Dwarf angels and coral question

[hossa81]

So, I understand that dwarf angels, I'm looking at the Bicolor for my next project, are coral nippers. My question is will they eat entire colonies of faster growing large area corals, like gsp and xenia, or will they just pick at a polyp or two from time to time.

[Stevenliu9]

Just a fair warning- you will hear a lot of different opinions and answers here but at end of day each fish is different. I have had dwarf angels completely reef safe did not touch a thing. And I have also had ones who won't stop chumping on coral and clams. At end of the day you'll be taking a gamble either way. If your fish are well fed, in my experience, will less likely bother corals and inverts. If not, they'll start looking for nutritional substitutes readily available in the hood.

[jason2459]

Here's a good thread on tracking angel successes with different reef types

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1661152&page=16

it probably should be part of the fish primer sticky.

I've got a bi-color, flame, and coral beauty in a kind of a mixed reef 180 that's heavily fed. Haven't had any problems yet but I haven't had the bi-color long enough to really say how it will do long term. Once I've had that one longer I plan to add to that thread. My flame and coral beauty I've had for a while now with no issues.

[hossa81]

Here's a good thread on tracking angel successes with different reef types

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1661152&page=16

it probably should be part of the fish primer sticky.

I've got a bi-color, flame, and coral beauty in a kind of a mixed reef 180 that's heavily fed. Haven't had any problems yet but I haven't had the bi-color long enough to really say how it will do long term. Once I've had that one longer I plan to add to that thread. My flame and coral beauty I've had for a while now with no issues.
Awesome thread man, really helpful

[whitrose02]

So it totally depends on the fish. I know that's not really an answer, but it's true. I've had good luck with some and TERRIBLE luck with some. And getting them back out is a ***** and a half. I love them, so I keep doing it, but it is definitely a risk even with safer varieties.

[GoobieGoo]

+1 on the depends on the fish. I've had angels who didn't nip a thing. Then there's the flame angel who ate Xenia and nipped at almost any other coral. It's definitely a gamble.

[alton]

I posted the following in Amzar123's thread when she mentioned her Flame Nipping;
My larger female has always nipped on SPS, but has never killed or stunted one. I am guessing she is cleaning or eating the algae off very similar to a Scarlet Reef Crab when they crawl all over my SPS.

[jason2459]

Having lots of rock to peck at, fed often, and having sheets of nori in the tank all seem to help. Angels will peck at everything in the tank all day long. If they happen to peck at something that is even remotely digestible and they are hungry they continue coming back to peck at that item. The hungrier they are the more often they will come back to that spot. IMO

[shred5]

Just a fair warning- you will hear a lot of different opinions and answers here but at end of day each fish is different. I have had dwarf angels completely reef safe did not touch a thing. And I have also had ones who won't stop chumping on coral and clams. At end of the day you'll be taking a gamble either way. If your fish are well fed, in my experience, will less likely bother corals and inverts. If not, they'll start looking for nutritional substitutes readily available in the hood.


Well true there are some that are far more known coral munchers and ones that have a far less chance.. I think all do a little here and there but that is ok.

A cherub pigmy angel is defiantly know to be better behaved than like a Flame.