Flame Angel Reef Safe?

[RedTail123]

In your oppinion and experience, are Flame Angelfish reef safe? I want to have a reef tank with soft corals and i'm wondering if a well fed, (3 small meals daily), Flame Angel would nip at soft or hard corals?

 

[nkd5024]

Any angelfish has a chance at picking at polyps.
I have seen them in reef tanks with soft, LPS, and SPS corals although they may nip a polyp here and there.
It really varies by the individual fish.

If they are well feed it does decrease the chances of them nipping.
It also helps to get them small (young) as the older fish may have been eating corals on the reef in the wild and already is used to eating coral polyps.
While the small ones may not have "learned" to eat polyps yet and may be less likely to nip.

I hope that helps.

 

[wildechild_01]

As said, any Angel fish there is a chance, but if they are well fed they are much less to nip at corals, as well, Flame angels are generaly considered to be a lower risk for polyp nipping, i have successfully kept a flame angel in a reef setting with no issues, so i say if you want one go for it, it is commonly recommended that you wait towards the end of stocking to add them, but that is said of any fish that becomes territorial but as far as Flame angel and reef you should be okay.

 

[J.Iwaarden]

Any angelfish has a chance at picking at polyps.
I have seen them in reef tanks with soft, LPS, and SPS corals although they may nip a polyp here and there.
It really varies by the individual fish.

If they are well feed it does decrease the chances of them nipping.
It also helps to get them small (young) as the older fish may have been eating corals on the reef in the wild and already is used to eating coral polyps.
While the small ones may not have "learned" to eat polyps yet and may be less likely to nip.

I hope that helps.

Good idea adding them younger then older.

 

[MBOU]

Personally, i alwys say "no, not reefsafe"... there is always chances that they will be, but to be, 7/10 times they will just end up shredding corals.

Feeding well doesnt necessarily help much, they graze... so inbetween meals they just 'pick pick pick' at the liverock and whatevers on it. I guess the leather corals etc might be ok... but xenia, polyps and zoas etc would probably end up dying in the long run, even if not eaten, being picked at will just make sure they dont open.

Depends how brave you feel, its an expensive fish to have to take apart your tank to get back out if he does eat corals!

 

[fishguy2727]

IME they are hit or miss like any dwarf angel. One individual may never touch anything, another may eat everything from clams and SPS to zoanthids. I think it is a big risk adding one to a reef.

The only truly reef safe angels are the Genicanthus Genus because in nature they are not found on the reefs and corals are not a natural part of their diet. Although I am sure that one at some point was an exception.

 

[GrayScale]

Since they graze, wouldnt getting a clip or tying down some sort of seaweed or something help? So they graze on that instead of your polyps. I've heard more on the side they wont or if they do its minimal. Havent really heard any stories about them shredding corals

 

[fishguy2727]

If they want to graze on meat/corals the seaweed won't help. Keeping them well fed in general with a high quality food may help, but if an individual likes corals there really isn't anything that will stop them.

 

[ALW]

In your oppinion and experience, are Flame Angelfish reef safe? I want to have a reef tank with soft corals and i'm wondering if a well fed, (3 small meals daily), Flame Angel would nip at soft or hard corals?

As with any Dwarf Angelfish, it is a matter of hit and. I have known Dwarfs that have left all types of corals alone then again the same species of fish munch its way through corals like no tomorrow. It’s all down to the mentality of the fish, you generally have a better chance of a younger smaller fish been less likely to attack corals than an older larger individual.

 

[GrayScale]

If they want to graze on meat/corals the seaweed won't help. Keeping them well fed in general with a high quality food may help, but if an individual likes corals there really isn't anything that will stop them.

Point proven. Was just a thought, i'm not too keen on their natural dietary needs/wants.

But I do agree that fish have their own individual personalities so its hit or miss on that front.