Emperor angelfish

[Cory]

my emperor angelfish is getting very aggressive. He chases my panther grouper, and all other fish. Whats yours like?

 

[vetteguy53081]

my emperor angelfish is getting very aggressive. He chases my panther grouper, and all other fish. Whats yours like?

They can be aggressive especially at adult stage. Give it nori seaweed or similar to distract it. A tank divider would be option b

 

[Kryptonian]

As a juvenile, he reminds me of a little puppy. Whenever I walk near the tank, he's the first fish to swim right up to the glass and just sits there wagging his fins. He's territorial and acts tough but gets pushed out by the regals. He keeps trying to act big. Probably the most energetic fish in the tank, even way more than the blue tangs. Great fish!

 

[nezw0001]

Mine turned mean once he got big

 

[I’ma tempermental coral]

Had one years ago every bit of 12+ inches. Absolutely stunner!!!! COMPLETE JERK! Lol. You could actually hear him grunting at the other fish in the tank from other rooms in the house! Only way to keep him from actually starting fights was to feed him so much he probably couldn’t chase anyone lol.

 

[JCTReefer]

I’d love to hear other people’s experiences as this will be the last fish I’ll be adding to my new build. I had one about 13 years ago, but tore down the tank and had to get rid of it. I never really had any issues with it, but it was a juvenile. Seems like most every thing I’ve read, and I’ve read a ton about Emperors lately, say they’re definitely the boss in most tanks, but usually don’t outright kill other tank mates. Kind of like the grumpy grandpa attitude. Stay out of my space, leave me alone and things will be okay. Every fish is different though. I recently visited the Dallas aquarium and this one was about 14 inches long!
I’m guessing it was in about a 1500-2000 gallon tank. Bet the tank was about 8 feet long by 5-6 feet high by 5 feet deep. The hippo he was with was well over a foot long also. I never realized how big these fish got until I saw it in person! It seriously made me question putting one in a 210.

 

[Cory]

I’ve read a ton about Emperors lately, say they’re definitely the boss in most tanks, but usually don’t outright kill other tank mates.

yes mine got mean now hes got full color. He usually nips the fishes tails or fins but doesnt outright kill them is correct. Just sort of keeps them in the top 10" of tank. They get way less food than him. Ive seen him go up beside my yellow tang and stop and grunt at him four times. The yellow tang isnt very happy anymore to the point im worried for his health (hes getting skinny)

 

[JumboShrimp]

Mine is a sub-adult, just now starting to lighten up in the face; I'd say his body is about the size of my hand. And I 'do' see him becoming more and more aggressive, but along the line of the other comments-- "Kind of like the grumpy grandpa attitude. Stay out of my space, leave me alone and things will be okay." (Well said.) So far his bark (grunt) is bigger than his bite. Lol. He's chasing other fish more each week, but just to show who is boss. An incredible fish! Loves a cracked-open frozen mussel each day.

 

[Cory]

Mine is a sub-adult, just now starting to lighten up in the face; I'd say his body is about the size of my hand. And I 'do' see him becoming more and more aggressive, but along the line of the other comments-- "Kind of like the grumpy grandpa attitude. Stay out of my space, leave me alone and things will be okay." (Well said.) So far his bark (grunt) is bigger than his bite. Lol. He's chasing other fish more each week, but just to show who is boss. An incredible fish! Loves a cracked-open frozen mussel each day.

Yes mine loves mussels too, the black ones. I haven't given one in months though.

But mostly his diet is nori lol. He just loves nori seaweed.

 

[I’ma tempermental coral]

yes mine got mean now hes got full color. He usually nips the fishes tails or fins but doesnt outright kill them is correct. Just sort of keeps them in the top 10" of tank. They get way less food than him. Ive seen him go up beside my yellow tang and stop and grunt at him four times. The yellow tang isnt very happy anymore.

I semi agree with this. With my queen angel that was only slightly smaller than he was he would nip it’s streamers off from time to time. DROVE ME ABSOLUTELY NUTS! Lol. But he and my Mata tang that was larger than him would outright fight to kill occasionally! Normally food broke up the fighting and we’d be safe for a good few months. BUT! There were a couple of times either the Mata or the Emperor would find themselves with an extended stay in casa de sump! FYI the sump was a 300 gallon pond basically so no one was really upset to be in there with all the macro they could eat lol.

 

[Cory]

I semi agree with this. With my queen angel that was only slightly smaller than he was he would nip it’s streamers off from time to time. DROVE ME ABSOLUTELY NUTS! Lol. But he and my Mata tang that was larger than him would outright fight to kill occasionally! Normally food broke up the fighting and we’d be safe for a good few months. BUT! There were a couple of times either the Mata or the Emperor would find themselves with an extended stay in casa de sump! FYI the sump was a 300 gallon pond basically so no one was really upset to be in there with all the macro they could eat lol.

Wow id guess they can vary in behavior. Im thinking of putting up the mirror again to calm them down.

 

[JCTReefer]

So I’m guessing all of you that are keeping or have kept this fish were doing so in a reef setting? I have heard of many successes housing them with SPS and some LPS. And also the more noxious softies. I was reading that on the LPS end of the spectrum most Euphyllia “Torches, hammers, Frogspawn” are left alone. And also Favia, Gonis, Blastos, and Duncan’s. And so far as softies, most leathers and such weren’t normally on the menu. And also mushrooms and Anemones are likely to be okay. I guess it boils down to your tolerance for nipping. Or in some cases out right destroying a colony of whatever. I heard Zoas are like tasty skittles to them. That and Acans are likely to be a snack. Trachy’s and Candy Canes seem to be on the menu also.
So what are yalls experience with this particular fish and corals? Or are y’all keeping them in a FOWLR setting? I realize all fish are individualistic, but was curious.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Mine is in a FOWLR, but I really crave at least ‘a little bit of something,’ so I am going to put a $25 Xenia frag in there and see if it becomes a snack or gets ignored. If all goes well, an experimental leather. Those two things alone would satisfy me.

 

[Cory]

So I’m guessing all of you that are keeping or have kept this fish were doing so in a reef setting? I have heard of many successes housing them with SPS and some LPS. And also the more noxious softies. I was reading that on the LPS end of the spectrum most Euphyllia “Torches, hammers, Frogspawn” are left alone. And also Favia, Gonis, Blastos, and Duncan’s. And so far as softies, most leathers and such weren’t normally on the menu. And also mushrooms and Anemones are likely to be okay. I guess it boils down to your tolerance for nipping. Or in some cases out right destroying a colony of whatever. I heard Zoas are like tasty skittles to them. That and Acans are likely to be a snack. Trachy’s and Candy Canes seem to be on the menu also.
So what are yalls experience with this particular fish and corals? Or are y’all keeping them in a FOWLR setting? I realize all fish are individualistic, but was curious.

He hasnt ate any of my corals, or whats left of them after the dino outbreak killed most sps. For softies ive got blue discosoma mushrooms, star polyps he hasnt touched. Also hasn't touched any sps. If you buy this fish have a back up plan or dont cry if he eats all your softies.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I can see the concensus says: Adult emperors are :

 

[I’ma tempermental coral]

I tried birds nest, monti cap, zoa, palys, Hollywood stunner, and even a frag of a NASTY frog spawn that ate a 6 line! Nothing lasted more than a few moments not even the massively aggressive frogspawn. And as I said it wasn’t due to a lack of food that’s for sure!!! Lol

 

[Cory]

I tried birds nest, monti cap, zoa, palys, Hollywood stunner, and even a frag of a NASTY frog spawn that ate a 6 line! Nothing lasted more than a few moments not even the massively aggressive frogspawn. And as I said it wasn’t due to a lack of food that’s for sure!!! Lol

Wait, your emperor ate all those corals?

 

[I’ma tempermental coral]

Wait, your emperor ate all those corals?

As soon as my husbands hand left the tank after mounting, we started calling “investigative chomping”. Hahaha. There was one occasion where he didn’t turn an entire frag of birds nest into sand immediately but the excitement was short lived. Pretty sure as soon as he realized he didn’t polish it off down to the glue not 2 minutes later it was gone... :mad: hahaha we worked sooooo hard to get the nutrients down to coral acceptable levels in that monster system too! Hahahaha

 

[JCTReefer]

He hasnt ate any of my corals, or whats left of them after the dino outbreak killed most sps. For softies ive got blue discosoma mushrooms, star polyps he hasnt touched. Also hasn't touched any sps. If you buy this fish have a back up plan or dont cry if he eats all your softies.

Man a back up plan is a definite! That’s good advice. Geez, I’m not sure if I’m ballsy enough to follow through with it. But dang, it is my all time favorite marine fish. I think I would cry if one decided to wreak havoc on everything. I don’t keep any SPS, just LPS and softies. That and about 30 RF anemones. Seems awfully risky. I have some serious thinking to do. I have heard horror stories and success stories. You just never know what you’re gonna get. Then that perfectly behaved specimen you’ve had for years turns into
a coral muncher.

I tried birds nest, monti cap, zoa, palys, Hollywood stunner, and even a frag of a NASTY frog spawn that ate a 6 line! Nothing lasted more than a few moments not even the massively aggressive frogspawn. And as I said it wasn’t due to a lack of food that’s for sure!!! Lol

Well H*ll, that’s not what I wanted hear!!! Lol!!
Maybe I should rethink my stocking plan.;Dead

 

[vetteguy53081]

As soon as my husbands hand left the tank after mounting, we started calling “investigative chomping”. Hahaha. There was one occasion where he didn’t turn an entire frag of birds nest into sand immediately but the excitement was short lived. Pretty sure as soon as he realized he didn’t polish it off down to the glue not 2 minutes later it was gone... :mad: hahaha we worked sooooo hard to get the nutrients down to coral acceptable levels in that monster system too! Hahahaha

This fish was like a Goat !!!