dwarf angels together

[melypr1985]

Hi guys. I have a customer who already has a coral beauty. He wants to add a lemon peel and a flame angel to his tank. It's a 135 reef and he already knows the dangers of housing angels in a reef. I've given him "the talk" on this. My question comes because I've never kept the three of these together. I've kept two of them together in different combos, but never all three. I'm wondering how this senerio would turn out? What if he wanted to add a Regal angel and a Majestic Angel to the mix? Will the 5 angels get along together? Is this a recipe for failure? I dont want to let him get these fish if they wont mix. He's already paid for the majestic and will add it after I'm able to find a juvi for him.

Thanks for the help as always guys/gals!

 

[hybridazn]

Why back when I had my 75 gallon I had an established flame angel. A lfs employee insisted that it would be ok to add a coral beauty to the tank even though I insisted it wouldn't. Long story short, as soon as the coral beauty hit the water it was WWIII. Within 15 minutes the coral beauty was so beat up it later died because of the injuries. The flame continued to beat up on it even while I was ripping rock out of the tank to get the coral beauty out, it was insane.

 

[Highgrade]

I would say pass on the lemon peel. The Flame may be questionable. The Regal and Majestic should be fine. My regal and Potters are like best buds. They wont leave each others sides. Acclimation boxes for the smaller angels may be the way to go at first. As we all know most angels are a pain to catch once added to a tank. May save some headaches and loss/damage to the fish.

 

[ncaldwell]

I had a coral beauty, flame angel and a potters angel together in a 135 for about 6 months until I lost everything to a disease. All added together, and no problems

 

[NeuroticAquatics]

I tried adding a Flame into my 240g and my Rusty was all over it. I had to pull it out. I tried adding it to my son's 75g that had an established Coral Beauty and the same happened. I do plan to add Angels to my 240g (it's been fallow) but I plan to add two dwarfs at the same time and later add two large Angels at the same time. We will see how it goes.

 

[Humblefish]

A Flame & CB will usually not mix (unless added at the same time) due to their similar vertical lines. My pet theory (I also think I read it somewhere) is certain fish (like angels) won't gel if their color or body pattern is too similar. It's like the polar opposite of discrimination.

Lemonpeels get larger than most dwarf angels and like to throw their weight around. I once had a Coral Beauty, Lemonpeel, Cherub, Eibli, Flameback and a juvenile Blue Angel in my 150. There were many skirmishes before I started thinning the heard, but nobody got killed.

 

[eatbreakfast]

I've had multiple dwarf angels work, and have had it not work.

Using a social acclimation box, adding multiples simultaneously, and putting a mirror up can all help.

 

[melypr1985]

Thanks guys! I'll pass this info along.

 

[mfinn]

I must have been lucky through the years. I've kept Flames with Coral Beauty's a couple times and never really saw a problem. Occasionally a passing swipe at each other, but noting more than a second or two.

 

[4FordFamily]

I've kept all three together and even several flames in the same tank (3 or more - 2 does NOT work) without issue. 3+ centropyge would be best if he insists on trying. Majestic and regal would be fine. Like tangs Angels tend to have less aggression when there are more of them (much like we all saw with cichlids before we got in to saltwater).

As mentioned, there is a chance it could backfire. I would add all of the Angels at once and ensure they're disease free for best chance of getting along. Move rocks around and add a mirror on each side to distract. Keep lights off for a day or two. Watch tank parameters because 4 Angels is a lot to add at once so water changes may be needed for a week or two to keep them in check.

 

[melypr1985]

He ended up just getting the lemon peal (well among other things). The other larger angels haven't come in yet. I told him his chances of aggression and to call me if anything happened. I'll make sure to bring up the mirror and lights out trick just in case. Thanks guys for all the help!

 

[Rattooth]

My experience do not mix same genus of angels together. Two or three dwarf , bad idea. If different genus - no problem. These fish should live years , so even one year before one stresses , not good enough. Two or three dwarf Angels , one is always stressed. It may live a year or year and a half, but would be better if not together.
Currently , I have Bandit, Flame, and Black Velvet in 185 gallon tank . They seem fine. And in a different 185 gallon tank I have Magestic and Multicolor.

 

[mfinn]

I had a flame and a coral beauty together for about 12 years.
Then 2 years ago when my tank sprung a leak I had to move all the fish into a holding tank. Lost the flame in the transfer. The coral beauty lived another 2 years.

 

[Humblefish]

I had a flame and a coral beauty together for about 12 years.
Then 2 years ago when my tank sprung a leak I had to move all the fish into a holding tank. Lost the flame in the transfer. The coral beauty lived another 2 years.

That's a long lifespan for dwarf angels!

 

[spartanman22]

I've had luck with multiple centropyges/paracentropyges in 75-80 gallon tank sizes. Although I'd strongly recommend against a lemon peel. In my experience this was the worst dwarf angel for a reef setting. Granted I may have just had a bad individual, but I think you'll find them to be poor reef habitants. Just my 2 cents!

 

[maroun.c]

I tried to pair a couple of coral beauties few weeks back, went with 2 tiny ones and placed in same q tank and initial aggression was worse than tangs. I made a separator and divided the quarantine in two and at day 3-4 aggression decreased. Unfortunately they came with velvet and lost both a few days apart.
Will be trying with 2 new ones soon and then place in frag tank till I get a flame and quarantine it then will release all 3 together in tank.

 

[4FordFamily]

IME coral beauty are one of the more aggressive centropyge and adding two of them is very risky. Flames tend to be less aggressive and I've not been able to keep two together long term. Three works, sometimes two flames with another centropyge will work.

I am not saying not to try it, but I am saying have a plan B lol

 

[Eaj1001]

Hi guys. I have a customer who already has a coral beauty. He wants to add a lemon peel and a flame angel to his tank. It's a 135 reef and he already knows the dangers of housing angels in a reef. I've given him "the talk" on this. My question comes because I've never kept the three of these together. I've kept two of them together in different combos, but never all three. I'm wondering how this senerio would turn out? What if he wanted to add a Regal angel and a Majestic Angel to the mix? Will the 5 angels get along together? Is this a recipe for failure? I dont want to let him get these fish if they wont mix. He's already paid for the majestic and will add it after I'm able to find a juvi for him.

Thanks for the help as always guys/gals!

The 2 most territorial of the dwarfs in my experience were the flame and the absolute terror to the other fish was my lemon peel..I don't know if they're always so territorial but just wanted relay me experience. I will not put them together again unless the tank is massive. The best tempered and easiest was and is my cherub but I've heard others say theirs is dominant, it's a high spirited group of fish and even though a 135 is (I have one not set up) a large tank it's not large enough for multiple Angels..imo.

 

[Trex]

My flame and coral beauty have been together for about 5 years now (( perhaps 6 )). They are currently residing in the left half of a 75 (( the tank is separated by egg crate --- been this way for the last 7 months or so, we sold our townhouse and built a new house. Still have to set up the tank(s) in the new place, this one is in the basement of my Mother-in-Law's house. The right side has a flameback and venustus dwarf angels, along with a pair of clowns )).
Prior to the 75, they were in a 65, along with a multicolored angel that I lost during the move. The coral beauty and multicolored were in the 65 first, (( and actually in a 58 in a previous townhouse )) I added the flame with an acclimation box. A little chasing at first, but no real issues.