned a bicolor angel and if so what did you feed it.... <Used to collect this species in the Philippines in the sixties... "Oriole Angels" used to be a sturdy species...> I have been offering flake and frozen brine... he seems to ignore the flakes entirely and nibbles on the brine (doesn't eat to much maybe one or two)... he mostly just munches on the live rock all day and I'm not sure how much algae I have on them that's left. I only have like 9-10 pounds of live rock. <Do yourself and your livestock a favor, study what it takes for simple husbandry IN ADVANCE of purchasing life. Do at least read over the materials archived on our site: www.WetWebMedia.com ahead of writing. Bob Fenner> Bicolor Angelfish, parable about folks not studying history repeating mistakes... So should I take him back? or try different food? What sort of dwarf angel would you recommend (flame, coral beauty, etc..) for a small reef tank? <You should study, read where you've been sent to repeatedly: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ Go there, use the many detailed experiences of others to help yourself. Bob Fenner> Help!!! Sick Bicolor Angel I came home today, to find my
Bicolor Angel lying on its side at the bottom of my QT tank... It
looked like he had some black spots around the gills. He had been
swimming and feeding yesterday. There were no signs of infection or
parasites. He was not eating much, but he was eating. The damsel that
lives in this tank is healthy. <hmmm... not symptomatic of anything
specifically pathogenic but this species is notoriously still drug
caught. If you bought it for under $30 in most big cities in the US
then it is a strong candidate for drug poisoning. Quality hand-caught
Bicolor's from Fiji and elsewhere are significantly more expensive
than the cheap Jakarta and Philippine specimens. > I did a water
test last night. Ammonia and Nitrite 0.. PH 8.3... Nitrate 60 - 80 ppm.
I changed 2 gallons out of this 10 gallon tank while he was getting the
FW dip. I scooped him out and gave him a 6 - 7 minute FW dip. I
returned him to the QT.. He not lying on his side yet. What should I
do? Continue FW Dips? <hold off on the dips unless you see a
specific indication of parasites (scratching, spots, sloughing
possibly)> I looked closer, and his pectoral fins have a slight
dusting of white spots.. Great!!! Ich!! I guess, I need to use Formalin
II, along with the FW Dips. <Ok...fair enough... I agree
<smile>. That will be $50 for the service call...hehe> Please
let me know if there is anything else I should be doing... <singing
in the rain is always delightful if it is warm enough outside>
Thanks, Glenn <kindly, Anthony> C. argi or C. acanthops in a Nano Bob: <Steven Pro answering questions at the moment.> I am new to salt water and have set up a 10 gallon nano-reef that is thriving (at the moment). I would love to add a C. argi or C. acanthops to this system (though I realize already that it is very small); the LFS has one of each that are only about 2.5 cm long and of course I am considering moving my little reef to a bigger tank (or simply starting another reef in a bigger tank where the fish could be moved). In general, is one of these species better for a reef tank than the other in terms of personality, aggressiveness, hardiness, or anything else? <They should be about the same. A bit of a roll of the dice as to whether either will eat any inverts you care about. Could only be recommended for your ten gallon tank as the only fish. -Steven Pro Thanks, Steve Fish Identity I am looking for the name of, and more info about, the lovely red & white striped angelfish? pictured on the front cover of A Guide To Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes. I can't afford to buy the book just to answer this question, and I haven't been able to find a copy to look at locally. Can you help? <The fish in question is commonly referred to as the Peppermint Angel, Paracentropyge or Centropyge boylei I believe.> Thank you, Tom Berry <You are welcome. -Steven Pro> Picts of Chaetodon nippon and Centropyge interruptus (Note: post FishBase links) Hello Bob, I've referred to your WetWebMedia site so frequently that I felt compelled to contribute and give something back. I see that you have been missing some images for a while so after a quick search, I was able to locate some. I hope you will be able to get their permission to use them. Chaetodon nippon: http://www.FishBase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?genusname=Chaetodon&speciesname=nippon Centropyge interruptus : http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?genusname=Centropyge&speciesname=interruptus .. Toby <Thanks for this effort, offer. Am a collaborator with FishBase, but will settle here with adding your, their links where these images could/should be on WWM for now. Let's go out there and make our own! Bob Fenner> Coral Beauty Angel and Clowns Hi I was wondering if you could answer a question for me. We have a pair of Tomato Clowns and we just purchased a Coral Beauty Angel. The angel immediately kicked them out of their nesting area .What do I do? Are these compatible? <actually a very reasonable mix.. and it is better to have the normally passive angel more aggressive in the long run> Any help would be appreciated. <rearranging the rockwork sometimes confuses the tankmates and makes them more concerned with finding a place to sleep rather than pushing each other around. If no fin nipping...no worries> Thank You, Scott Caine <best regards, Anthony> Rusty Dwarf Angel Hi Bob, <Anthony Calfo in your service> I was wondering - My tank cycled and I got good readings, after 8 weeks I decided to added fish. I bought a Rusty Dwarf Angel and a Bi-color blenny. <both reasonably hardy> I also bought one more piece of LR (3 lb) <the more the better!> and added 10 pounds of LS (put on top of the coral shell bed. I didn't really think this was a good idea to add all together, but the guy at the LFS said it would be OK since the sand is advertised as "instant cycling". (?) <what a pile of crap... I agree with you and your first instincts> Anyway, my blenny has been OK since I got him (3 days ago) but the Rusty angel hasn't eaten anything yet. <some dwarf angels are shy grazers and a little slow at first> I tried flake food, then I tried a frozen cube (which was a red one). Thinking the angel would prefer greens, I scoop out the red cube and thawed, dropped in, the green cube. <a good food but not one that is warmed up to quickly> This didn't get him to eat. Then I went to the fish store and asked what to feed. I was told a pellet, that I had them feed the other rusty that came in the same time my did. That one ate it with vigor, but when I got home and tried it, my wouldn't touch it. I just put in a piece of spinach but still with no luck. <buy local or mail order a product called Sweetwater plankton (comes in a glass jar and needs refrigerated)... everything eats this!!! Great food for small and medium reef fishes (helps keep many Anthias species wonderfully) Now my bad news, my tank shot up in numbers (ammonia, nitrite and nitrate all rose) after the above-mentioned additions. Do you think that the rusty angel is not eating due to the bad water? <sure the accumulated food would contribute or cause> I have a 20 gal and did a 3 gallon change yesterday and then again today. <very wise... continue as necessary> Today's water change was made and put in 3 hours later. My thinking was that it was better to change the water ASAP rather than the cons of not letting the water sit. Correct? <Ehhh...sort of. It doesn't seem so dire that you needed to impose the stress of a raw sea mix to the gills/eyes> Any ideas to get this rusty eating again? He actually is pretty plump, doesn't look like he is hurting yet. <they can go quite a while without food. Some live rock added with plant should at least keep him browsing else look for a pathogen> And finally, with all your knowledge, at what point (how many days) will a fish who has not eaten start to eat again if he is going to. <no rule of thumb, but more than a week is unusual> THANK YOU SOOO MUCH for all the help you provide. Debra <best regards, Anthony> Questions about Bi-Color Angels Hi Bob, <<JasonC here,
Bob is away diving>> Had a quick question: I have a 25 Gallon
mini reef, that's been going for over a year, and I just picked up
a Bicolor Angel, I was wondering if this fish might be too big for my
tank, or do you think it would be fine? Thanks! David <<well, I
suppose the simple answer is yes - these can grow to 6" and
that's a pretty big fish for a 25. Additionally, angels require top
water quality and as such, a 25 is of a size small enough to have
accidental/drastic changes that could do-in your angel. Do read up, if
you haven't already on Bob's thoughts on the Dwarf angels:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/centropy.htm
- Cheers, J -- >> Advice on Stocking a 20 Robert, <<Not Robert, but JasonC filling in while he's away diving.>> Hi, My wife and I are new to this hobby of saltwater aquarist. We currently have a jewel damsel in our 20 gallon Eclipse tank. The invertebrates consist of a red-legged hermit crab and 4 live rocks. Would it be wise to introduce a Flame Angel (Centropyge loricula), since the damsel seems well established in his surroundings. <<You could house a flame angel in this tank for a little while, but I think that would be about it and you'd need to upgrade at some point if you wanted to keep the angel happy. Things can go awry pretty quick in a tank of this size, and angels are quite sensitive to water quality.>> Later we are thinking of adding a Coral Beauty (Centropyge bispinosus) and these three fish would be all we would have due to the limited space. <<Due to your limited space, I don't think you could house both these fish and expect them both to live.>> Your response to these questions would greatly be appreciated, since we are new to this hobby, <<You should read up on Pygmy Angels: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/centropy.htm >> Thanks, Chris and Cheryl <<Cheers, J -- >> Lemonpeel Angel and dipping Hello Guys, <Salute, goombah!
Anthony Calfo in your service> Just one question on giving a
Lemonpeel Angel a Methylene Blue/Fresh Water dip. Is it safe to give a
Lemonpeel a 5 to 10 minute dip? Read the FAQ's and your page on
Centropyge but didn't find my answer. I am planning to purchase
this fish and just not sure if I should dip the Lemonpeel. Thanks very
much! Ron <a properly conducted freshwater dip of at least five
minutes (aerated, buffered, temperature adjusted, etc) is fine for the
angel... towards ten minutes with discretion. The problem is the
Methylene blue. Centropyge angels are sensitive to metals (like copper)
and organic dyes (like Methylene blue). Do consider Formalin instead
for the medicated bath and follow mfg dose. Freshwater alone is fine
too if you believe the fish to be in good health for starters before
going into quarantine (you are putting him in quarantine right?!?)
Kindly, Anthony> Coral Beauty Dip/bath Hi Guys! <Howdy> I am bringing home a Coral Beauty from the LFS on Monday. I am very excited and want everything to go well with this beautiful fish and my other fishes. LFS sold me Paraguard for my dip, I asked for Methylene Blue as per your suggestion but this is what they had. Is this safe, I have not opened the bottle yet? <Safe, yes... but not the same general purpose> Also this is my first time at attempting the dip/bath and am quite uneasy about it. Q&A says to start with system water, than add fresh water and Methylene Blue. Do I have it right. I thought about a half gallon of my system water and fresh water, and use the directions off the Paraguard to see how much to add. I have another question that does not pertain to the dip/bath so will send another e-mail, so you can place them in their proper Q&A. <Okay> Thank you in advance for your advice. Sincerely, Lori <Be chatting, Bob Fenner> Centropyge question Hi <greetings, my friend. Anthony Calfo in your service> My name is Frank. I'm from Holland (Europe) so please forgive any mistake in grammar I make. <no worries at all... good to hear from you!> How would you rate Centropyge eibli and Centropyge vroliki as reef safe with regard to corals and clams <Dwarf Centropyge angels are marginally safe as captive reef denizens. If your tank is dominated by sturdy, fleshy Octocorals (Like Alcyoniids) then I'd say that is a reasonably safe risk. If, however, you have a good many fleshy LPS corals which would not have as good survivability/recovery from nipped damage...then I would advise against it. I have kept both species in reef aquaria and had difficulties with both, but the displays had a lot of tempting Xeniids to eat <smile>> Thanks, Frank <kindly, Anthony> Harem of Angels? Centropyge question Hi Mr. Fenner, I was reading a thread on Reef Central about Centropyge angelfish and how, in the wild, they are normally found in "harems". <Some species much more than others... most are found as single individuals, others in "pairs" (twos) more often.> One gentleman even has a harem of 5 flame angels in his tank. Very neat stuff. The thread is at: http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=2b7f09050e86de99994c291794be3484 <http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=2b7f09050e86de99994c2 91794be3484&threadid=63237> &threadid=63237 I was thinking of trying this and wanted to see what your thoughts were. I was thinking of Coral Beauties or Potter's Angels. I'm leaning towards the Coral Beauties because of the price (hey 4 or 5 angel fish is not cheap, especially when you consider the difference in price is going to multiplied 4 or 5 times...) and, more importantly, because of their hardiness over the Potters. Ever since I started this "hobby" though, I've always loved the Potters. This seemed like it was right up your alley so I thought I'd run it by you. :-) <Potter's Angels are not very aquarium hardy... I definitely would choose the Coral Beauty's over them... Either species requires large, well-established quarters to do what you suggest (a few hundred gallons). Please read over the Centropyge materials posted (articles and FAQs) on our WetWebMedia.com site and we'll chat further. Bob Fenner> Thanks, Michael Harris Re: Centropyge nahackyi VS multicolor Hi guys, Just like Bob Fenner said, they are 2 different fish. I asked Richard Pyle this back in December, he's been out having fun................Looks like I will want to get both and add them to my 29. John Dawe aka Dr. Kevorkian to all fish & chipmunks <Rich guy to his friends. Bob Fenner> New Coral Beauty Angelfish I brought home a coral beauty a day or two ago and I have him quarantined. <Good idea.> He has not eat any Mysis shrimp as of yet so he has me a bit worried. I was doing some reading and I came across this: "Dwarf angels are susceptible to the common parasitic scourges of ich (Cryptocaryon), and velvet disease (Amyloodinium), and unfortunately sensitive to conventional treatment (copper with or w/o formalin formulations). " My angel doesn't appear to have a disease but I do maintain a small amount of copper in my tank to remove any disease on his body or anything that could infect my main tank. He has no problems other than not eating. My quarantine tank doesn't quite have the macro/micro algae growth that my main tank does so I was hoping he would get by on Mysis until introduction into the main tank. Should I be worried, remove the copper by doing a massive water change, or is his not eating just from being new? I've always read not to be worried if your fish doesn't eat for a day or two. but in my own short-lived personal experience I've never had a fish not eat after the first 24 hours. (notice I prefaced it with short-lived.) <I always recommend that people quarantine their new fish and perform daily, small water changes (10% everyday for the two to three weeks of quarantine. This helps to promote the fish's immune system and helps to remove any parasites. I would start doing this now and allow the copper levels to diminish. -Steven Pro> thanks for the help!! Centropyge Angel Concern Yo... would it be Anthony, Steve Pro or Bob? <Oh wise Web publishing Garoo... you have Anthony Calfo here by the grace of your guidance and instruction (smile)> I have a potters which has been in quarantine now for about a month, <bless you for the discipline to run a full quarantine!> and is a very enthusiastic eater. Anyway... this morning, it's quite faded... but still excited to eat and doing normal things around the tank. Water checked out normal. Given their propensity to crap-out before your eyes, I am concerned... any thoughts as to what this might be? <singularly, the symptom on this fish that has demonstrated stability and acclimation otherwise is no cause for concern yet> I've always though fading was either age and nutrition induced, or signs of impending doom. <the former certainly not applicable with consideration for the short time that you've had it since import, the latter always a possibility for the very same reason> I suppose attitude/psyche could be another. He's got a cleaner shrimp as tank-buddy, should I get him something else to interact with? <if it was me... dancing girls would make me feel better. For your angelfish however, the suggestion of dither fish could be helpful but not recommended with due caution on the chance that we could be looking at a pre-curser to a pathogenic condition (although unlikely in my opinion)> Thoughts? <No worries yet... I'd suggest an observation period (3-5 days) looking for any evidence of repetitive or escalating symptoms. A fish that has gone through a month of quarantine, eats very well and shows now other or pathogenic symptoms should not be subjected to non-specific, prophylactic medication for example. It would not serve the greater good. Keep us posted> Thanks. J -- <truly...thank you sir for the excellent education. We're carrying on smoothly, I believe, thanks to you. I may join up with you in San Diego later too... what dates are you and Zo going? Anthony> [regarding Centropyge fading] Follow-up Uggh... doesn't look good. I guess it's good he's been eating for the month because I do believe we're about to "go through it" He was in his den this morning, chillin' which is abnormal - very gregarious most times. On observation from the opposite side, the fading was more pronounced and one of the fins looking ragged, eyes are quite clear and he is alert, albeit subdued, and perhaps a little bit of slime-coat slough-off?? Only guess on the fin was perhaps a run-in with the intake of the trickle filter... nothing else in that tank but a cleaner shrimp and [well inspected, quarantined] live rock. So... amazingly enough, decided to come out and eat/nibble - didn't feed very heavily, but it certainly had the energy to get around the tank for food vs. swim and sink, swim and fall over. Tossed in some live macro from one of the fuges as a day-nibble, see if that is interesting to it... not interested in the live rock fauna that is there it would seem. So... I have an idle 25w UV I can bring to bear on the system, but I'm thinking it might be a too-little, too-late type augment. <agreed... but for posterity, perhaps add it anyway> In any case, will be stopping by HD on the way home to get some tubing and clamps so I can get this moving... anything else? Eye of newt? Will also be doing a double check on the water chem. tonight. Cheers, J <bummer dude (my professional and technical opinion in a nut shell)... furthermore, please evaluate the fish head-on (narrow view, face-to face) and tell us if you are seeing any irregular or asymmetrical respiration: either gill closed or favored while the other pumps? seem faster than normal. (say...1/sec)? any sloughing from gills? We're looking for evidence of parasitic organisms. Bacterial infection seems highly unlikely after a month of demonstrated good behavior in good water quality. Unfortunately, you may realize why a full thirty days is necessary for screen for disease... day 29 does not mean home free. Very sorry and hoping for the best. Again...keep us posted please. Anthony> Dwarf Angel Woes Bob, You were so helpful to us when we
opened our store 4 months ago. Things are going better than we could
ever have hoped for. The people, customers and suppliers, we have met
have made all the hard work worthwhile. <Outstanding. Glad to
hear> Here's my questions: Why is it that we cannot seem to keep
dwarf angels alive. We have lost more of these than any other family.
Is there a trick to these? <A few... careful, lengthy acclimation is
key... oh, more below> I have tried 3 separate suppliers and still
they die. It bothers me as I truly do care about the fish under my
care. <Yes... as is careful selection, choice of sources,
locations... Do look over the individual comments posted on species on
WetWebMedia.com here, and look into Fiji, other locales than the
Philippines, Indonesia for Centropyges> Second, what do you suggest
by way of water changes for our store? We did a 10% water change this
past weekend and lost all fish out of two tanks. One tank is on a
system of 4 and no other fatalities in the other 3 tanks! The other
tank is one of 8. The other 7 house corals and inverts and they are all
doing fine. Was this just one of those things or did we do something to
cause their demise. <You likely have enough "water change"
going on from water replacement from selling livestock... I would
definitely pre-mix and store new water for a week or so ahead of use...
have mucho live rock in the circuit...> Any words of wisdom would be
greatly appreciated. <Do give the WWM site a read over... Especially
the sections on marine disease. Bob Fenner
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