what angels are safe in a reef with clams

[speedmaster426]

i would love to get a dwarf angel for my mixed reef but herd they go after stony corals and nip at clam mantles. i was looking at a flame angel, potters, coral beauty, or rusty

 

[dbrewsky]

The general consensus on dwarf angels is they may or may not be reef safe, however the majority of stories of how ____ angelfish is reef safe eventually ends with my _____ angelfish ate my favorite acan, clam etc. Even the open water angels have been known to pick at corals. Ultimately its up to you, if you are ok with adding an animal that may or may not eat your favorite coral at some point. Just be prepared for the worst and have a plan in place if things arent going well and think hard about your priorities for YOUR reef tank.

 

[Diesel]

How big is your tank?
Dwarf Angels (Centropygeare) always labeled with caution, some are trust wordy as others turn for the worse.
The Swallow tail kind (Genicanthus) is a trusted reef safe Angel but getting a bit larger that the dwarf.
I'm sure other will chime in as they are awesome fish to have in your tank.

 

[StevenBell]

Potters Angel ate polyps from my hammers.Its a 50/50 shot

 

[speedmaster426]

i have a 150

 

[46gReef]

I'd agree 50/50 shot IME. I've had 2 over the last 6 years. Both in the same system,(46g bow front mixed reef)1st one lived 4 years, had a taste for Xenia/alveopora/ goniopora and the occasional pink/red palys with longer skirts, basically anything "frilly". My current one (just over two years) likes acans/micros/blastos & up until this point that seems to be it. Having said that I realize overnight he could decide to chew up everything including my crocea but I think their such awesome fish it's worth the risk, & I'm more of a zoa/softie guy so it works out for me! I also feed my reef pretty heavily and vary the diet. I would assume that helps a bit. Angels are "grazers" by nature and I think they often get blamed for coral deaths due to this nature. However they can still wreck your tank pretty quick so it's definitely a risk.

 

[srpsycho11]

I've had my coral beauty for two years in a 38 gallon tank with SPS, LPS and ZOAS with no issues. I also had a yellow finned angel in my 75 that picked at everything. Hated giving up that fish but saved my reef. I think your odds are better than 50 with coral beauties but won't know if you don't try

 

[Diesel]

A 150 should be big enough for a dwarf or a Genicanthus.
Here's a trick to make sure it spare you a disaster.
If you decide to purchase a dwarf put him/her in QT for 6 to 8 weeks as you should any way with any new fish.
After two weeks when it's eating all the food you feeding him/her you add a piece of soft coral to the QT with some live rock.
They love to graze on rock and you can monitor if it's going after you coral right away, if not you can be at the safe zone.
I did this with my Flame and Bandit with success.
Only the Bandit is nipping so now and than on some large SPS but more like a tickle than a meal bite.
Flame is fine and it's eating of the rock going after algae and sponges.
My Bellus pair isn't even looking at the corals but grazing on rock for some algae only.

 

[Z06-Hec]

they are all really different.... My 2 angels were perfectly fine with my clams...
I have a Blue Face angel and a Majestic Angel... both adults
The Majestic is truly an Angel in all aspects. She has never bothered anything. My Blue face on the other hand has gone in on Acans, Red Lobo... but completely leaves my green lobo alone. They both went in on my wellso, had to get rid of Wellso... acan and red lobo died...

Both angels never touched my clams when i had them. I had 3 giant clams and 2 smaller ones. They all died when i got my "Reef Safe" Powder blue tang... when I put my Foscam up i saw him going in on EVERYTHING !

 

[rjcranor]

I have a coral beauty in my 50 gallon, I've had him for a year with no issues. I have zoanthids, candy cane, acan, welso, and a clam.

 

[fraghunter]

None they will all eventually get hungry enough or curious and start picking.

 

[Waters]

I have tried a Golden Dwarf, Bi-Color, Flame, and Eibli....all ended up being removed due to eventual coral picking

 

[4FordFamily]

I hear regal angels are somewhat reef safe but it's a risk with any angel

 

[hart24601]

With a clam? I think just about all of them will eventually pick at one. It might take a couple of years though! There are examples of them not picking at clams, but I would say that is the exception to the norm. Heck, I had purple tang and a bristle-tooth BOTH pick on clams, so you never know even with "safe" fish.

 

[pickupman66]

I have a potters in my Zoa dominant tank with a Derasa. No issues at all.

 

[LVE]

In the 10 or so years I've had regal angels, neither has picked on a clam. I've had a flame and pygmy for a few years and they've been fine with clams as well. My emperor on the other hand, will make quick work of any clam I've attempted.