Dwarf angel most appropriate for a softy tank?

Maddlesrain · May 23, 2019

I lost my beloved Potter’s angel almost a year ago, and would like to look into the option of reintroducing an angel fish to the tank.

Are there any dwarf angels that are less inclined to eat soft corals?? My tank is almost all leathers and zoas/palys, with a couple gorgonians and acans mixed in, and many anemones.

Might be wishful thinking on my end, but I’m hoping there might be one!
I really love the heraldi, or yellow, angelfish but the research I’ve done on them is pretty sporadic and I haven’t gotten a clear idea of what exactly they usually munch on.

EmdeReef · May 23, 2019

All angels are going to be tempted by most soft and lps corals but how much they nip will depend on the tank, other fish, feeding, number of corals etc etc. basically there’s no completely safe angel.

Maddlesrain · May 23, 2019

EmdeReef said:
All angels are going to be tempted by most soft and lps corals but how much they nip will depend on the tank, other fish, feeding, number of corals etc etc. basically there’s no completely safe angel.

That’s what I figured. I’m not sure I’m willing to give up all my softies now haha

I was hoping there might be a dwarf that’s been kinder to more reefers than not.

sfin52 · May 23, 2019

my coral beauty is a model citizen. He is with zoa,poly,gsp,shrooms,leathers and Kenya tree.

Crustaceon · May 23, 2019

I’ve had a coral beauty in a tank that’s full of zoas, euphyllia, kenya tree, shrooms and green star polyp. Six months in and no nipping.

sfin52 · May 23, 2019

mine has been in the tank for 5yrs

JaimeAdams · May 23, 2019

I work at a LFS and I get people trading in coral beauties regularly because they started eating their coral.

mattzang · May 23, 2019

well i'd say lemonpeel probably isn't advisable..

Crustaceon · May 23, 2019

JaimeAdams said:
I work at a LFS and I get people trading in coral beauties regularly because they started eating their coral.

It makes me wonder if some of this is due to coral dying due to other reasons, growing algae on the skeleton and having the angel peck at it. I picked up a clownfish a few years ago from someone who emphatically claimed it had killed all of the seahorses that were in the tank with it (lol, wut) simply because he caught the clownfish pecking at the corpses.

Angel_Anthias lover · May 23, 2019

Multibar and coral beauty model citizens so far

Maddlesrain · May 23, 2019

Crustaceon said:
It makes me wonder if some of this is due to coral dying due to other reasons, growing algae on the skeleton and having the angel peck at it. I picked up a clownfish a few years ago from someone who emphatically claimed it had killed all of the seahorses that were in the tank with it (lol, wut) simply because he caught the clownfish pecking at the corpses.

I do think that sometimes information gets misconstrued for sure. However, I have had fish that I’ve watched rip chunks of flesh off corals before! Lol

WMR · May 23, 2019

Any angel in a reef tank is 50/50, possibly Genicanthus angels

mta_morrow · May 23, 2019

I have a coral beauty with to name a few, huge green sinulara, finger leather, toadstool, and zoas.

No issues in the 6 months I’ve had it. But I also realize it could be different tomorrow!

JaimeAdams · May 23, 2019

Go with a female Bellus Angel and you will be good. I've seen Lemon Peels, Coral Beauties, Flame angels all be good and I've seen them all eat coral. What WMR above said is true that genus is 99% coral safe.

Jesterrace · May 23, 2019

Maddlesrain said:
I lost my beloved Potter’s angel almost a year ago, and would like to look into the option of reintroducing an angel fish to the tank.

Are there any dwarf angels that are less inclined to eat soft corals?? My tank is almost all leathers and zoas/palys, with a couple gorgonians and acans mixed in, and many anemones.

Might be wishful thinking on my end, but I’m hoping there might be one!
I really love the heraldi, or yellow, angelfish but the research I’ve done on them is pretty sporadic and I haven’t gotten a clear idea of what exactly they usually munch on.

It's really a gamble with any of them. Although the success rate with Dwarf and Pygmy Angels tend to be a bit higher with these:

Flame Angel
Coral Beauty
Potter's
Cherubfish aka Pygmy Angel

Lemon Peels, Bicolors, Eibli aka Red Stripe and Half Black all tend to be worse odds for Coral Nipping

I will say this that with any Pygmy or Dwarf Angel that your chances of success are improved by adding it to an established tank with Algae Growing and daily Seaweed/Nori Feedings. Once again not a guarantee, just better odds of success.

I had a Flame Angel who repeatedly nipped my Euphyllia Corals and was an aggressive butthead to boot. I now have a Coral Beauty who takes the occasional nip but nothing that really harms the corals and is an otherwise model citizen. I do think some folks over react and get rid of Dwarf and Pygmy Angels when they see the exploratory nip. The occasional exploratory nip doesn't hurt the coral, it's when they start doing multiple repeated nips that you have cause to worry. I have seen my CB take the once in a blue moon chunk out of my Euphyllia Corals and spit it back out (clearly didn't like it).

MnFish1 · May 23, 2019

There are multiple 'softies' around. Part of it depends on what softies - and what angel. Perhaps try to Find an LFS that has an angel in with similar corals the you have. Have had multiple angels in tanks that never touched coral - except a lemon peel - that literally trained the others to start attacking lol

. ..... Its angel specific (i.e. that one) - not a species or breed, etc imho

Maddlesrain · May 23, 2019

MnFish1 said:
There are multiple 'softies' around. Part of it depends on what softies - and what angel. Perhaps try to Find an LFS that has an angel in with similar corals the you have. Have had multiple angels in tanks that never touched coral - except a lemon peel - that literally trained the others to start attacking lol. ..... Its angel specific (i.e. that one) - not a species or breed, etc imho

I have tons of leathers and zoas. Yeah, I agree it comes down to personality, but it seems like it’s best to avoid certain fish like lemon peels. I’ll have to do some more research and some thinking on the subject and decide whether I’m ok with risking a few corals.

ca1ore · May 23, 2019

Yeah but the lemonpeel is such a pretty fish. I have one in my mixed reef. So what if it eats a few polyps. I’ve had dozens of dwarf angels over the years and softies mostly got left alone. Big fleshy LPS were lunch though. I just don’t keep them anymore.

norfolkgarden · May 24, 2019

Zoas are likely going to keep your angelfish very healthy. :-/
There are some nice palys available that are munched on less.

Our new (less than a year) small bicolor pair and tiny flame pair haven't noticed our 2 frogspawn frags (yet) but just a matter of time.
Watched the newest bicolor sampling an NPS gorgonian.
I'm a fish guy over corals so...

Maddlesrain · May 24, 2019

norfolkgarden said:
Zoas are likely going to keep your angelfish very healthy. :-/
There are some nice palys available that are munched on less.

Our new (less than a year) small bicolor pair and tiny flame pair haven't noticed our 2 frogspawn frags (yet) but just a matter of time.
Watched the newest bicolor sampling an NPS gorgonian.
I'm a fish guy over corals so...

I used to be more fish oriented, but after my tank was wiped out by velvet about 10 months ago and I’ve only kept 2 chromis and beefed up my corals since then I’m more inclined to shy away from anything that will destroy what I’ve been creating.

I might end up holding off on the angel for now and get another one at a later time... maybe when I have a second tank. Haha

They’re so tempting though!!