Indo Pacific Regal Angel - Success vs Failure

[reidcrandall]

I know that there is a general sense in the reefing community that the Red Sea or yellow bellied Regal Angels have a higher survivability rate than the Indo Pacific blue/gray bellied variety.

I'd like to try to gather some experiences of people's success and / or failure with these blue bellied guys.

I believe that size of tank, other fish you kept it with, qt or dump and hope, what it ate and did not eat, acclimation procedure and what condition it was in when you first purchased are all important factors. Please share as much information as possible.

I know that there is a Regal Primer thread, and I've read it. It seems like there is a lot of information in there, but is not very concentrated in retrospective analysis of what did and did not work for people as pertains to the differences between the two varieties of these fish.

[rgentry123]

so far im 1/1 with regals mine is the indpacific veriety(blue/gray belly)

i started it out in QT, wasnt doing very good atall and dropped it in my DT. It started nipping nearly within a few hours a fresh clams from the supermarket once in the DT and a few weeks later starting eating frozen mysis. it still only really eats frozen mysis with any aggressiveness after about 2 months. My regal came from LA(not DD)and was in excellent shape when it arrived, it pretty plump and roughly aobut 3 1/2" - 4" when it came in. It did have some pretty aggressive tankmates (PB tang, yellow tang, CB angel, tomato clown, etc.) as well but after about a week it was easily holding it's own, it was however the biggest fish in the tank when added. hope this all helps.

[Chooch1]

I have kept both varieties successfully. Red Sea spesimens used to have a better reputation because they were collected and handled properly. Collection and handling has improved in some Indo-Pacific locales so that those specimens now adapt well. IMO it all boils down to collection and change of custody handling. I think both varieties adapt equally well given proper collection and handling.

[alex gonzales]

I have had the indo variety for over a year now, he's about four inches and hasn't grown too much in that time, but eat's everything i feed him and is really healthy looking. Great fish!, he's in a 135.