Emperor angel questions

GoldeneyeRet · Jun 1, 2018

I have been considering an emperor for my upcoming build, looking for some info on these amazing fish.

How fast do they grow? I've read both very fast and very slow...

Juvie, changling,or adult, which to get?

What size do they change to adults? I have read accounts where the change gets "stuck" and doesn't happen. Is this common, or do they usually change in an aquarium?

Lastly, how big of a tank will keep an adult happy?

I'm leaning away from this one even though I want it so bad!

alton · Jun 1, 2018

How fast do they grow? I've read both very fast and very slow... - One that took 4 years to go to adult stage and get to 6", one that took 1 year to get to adult and grew from 2" to 6", my latest went from 2" to 5" in two years and now is starting to change

Juvie, changling,or adult, which to get? small African Juvie

What size do they change to adults? I have read accounts where the change gets "stuck" and doesn't happen. Is this common, or do they usually change in an aquarium? see above

Lastly, how big of a tank will keep an adult happy? 200+, I have a LFS that has a customer that wants mine when he gets his adult colors.

saullman · Jun 1, 2018

I purchased the smallest emperor angel I could find. I have a 45 gallon JBJ rimless. I know the tank is too small and he is growing very fast. I have had him about 5 months and will probably only have him for another 6 months. He is beautiful to look at but forget about keeping corals with him. He tends to tear up everything around him. I'll be sad when I have to give him up, but it will be for the better. He needs to be in a huge tank (100+ gallons).

GoldeneyeRet · Jun 1, 2018

Maybe send him to me saullman!

saullman · Jun 1, 2018

Haha. If you were local we could do some kind of trade.

saullman · Jun 1, 2018

He was $60 when I bought him as a baby.

ca1ore · Jun 1, 2018

I've added an emperor to my reef tank for the first time; never have kept one before. Since I much prefer the adult clothing, I went for a 6" specimen. NYAquatic seems to have the best pricing on them, though as I'm local I don't know what shipping would be. I have mine in a big tank, as you know, and I feed my tank A LOT! That may make the emperor a mire malleable tank mate. Haven't yet had any issues with him. I did add a zooanthid rock as a test, and it got stripped (I guess palytoxins don't bothter the fish). I don't know that it was the emperor because there's a sizable list of potential perps. Overall, very happy with it.

lion king · Jun 1, 2018

200g plus is a good place to start; all the other questions and answers are all over the map because there are many variables to consider. How fast do they grow, how much do you feed. For the most part online accounts are very exaggerated, when you read how fast and big their (fill in the blank) grew. As far as changing goes; it's all about the tank dynamics, who else is in there. I got an emporer in change and thought it would be soon; it took well over a year, he was with triggers, a lion, and dogface puffer. It's all about the price tag mostly when deciding on what stage to buy them. also what else is in your tank at the time you're adding. For the most part I've seen them grow pretty quick to about 4" then slow down. I've seen them start changing between 4-5" and I don't think I've seen full adults under 5". An awesome fish

Tft12 · Jun 1, 2018

Mine took about 1.5 years to go from about 1.5" juvenile to 8" adult. Mine started changing at about 3" and finished full adult colors at 8".

I would suggest buying a juvenile because they tend to adapt to captivity/prepared foods pretty easily.

Mine is in a 300 gallon now. I feel like this is about the minimum. Personally, I probably wouldn't go too much smaller on a long term home. He's almost looking cramped in the 300.

He was in a 180 reef until about 4 inches and I never saw him pay any attention to my SPS and LPS corals, but I've never had a lot of LPS (nor clams).