Flagfin in a reef tank?

[Webslinger]

Tang's should be left in the ocean. Here come's the police. Haha. Not one of my fish pick's at corals except my filefish he keeps eating my aptasia and manjo's. My flame angel is not reef safe, If he's not feed 3 times a day he'd nip at corals.

Sponge eating angel's are notorious for eating LPS (flagfin). Definitely not a good fish for a reef tank.

 

[vetteguy53081]

AKA , , , 3 spot angel, these are not the easiest to feed and WILL graze and eat non SPS coral from experience.
They can be aggressive towards tank mates and will get to 9" in captivity thereby requiring a tank at least 150 gallons in size

 

[Eva Rose]

Like @pcon stated, stocking corals as outlined in the Austin Lefevre video lowers the risk of nipping. If you watch the entire video he explains why. In my tank my angels ignore my gonipora, pipe organ & soft corals. I have a Regal Angel, 5 dwarf angels & a Goldflake (related to a Flagfin).

In the video he mention how fish will start nip a coral showing stress & advises removing stressed corals to recover in a frag tank before fish start nipping it. I observed this in my old tank with tangs. They would nip a stressed coral.

The clam would be tempting without a doubt.My angels love clam on the half shell. So I don’t have a clam in my tank of course.

As said above, several factors come always into play. Just plan according to what you really like. I love angels, CBB etc. so I stock corals suggested in Lefevre video. The fish are my passion, so if they do start nipping one of my lower risk corals I will still keep the fish/sell that coral.

Here is an example of best laid plans, but individual fish can surprise you... My Blonde Naso likes to “play” with an empty shell or small frag to get my attention. He swims to the top, drops the shell & catches it before it hits the bottom. Frags or frags on a lightweight rock are also fun for him. He doesn’t drop these but likes to pick them up & relocate them. Not kidding-lol! So I have to glue a little frag to a rock , he can’t pick up. I wouldn’t trade him for the world. Besides it is a good excuse for me to buy larger corals!

 

[Webslinger]

Like @pcon stated, stocking corals as outlined in the Austin Lefevre video lowers the risk of nipping. If you watch the entire video he explains why. In my tank my angels ignore my gonipora, pipe organ & soft corals. I have a Regal Angel, 5 dwarf angels & a Goldflake (related to a Flagfin).

In the video he mention how fish will start nip a coral showing stress & advises removing stressed corals to recover in a frag tank before fish start nipping it. I observed this in my old tank with tangs. They would nip a stressed coral.

The clam would be tempting without a doubt.My angels love clam on the half shell. So I don’t have a clam in my tank of course.

As said above, several factors come always into play. Just plan according to what you really like. I love angels, CBB etc. so I stock corals suggested in Lefevre video. The fish are my passion, so if they do start nipping one of my lower risk corals I will still keep the fish/sell that coral.

Here is an example of best laid plans, but individual fish can surprise you... My Blonde Naso likes to “play” with an empty shell or small frag to get my attention. He swims to the top, drops the shell & catches it before it hits the bottom. Frags or frags on a lightweight rock are also fun for him. He doesn’t drop these but likes to pick them up & relocate them. Not kidding-lol! So I have to glue a little frag to a rock , he can’t pick up. I wouldn’t trade him for the world. Besides it is a good excuse for me to buy larger corals!

Again, Not safe if you have to remove corals.

 

[Eva Rose]

Again, Not safe if you have to remove corals.

I did not use the term 'reef safe'. Just lower risk.

My post just discusses weighing the risks. By your terminology my Blonde Naso would not be reef safe.

The reason members are posting about lower risk corals, certain species of angels etc. is in case the op is weighing trade offs. In op's case the angel us not a good fit for a tank with a clam.

The information is for op to know what corals are at most risk etc. Tangs can nip corals too. I have angels in a reef tank. I just stock lower risk corals. Take a look @ FarmerTy's reef tank.

 

[mattzang]

Again, Not safe if you have to remove corals.

are tangs reef compatible

 

[Jase4224]

Tang's should be left in the ocean. Here come's the police. Haha. Not one of my fish pick's at corals except my filefish he keeps eating my aptasia and manjo's. My flame angel is not reef safe, If he's not feed 3 times a day he'd nip at corals.

Sponge eating angel's are notorious for eating LPS (flagfin). Definitely not a good fish for a reef tank.

After all your arguments about not reef safe you are telling us that you have a non reef safe coral munching dwarf angel in your tank that doesn’t eat coral?

Why wouldn’t your response to the OP be something like..
‘most likely the flagfin will damage/eat your coral but it *might* be possible to limit this with frequent feeding and the correct nutrition’
??

 

[Jase4224]

Did you have clams?

No clams sorry I was considering the coral I should have been more clear

 

[Webslinger]

After all your arguments about not reef safe you are telling us that you have a non reef safe coral munching dwarf angel in your tank that doesn’t eat coral?

Why wouldn’t your response to the OP be something like..
‘most likely the flagfin will damage/eat your coral but it *might* be possible to limit this with frequent feeding and the correct nutrition’
??

Big difference between a flame and a flag as a flag *WILL* eat coral. not that difficult to understand.

 

[Angel_Anthias lover]

Big difference between a flame and a flag as a flag *WILL* eat coral. not that difficult to understand.

Did you not say dwarf angels diet is corals? This is very confusing

 

[Webslinger]

Nope, I said flagfin. But flames are know to nip. Mine doesn't because he was tiny when I got him and feed well.

 

[Jase4224]

Those aren't dwarf angels whose diet is corals.

Did you not say dwarf angels diet is corals? This is very confusing

Nope, I said flagfin. But flames are know to nip. Mine doesn't because he was tiny when I got him and feed well.

C’mon man you clearly state that dwarf angels are coral eaters then deny it. Can’t we just stick to nuanced discussions from the beginning. I appreciate that you are trying to help the OP to not make a regrettable decision and respect your opinion. I even believe you are probably correct but people do pull things off in this hobby that many would think is unlikely and nothing in this hobby is black and white.. when I started in this hobby NO angels of any description were allowed in reef tanks but now it’s commonplace.

 

[Opus]

Again, like you just said Not reef safe. They will eat some corals not all. If they eat 1 coral they aren't reef safe. A reef safe fish does not eat/pick/nip corals. He'll tear apart a reef tank. C'mon

By your definition aptasia eating filefish are not reefsafe, nor are purple tangs.

 

[Webslinger]

C’mon man you clearly state that dwarf angels are coral eaters then deny it. Can’t we just stick to nuanced discussions from the beginning. I appreciate that you are trying to help the OP to not make a regrettable decision and respect your opinion. I even believe you are probably correct but people do pull things off in this hobby that many would think is unlikely and nothing in this hobby is black and white.. when I started in this hobby NO angels of any description were allowed in reef tanks but now it’s commonplace.

By your definition aptasia eating filefish are not reefsafe, nor are purple tangs.

For sure not reef safe. But I have a filefish in my reef. Tang's are a whole other issue (should be left in ocean) but I don't want the Tang police after me.

 

[Webslinger]

C’mon man you clearly state that dwarf angels are coral eaters then deny it. Can’t we just stick to nuanced discussions from the beginning. I appreciate that you are trying to help the OP to not make a regrettable decision and respect your opinion. I even believe you are probably correct but people do pull things off in this hobby that many would think is unlikely and nothing in this hobby is black and white.. when I started in this hobby NO angels of any description were allowed in reef tanks but now it’s commonplace.

No, I never said all dwarf angels are coral eaters. Some are, some may, some won't. It all depends on the type.
Yep, No Angels back then but maybe a coral beauty or Pygmy, but now it all depends on how much you love your coral compared to the fish. Food is much better now which helps as a whole.

 

[Opus]

For sure not reef safe. But I have a filefish in my reef. Tang's are a whole other issue (should be left in ocean) but I don't want the Tang police after me.

I've had purple tangs eat corals.

 

[Webslinger]

I've had purple tangs eat corals.

Bingo

 

[Jase4224]

No, I never said all dwarf angels are coral eaters. Some are, some may, some won't. It all depends on the type.
Yep, No Angels back then but maybe a coral beauty or Pygmy, but now it all depends on how much you love your coral compared to the fish. Food is much better now which helps as a whole.

Yeah personally I like to choose corals around my fish. I have a Majestic, Flame and Coral beauty and it will be interesting to see which corals they pick on if they do. It’s a game of chance but like you said well fed helps..

 

[Jase4224]

I've had purple tangs eat corals.

Interesting, I wander if it was attracted to the coral flesh or algae around the edges?

 

[Opus]

Interesting, I wander if it was attracted to the coral flesh or algae around the edges?

Appeared to just like the coral. There were certain xenia he liked and would eat them if put into the tank.