Angel Fish and Corals

[Qckslvr]

My wife discovered Biota's website last night and was looking through all their angel fish, and their Mandarins. We have seen flame angels at Petco, AC, Neptune, etc. Then her mind was blown at all the different angels on Biota's website, but the down side is reef safe with caution. Also someone at Petco mentioned that flame angels don't get along with clown fish.

So the question is.... can we have an angel fish, and corals? Will the clowns and angel or angels get along? I have read some on R2R and it seems pretty mixed. Some say their angels have never touched a coral in their life. Others have claimed their angel had a buffet.

Would a captive bread angel be less likely to nibble corals than a wild caught?

or are we just best to skip the angel fish.

Thanks

 

[MichaelB]

It verys by fish. I have a flame dwarf and coral beauty neither look at coral.

Others have had them eat corals. While some like me have never had a issue. I Feed them nori daily and frozen so maybe that helps maybe it doesn't.



You would just have to try out one and be prepared to remove if it goes after them.

I hear they are into acans and the like.

 

[Saruty04]

Most dwarf angels don't touch coral from my experience. Pygmy, flameback, flame, coral beauty etc. Full sized angels will most probably eat coral. However I've seen some not touch any. Like Michael said it varies by fish. Id say if you have a large enough tank getting a dwarf would be the safest option. I currently have a pygmy angel with no issues.

 

[Michael Hans]

You I have a Coral Beauty that has never bothered any of my coral in a mixed reef tank. I also have a Lamarck Angel which is an open water fish and doesn't eat coral. Super reef safe.

 

[BAYMAC]

I've had CB and Flames pick at LPS. Given my job at the time, feed wasn't an issue... they were very plump fish (for aquaria)

 

[H2OPlayar]

Most softies are fine with most fish, so you could always run a softie dominant tank like my 120 Sandy bottom reef. I've got an Ornate/Bellus Angelfish in there.

 

[Darkxerox]

Do you like the fish more than the corals? Because that will be the biggest factor. Assume it not eating a coral is a bonus.

Also it depends on the type you want. Genicanthus won't go after your corals.

Some centropyge are a coin flip for LPS, but most will at least nip at mucus. Risky with clams too.

Pomacanthus if you can fit them have the most personality but will chomp on most fleshy corals. But there's still a lot of great things you can keep, Julian's tank is a good example: