How risky are they?

[Marsh980]

Hi,

I know these questions are difficult to answer as every fish has a differing personality but i just wanted to hear people's experiences before I take the plunge.

I have a 200 gallon reef tank that will contain a large number of softies, LPS and soon SPS corals but would like to add two dwarf angels - a Coral Beauty and a Red Stripe (Eibl). I don't want a Flame even though they're beautiful because of their aggression (I'm sure some have peaceful examples but I don't want to take the risk).

I look forward to hearing your experiences and whether they feasted on your corals or left them alone (especially if well fed).

Cheers

 

[Hugh Mann]

I had a small coral beauty for a while, never experienced aggression, but it was kept in an aggressive FowLR.

Liveaquaria says however they will nip at soft and stony corals.

 

[MichaelReefer]

I feel like a lot of it is luck that you get a mellow fish. For example, I have a Valentini Puffer in my reef tank. He hasn't touched ONE coral. He doesn't even pay attention to them.

 

[Marsh980]

I feel like a lot of it is luck that you get a mellow fish. For example, I have a Valentini Puffer in my reef tank. He hasn't touched ONE coral. He doesn't even pay attention to them.

I am so jealous, I would love a puffer, so would my 3 year old. I'm just nervous that it'll eat my corals and all my inverts... I do have a Blue Throat Trigger and Marine Betta and touch wood so far they've left my inverts alone

 

[AcroNem]

I've had about 50/50 experiences with them. Kept flames, coral beauty, yellow, Eibli, multibar, and pygmy, had about half of them end up nipping at stuff. One of the same species is a model citizen when another goes rogue and destroys a coral. You'll just have to keep it fat and see what one you get

 

[MichaelReefer]

I am so jealous, I would love a puffer, so would my 3 year old. I'm just nervous that it'll eat my corals and all my inverts... I do have a Blue Throat Trigger and Marine Betta and touch wood so far they've left my inverts alone

Yeah, I wanted one so bad but didn't want to give up my coral. So I just took the chance and so far it turned out fine. I've had him about six months now.

 

[Waters]

As others have stated, it is always a gamble. I have tried a ton of different species (Coral Beauty, Flame, Golden, Eibli, Potters, etc) and they have all had to be removed due to coral decimation. It has always been the fleshy LPS that are picked on though.....I have never tried them with SPS.

 

[92Miata]

I feel like a lot of it is luck that you get a mellow fish. For example, I have a Valentini Puffer in my reef tank. He hasn't touched ONE coral. He doesn't even pay attention to them.

Individual fish definitely run a wide gamut - I also think there's a wide range of what people think "well fed" means. I've seen tanks that get fed once a week, and tanks that get fed every time the owner walks by.

 

[Super Fly]

I had a flame angel that was a model citizen for a year then decided to eat corals. wiped out Pocillapora, a large rock full of GSP (several yrs old) then started eating zoas. Will never add any dwarf angel again.