Captive bred angels suck

[Wildreefs]

Maybe just a 1 off, but from someone who has a wild Kenyan regal, picked up 3 captive bred regals along with a captive bred venestus, two regals and venustus lived 3 weeks before boom dead.

completely overrated , overly expensive, and certainly not “hardy”. Lfs near me brought in a captive majestic and gold flake, both dead in a week. Avoid at all costs IMO

 

[blaxsun]

Was this after any quarantine/observation period or straight into the tank?

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

Maybe just a 1 off, but from someone who has a wild Kenyan regal, picked up 3 captive bred regals along with a captive bred venestus, two regals and venustus lived 3 weeks before boom dead.

completely overrated , overly expensive, and certainly not “hardy”. Lfs near me brought in a captive majestic and gold flake, both dead in a week. Avoid at all costs IMO

Which vendor?

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

Which vendor?

Sry to hear.

 

[Wildreefs]

Rather not say the vendor, to me it’s immaterial. I spoke to another Angel breeder who said they are very difficult at that small size, and better 1.5 to 2 inches. Measured the deceased ones, not even an inch.
Yes I qt them, standard copper and prazi like I would for any fish. Do fine for a weeks, not really sure if there eating anything substantial enough, but throw in seaweed, pellets, frozen small stuff, mysis brine , fish eggs etc. then next morning laying there dead. Certainly not worth the 800 some sites command for them

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

There are just so many amazingly beautiful and/or interesting fish out there to choose from I don't understand why anyone would pay those prices personally

 

[Dave1993]

mhmmm my captive bred goldflake is hardy had him/her a while now eats like a pig

 

[Dave1993]

 

[Grumblez]

Rather not say the vendor, to me it’s immaterial. I spoke to another Angel breeder who said they are very difficult at that small size, and better 1.5 to 2 inches. Measured the deceased ones, not even an inch.
Yes I qt them, standard copper and prazi like I would for any fish. Do fine for a weeks, not really sure if there eating anything substantial enough, but throw in seaweed, pellets, frozen small stuff, mysis brine , fish eggs etc. then next morning laying there dead. Certainly not worth the 800 some sites command for them

Fish that young isn't gonna tolerate copper very well

 

[i cant think]

Fish that young isn't gonna tolerate copper very well

+1 to this, copper can be extremely harmful to young fish and actually leave other fish, such as mandarins and tilefish with copper burns no matter what age they are.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Maybe just a 1 off, but from someone who has a wild Kenyan regal, picked up 3 captive bred regals along with a captive bred venestus, two regals and venustus lived 3 weeks before boom dead.

completely overrated , overly expensive, and certainly not “hardy”. Lfs near me brought in a captive majestic and gold flake, both dead in a week. Avoid at all costs IMO

I haven't had a captive regal, but one known issue with TR fish is that the producers sell them at a very young age in order to reduce grow out costs. These small fish of course cannot go but a short time without proper food (days). During the supply chain, their diets are disrupted, causing them to utilize liver for energy. That can cause mortality even after they settle in and start eating again. Another issue is their skewed surface to volume ratio that makes them much more sensitive to chemicals in the water (including copper).

I saw that Biota is holding some YT back, and growing them larger before sale (at a higher price of course). This is obviously in response to the issues they were seeing when selling smaller ones.

I still feel that captive raised is going to be the road we will need to go for a sustainable hobby.

Jay

 

[Wildreefs]

I have a captive gold flake that I got at two inches, still going strong. Also have the Cortez, about twice the size of regals were , still going strong . Regals, literally size of a nickel, lasted 3 weeks. In same tank conditions

 

[Wildreefs]

I haven't had a captive regal, but one known issue with TR fish is that the producers sell them at a very young age in order to reduce grow out costs. These small fish of course cannot go but a short time without proper food (days). During the supply chain, their diets are disrupted, causing them to utilize liver for energy. That can cause mortality even after they settle in and start eating again. Another issue is their skewed surface to volume ratio that makes them much more sensitive to chemicals in the water (including copper).

I saw that Biota is holding some YT back, and growing them larger before sale (at a higher price of course). This is obviously in response to the issues they were seeing when selling smaller ones.

I still feel that captive raised is going to be the road we will need to go for a sustainable hobby.

Jay

Bingo. Makes perfect sense. Wonder what price would be if they were double the size, instead of 6-800, $1200? Almost black tang territory, ridiculous

 

[i cant think]

Bingo. Makes perfect sense. Wonder what price would be if they were double the size, instead of 6-800, $1200? Almost black tang territory, ridiculous

Almost?! That surpasses black tang territory over here.

 

[areefer01]

This is obviously in response to the issues they were seeing when selling smaller ones.

Are you sure about that? Reference would be ideal.

I still feel that captive raised is going to be the road we will need to go for a sustainable hobby.

Jay

It is really the only solution long term. That and aquaculture corals. If we don't get our house in order the governments around the world will for us.

 

[aurora.k]

I have a gold flake CB that I’ve had since last august and is doing great. I did not treat with copper

 

[areefer01]

Almost?! That surpasses black tang territory over here.

Ignorance is bliss I guess. Any idea what goes on behind the scene with captive bred/raised production? I fully understand hobbyists are used to grocery store shopping and prices for fish but those days are running out.

You can't get a yellow tang anymore. For 150 or 250 bucks you can have one or more. The days of a $10 yellow tang are over.

 

[areefer01]

I have a gold flake CB that I’ve had since last august and is doing great. I did not treat with copper

There really isn't a need to go through several layers of treatment when buying captive bred / or raised fish directly from the source. Their systems are clean. Buying from a 3rd party is another story. Of course it comes down to each hobbyist and their risk level.

 

[Wildreefs]

There really isn't a need to go through several layers of treatment when buying captive bred / or raised fish directly from the source. Their systems are clean. Buying from a 3rd party is another story. Of course it comes down to each hobbyist and their risk level.

False.

they are raised in an open loop system using ocean water . Not sterile at all

 

[areefer01]

False.

they are raised in an open loop system using ocean water . Not sterile at all

That would probably be in Palau. The holding vats in the states where I believe they are grown out are bio secure. They still recommend QT as a practice thus me saying it has to be up to the hobbyist.