Regal angel- feeding habit changes?

Daniel Waters · Nov 27, 2017

I have had a regal angel for over a year that I got as a juvenile. His diet or preferred foods has been by and large various meaty foods such as krill, pe mysis, mussels, clams, formula one, and pellets. The angel has never shown interest in any algae I put out for my tangs. In the last couple of weeks, the angel has started eating at the algae for the first time. And it eats its normal fill of meaty foods as well. Is this diet change normal for angels or maybe a sign the angel is not getting enough of some other type of needed food in its diet? I'd appreciate anyone's experiences. The fish is perfectly healthy and active, but I've never seen a fish decide after a year to finally eat something it wouldn't ever touch before then.

Maritimer · Nov 27, 2017

You do hear about that sort of thing with angels from time to time . . . usually regarding corals. ("He was a model citizen for a year and a half, then started going to town on my acans!") Good thing yours is doing nori!

~Bruce

Daniel Waters · Nov 27, 2017

Yes, as far as his behavior towards corals, he definitely went after acans and other fleshy lps corals pretty much from the beginning. Some zoas he'd nip at badly, and others he'd never touch oddly enough. I pretty much knew that was going to happen and rehomed most of the at risk corals. As far as stony corals such as acropora, chalices, or favias, plate corals, and montipora, I've had no issue from the angel. Overall, I guess this is just a natural progression and change that can happen just like their coral nipping / eating one day when they didn't use to. Maybe it's a maturity thing also as they get older.