a local reefer is selling a nice flame angel for 20 bucks. i do have a reef tank with mainly zoas, a rbta, and some euphylia. should i take the chance on it? flame angels are one of my favorite fish and have always wanted one. what do you all think?
flame angel
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4FordFamily
Tang, Angel, and Wrasse Nerd!
It's always a risk. IME 25% of them will nip coral eventually. That's pretty arbitrary but my best guess from my experience. Whether eventually is right away or a few years later, that depends. Some play nice for years.
How large is your tank? Smaller tanks may increase nipping chances.
Is the flame in a reef now? Maybe ask the seller if the angel nips?
I would be mostly worried about the zoas.
Is the flame in a reef now? Maybe ask the seller if the angel nips?
I would be mostly worried about the zoas.
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It's a good price on one, but it is a gamble. What size is your tank? Dwarf Angels are a gamble with corals but IMHO you can increase your chances of success by having a well established tank with algae to graze on and daily seaweed/nori feedings. Flame Angels tend to be one of the dwarf angels with higher than average success rates with leaving corals alone (particularly if you follow the guidelines mentioned above). Flame Angels do have another issue and that is that they tend to be one of the more aggressive Dwarf Angels, so if you have smaller more timid fish, they can bully them. I had to remove a Flame Angel due to aggression towards a Purple Firefish, Diamond Watchman Goby, and Scissortail Dartfish. A larger tank can help with the aggression though and that is why I inquired on the size of the tank.
steelwrap
Valuable Member
If its in a reef now i would be curious as to why its being sold so cheap. That being said mine went from a 75 to a 29 biocube to a 40br and now my waterbox 100.3 it has never nipped at anything.
he did say it nipped at some of his brain coral but no zoas. i dont really have any expensive zoas so if he ends up picking at a couple of heads i can just eat the loss and just sell him to someone else. its so hard to find a flame for that price anywhere. tough decision!
mattzang
2500 Club Member
seems like acans, zoas, and open brainy type corals are more likely to get nipped than other corals. i added a flame about a month ago and i saw it give my purple stylo a big smooch, but nothing since. my green digi does seem to have less than great polyp extension during the day, but there are other possible reasons for that. i have some ugly hitchhiker zoas that the flame has not been a help with, naturally.
fwiw my flame was pretty aggressive for a day or two, then calmed down only for my female ocellaris to start nipping at the flame. his fins got pretty tore up, surprisingly.. i was worried for a bit, but seems they have worked it out.
fwiw my flame was pretty aggressive for a day or two, then calmed down only for my female ocellaris to start nipping at the flame. his fins got pretty tore up, surprisingly.. i was worried for a bit, but seems they have worked it out.
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Given that the tank is a 40 breeder I am going to say no. Dwarf Angels need a 4 foot long tank to do well long term IMHO (ie standard 55 gallon or larger). A Pygmy Angel aka Cherubfish could work in a 40 breeder though. I had a Flame in my 36 gallon bowfront and he was a complete jerk and never improved. Basically my whole tank disappeared while it was in there. My Diamond Watchman Goby is the only one who would brave going out but this is what would happen everytime the Flame Angel got too near:
Oshengems
Valuable Member
Not in a 40breeder I feel the more rocks he has to explore the more time he has to get distracted from coral munching, that said I have tried a few and then sell them , coral beauty and flame together both reef safe but wanted a better pair, go a Multibar straight savage almost ended my war coral favia in less than a day sold him, got a potters he only ate algae From rocks lasted 7 months and died I got a 2nd Multibar which I still have but he started bullying the potters which I think pushed his death and he nips but doesn’t do damage But it’s always in the back of my mind me coming in and him munching on my maxima or derasa clam.
If you try him have that fish trap ready
If you try him have that fish trap ready
ScooterV
Well-Known Member
I'll be the fourth... I was ready to say "Go for it" until I saw 40 breeder and your coral list. My favorite fish though 
Likely fine in a 40 if a FOWLR and fish it can't bully, but it will be aggressive and much more likely to nip coral in your situation IMO.
Likely fine in a 40 if a FOWLR and fish it can't bully, but it will be aggressive and much more likely to nip coral in your situation IMO.
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ChiSox Rabbitfish
Active Member
I got a flame that’s never touched any of the corals he does come close when he’s doing his scavenging my foxface has nipped more corals then anything else
