Do Asfurs stay smaller in captivity?

[Zionas]

Was browsing some old threads on Reef Central (including one with Jay) and a couple people have mentioned that Asfurs are a very slow growing angel (like the Majestic and Regal) and generally tend to stay “smaller” in captivity (6-7” ish?). Copps has echoed the same opinion and he kept an Asfur for a few years during the time the thread was made (2009-ish), not sure if he still has it now.

For those of you who are long-time Asfur keepers, have you found it to be true? Do they grow slowly and top out at not too big of a size? If you’ve seen large ones were they grown to those sizes or caught at / near those sizes in the wild?

Would be nice to know how they compare size wise in captivity to other larger angels.

Their cousin, the Maculosus, is known to get very big and to grow pretty quickly.

Max size on FishBase and other books says they get to 16” max but I wonder if anyone’s grown an Asfur to anything near that size.

From what I’ve gathered on RC:
1. Jay kept one for ~7 years (as of 2009) in a 500G FOWLR and it topped out at around just shy of 6”

2. One was kept in a 480G for ~12 years and topped out at around 5.5”

3. One was kept for ~5 years (not sure about tank size) and around 6”

4. One was kept in the UK for ~4 years and was also around 6” in length

Not sure how big copps’ got (if he still has it now) but are these experiences indicative of the size they usually reach in tanks?

I have read a number of accounts from long-time (5+, some 10+) keepers of Majestic and Regal Angels and it seems that they don’t get much bigger than 6-7” even after such a time period.

I’m asking because I do find it to be a really pretty angel.

@ca1ore has kept one at some point, not sure if he still has it now / how big it’s grown.

 

[matthew_coletta]

Was browsing some old threads on Reef Central (including one with Jay) and a couple people have mentioned that Asfurs are a very slow growing angel (like the Majestic and Regal) and generally tend to stay “smaller” in captivity (6-7” ish?). Copps has echoed the same opinion and he kept an Asfur for a few years during the time the thread was made (2009-ish), not sure if he still has it now.

For those of you who are long-time Asfur keepers, have you found it to be true? Do they grow slowly and top out at not too big of a size? If you’ve seen large ones were they grown to those sizes or caught at / near those sizes in the wild?

Would be nice to know how they compare size wise in captivity to other larger angels.

Their cousin, the Maculosus, is known to get very big and to grow pretty quickly.

Max size on FishBase and other books says they get to 16” max but I wonder if anyone’s grown an Asfur to anything near that size.

From what I’ve gathered on RC:
1. Jay kept one for ~7 years (as of 2009) in a 500G FOWLR and it topped out at around just shy of 6”

2. One was kept in a 480G for ~12 years and topped out at around 5.5”

3. One was kept for ~5 years (not sure about tank size) and around 6”

4. One was kept in the UK for ~4 years and was also around 6” in length

Not sure how big copps’ got (if he still has it now) but are these experiences indicative of the size they usually reach in tanks?

I have read a number of accounts from long-time (5+, some 10+) keepers of Majestic and Regal Angels and it seems that they don’t get much bigger than 6-7” even after such a time period.

I think with large angels it really depends. I know they tend to grow to their tank sizes but with that being said they are still large fish. I’ve seen some angels get up to 12-14 inches if given enough space.

 

[Zionas]

I see. In your experience what are the angels that regularly get to those sizes?

From what I’ve gathered some people who have kept Regals and Majestic Angels for 10+ years haven’t had them get large at all. It also seems that unless wild caught as large adults, Goldflake and Flagfin Angels also don’t get too big. Dave (o2manyfish) had a pair of Goldflakes for 5-6 years in a fairly big tank and I think they stayed at 5-5.5”.