Flame Angel Semi-Reef Safe?

[justinmcleod]

Considering a flame angel for a 30 gallon mini-reef that will be predominantly LPS, zoas and some soft corals. Which brings me to my two part question: is 30 g too small, as I know it may be, and will the flame angel gobble up the corals? Cheers, appreciate any pointers and suggestions.

[markah]

Hi Justin

A 30Gal reef is certainly too small to have a flame amgel. It will not gobble any coral, bit nip on their little polyps causing the corals to always close down eventually destroying a few of them.

Also note that each Flame Angel has its own characteristics. I have realized this from personal experience. In one tank the fish was destructive and in another the angel never touched a single polyp.

Mark

[nikon187]

50/50. The one i tried destroyed LPS like nobodies business

[snorvich]

It can go either way. Sometimes they start out "reef safe" and then have an awakening and become NOT "reef safe"; I suspect a 30 gallon won't give them enough grazing opportunities but I cannot say from experience.

[francis1123]

my friend had one in his 34g solana for a while. it didn't touch any corals, but they get territorial, a lot like damsels. his started beating the crap out of his clowns. it now lives in my 360g where it can pretend to be as tough as it wants.
30g i think is a fine size for it to live for a while, but territory issues will become a problem, IMO.

[michael_cb_125]

All fish are "semi-reef safe"

~Michael