Adding Fish AFTER a Dwarf Angel

[Yellowsound]

Hey Folks- I have a 60g SPS reef. Current fish include:

3 Black Axl Chromis
1 Flame Hawk
1 Orchid Dottyback
1 True Shepard’s Angel

I’ve lost a couple fish over the last 2-3 years, and I’m looking to add back a few. I’m looking for any tips on anticipating & managing potential bullying from the shepard’s angel. He’s been in the tank since Feb’20, so... pretty well-established at this point. I’d say he’s very well-behaved w/ his current tank mates- no real problems to speak of- but I know dwarf angels, in general, can be aggressive toward new tank mates.

Would it help to add 2 fish rather than just one? I was just thinking that adding multiple fish might help distract from any targeting of a single new tank mate? Also, what about introducing new fish at night, when the lights are out (and the dwarf angel is ‘asleep’)?

If it helps, I’m thinking of adding 1 or 2 of the following (probably not all 3):

Yellow ‘coris’ Wrasse
Melanurus Wrasse
Springer’s Damsel (aka, Blue Sapphire Damsel)

Appreciate any thoughts you all may have!

 

[threebuoys]

I think it is highly likely the dwarf angel will exhibit aggression towards the new fish. Adding multiple new fish at the same time and with the lights out at night will help when the fish are initially introduced, but it will not take the angel very long to figure out whats going on.

Whether the new fish can take the heat is hard to say. I recently added a convict tang and a sail fin tang to my 125 gallon tank. Both larger than the established bi-color angel and two 3 spot damsels.

The 3 spots terrorized the tangs to the point that I had to catch the three spots and remove them. The angel also picks at the tangs. Fortunately they've been able to adjust and the bi-color only picks at them a few times a day now , from which they are able to escape.

It will depend a bit on the size and aggression level of the new fish. If the coris is small, it may have a problem until it grows a bit. The melanurus should be big enough, the damsel should be fast enough.

Good luck.

 

[MONTANTK]

I would say adding two fish will increase your success for sure. I don’t think the Shepard’s angels are usually aggressive but it’s never out of the question. A melanaurus wrasse and a springeri should definitely be able to hold their own

 

[ThePurple12]

I hardly saw any aggression from my adult coral beauty after adding several fish over a few years. With the fish you want to add, there shouldn’t be any problems.

 

[albano]

About to do something similar… have a pair of Shepherds in my 500g, which I’ll be moving to my new home. In my 200g (also moving) I have a Flame and a Coral Beauty that have been together for years. Thinking of ‘introducing’ the 4 of them to each other while in holding tanks for the move. If there’s no real problems I’d like to have all 4 in the 500g which will have approx. 60 fish.

 

[Yellowsound]

Very helpful! Thanks for all the replies, everyone. Might add the new fish next week- keep you posted on how it turns out.

 

[blueface]

Acclimation box is the only way to go IMO.

 

[Zionas]

Can I ask how you managed to pair your Shepherd’s Angels? And how did you get your Flame and Coral Beauty to get along?

 

[blaxsun]

This is just from my own experience... I had two smaller separate tanks. Each had a dwarf angelfish and a number of wrasse, damsels and other fish. Everyone got along peachy. When I moved to a larger system I combined the fish in batches: first one tank, then the other (not ideal, but I had to remove all rocks and corals to catch all the little buggers). Everyone still got along - for the most part.

The Midnight Angelfish decided that even with 160 gallons "this tank isn't big enough for the both of us", and harassed the poor Coral Beauty for the first few weeks - chasing him around at every opportunity. This lasted around a week and a half, and then the Midnight finally came to the realization that this was altogether too much work - and now they've worked out a custody arrangement for the tank, including meals, favorite haunts and sleeping arrangements.

There's also a juvenile Emperor Angelfish who could seriously care less about the drama and just cruises around.