Will a Flame Angel pick on LPS corals?

[mtman58]

I know a Flame Angel is a risk in a reef tank, but are they more likely to pick on LPS, SPS or soft corals. I plan on having a LPS tank. I thought they were good about not picking on LPS corals but might mess with SPS and soft corals.

I would appreciate your comments. Thanks

[Shaummy]

While not a flame...I had a flameback Pygmy angel in my tank for a little while and it started to pick at my open brain corals. While I don't think that it was necessarily harming the coral...it sure made them angry and shrink up.

It came to a point where the angel was there all the time picking at them...I tore my reef apart trying to catch the bugger. Beautiful fish..but it wasn't good with my corals.

[rockslide123]

I never saw my flame angel pick at corals but I got him when he was small and kept him well fed.

[billdogg]

I have had good luck with mine as well. I've had a few over the years and never had a problem with them picking on any corals. Picking on other fish, especially new additions however, has been rather hit or miss. Your mileage may vary.

[AntiSatan]

They are more likely to pick at LPS and some seem to have a taste for Zoa's over sps or softies if they do decide they like niping. Its really a hit and miss on them.

[Stevenliu9]

I have had two flames, the previous one picked on clam mantle but never coral. Presently I have two in separate tanks and both are so far model citizens (knock on wood). They are heavily fed and both both quite chubby though.

[Costanza]

My flame used to pick at my candy cane colony and any trachyphyllia or wellsophyllia I had. Never touched SPS or zoas.

[Stevenliu9]

Here is a post of my tank from earlier this year, you can see the LPS corals in the picture and the flame angel, my flame never touched LPS.http://thewetandwild.blogspot.com/2014/03/tank-update.html

[eddiemech]

Good to know

[Tweaked]

It's hit or miss and not worth the hit IMO.

[johnike]

It's hit or miss and not worth the hit IMO.

I agree, I drained the 240 a couple years ago to catch one.

[Tweaked]

I agree, I drained the 240 a couple years ago to catch one.

Uggggh. You must of been like you little %%#%#% lol.

[Mussin]

Yep not worth it.. I had good luck with my potters but he jumped ship so I
Replaced him with a flame angel.. Well he decided he liked my open brains. At first he would just pick here and there but it got so bad they were all shriveled up and he actually killed a very nice one. Tore apart my 90 to catch him... Beautiful fish but risky.

[johnike]

Uggggh. You must of been like you little %%#%#% lol.

I may or may not have uttered a non church word or three.
http://i345.photobucket.com/albums/p361/john_eichwedel/Aquarium%20stuff/007-46.jpg (http://s345.photobucket.com/user/john_eichwedel/media/Aquarium%20stuff/007-46.jpg.html)

I got this one out, along with an Eibli, BiColor, and a Coral Beauty at the same time justincase. So much for my Centropyge experiment...
http://i345.photobucket.com/albums/p361/john_eichwedel/Aquarium%20stuff/002-4.jpg (http://s345.photobucket.com/user/john_eichwedel/media/Aquarium%20stuff/002-4.jpg.html)

[GoldeneyeRet]

I had a very well fed flame angel in a 120 that was a model citizen for several years.

It started slowly with trachys and Caulastrea, then all my LPS and zoas were suffering. I was slow to recognize it was the flame since he had been so good for so long. One day I caught him red handed ripping hunks of tissue off my favorite open brain.

I think its not if, but when. I noticed that LPS were the primary target of my flame angel, and I am sure he was eating some zoas as well.

One of my favorite fish but not worth it IMO/IME.

Best of luck

[Tweaked]

I had a very well fed flame angel in a 120 that was a model citizen for several years.

It started slowly with trachys and Caulastrea, then all my LPS and zoas were suffering. I was slow to recognize it was the flame since he had been so good for so long. One day I caught him red handed ripping hunks of tissue off my favorite open brain.

I think its not if, but when. I noticed that LPS were the primary target of my flame angel, and I am sure he was eating some zoas as well.

One of my favorite fish but not worth it IMO/IME.

Best of luck

Several years huh. Wow, sounds like a ticking time bomb. Any other stories out there?

[kegogut]

I have a flame angel thats suspect in eating my zoas right now. I also had an eibli that was eating them along with my plate,maxi mini etc. but I was able to catch him.

The flame hasnt touched anything but zoas so far.

[johnike]

And my dumb arse put an African Flameback in last year.
So far so good...

[nathan1986]

I have a flame angel in my predator tank that has numerous hammers, frogspawn, octospawn and a few zoanthids. The flame never, not once nipped at any of my corals. He is constantly grazing the rock work and munching on the algae on the back glass. It also eats mysis, plankton, rods food and even squid. I started a "should i buy a flame" thread as well with mixed inputs. Id assume once they have a taste for the coral then its game over. But the flame i bought was a tiny baby and since has doubled in size. Im more worried my porcupine puffer will eat my corals than the flame will. 7 months with the flame in my tank and not one incident. Hope it continues that way

[kegogut]

My last flame didnt nip at anything. My new one is a different story I think. Granted Ive not seen him take a bit of anything but someone is and hes suspect #1

[Blitz99]

I had a flame that would hit my bubble tips at the base also had to drain a tank and remove the rock..... He was lucky to be sold and not killed.

[Tweaked]

I had a flame that would hit my bubble tips at the base also had to drain a tank and remove the rock..... He was lucky to be sold and not killed.

Too funny. Glad it worked out for all involved.

[rogersb]

It's been a few years since I had a flame. IIRC it never gave any LPS any problems. I then got a potters and it kiled 2 wellsos. I tried catching that fish over and over. Lucky for me one day my harlequin tusk decided one day he was done eating pellets and potters angel was on the menu :)

[samaytt]

I have one in my tank and so far all it's good. You can never tell with fish anyways sometimes even tangs pick at corals.

[AirForceAquariu]

I may or may not have uttered a non church word or three.


Did you empty it in to your water bed? Or was that to make it easier to put back in?