Keeping Flame Angels-more than one?

[csrdph]

I have a 300 gal. reef and I am thinking about adding more than one flame angel-say 2 or 3. Is this a good idea or will they fight? I would add them all at once. Do they get along with other pygmy angels if I wanted to add others later?
Thanks

 

[steve-s]

If added at the same time they should be fine. It really comes down to the length of the tank and amount of rock area that can be claimed territory wise by each fish for grazing and sleeping. Open spaces are usually fair game but they will defend their "bedding" & grazxing areas day or night and is usually where the problem is created. In a large tank such as a 300 gal, you should be okay, I would opt for only 2 though. They will quickly learn which spaces are off limits to the other. Just be mindful they are not QT'd together before you introduce them.

Also keep in mind these fish are 50/50 on reef compatibility and should be avoided. Best left to FOWLR set ups.

Cheers
Steve

 

[csrdph]

Thanks for the reply. I appreciate your input but it does sound like they might not get along too well with my corals , etc. Are any pygmy angels "good" for reef tanks?
Thanks again

 

[steve-s]

None should be considered guaranteed safe additions for reefs. Best I can give you is 50/50 which considering the average investment and life they can destroy, very poor odds. Sometimes it comes down to the corals types vs the species kept but again, still a rather large gamble.

Cheers
Steve

 

[jlehigh]

Pygmy angels are very territorial especially once they have reached adult age/size. I have not kept two pygmy Angels in my 280gal without unexceptable agression.

I see plenty of tanks with adolecent pygmy angels together but not adults..

 

[Terry B]

I think that the angels that are tank raised are kept together with several others as they grow. They naturally begin to pair up. Probably hit or miss trying to pair two strange adults to one another. Even if they potentially could bond they would fight over territory first in an aquarium.

Some flame angels behave themselves in a reef tank while others don't. I think their diet plays a large role in their behavior. If you provide them with a large variety of appropriate foods for the species, feed often and give them vitamins they are more likely not to cause problems. Don't wait until after they begin tasting your corals to improve the diet. It may be too late once they start the habit. Start with a wide variety from the beginning. My flame never nipped at anything.

Terry B

 

[wayne in norway]

You can try to get a pair, but this means in my experience getting them small (1 inch or less) and leaving them to 'sort it out'. I have a now spawning pair of Centropyge flavipectoralis I got this way.
I would do the pairing in a 20 long or similar so if they need to be separated it can be quickly and easily done. I think the first few hours should tell you how it's going. If it starts bad don't expect it to get better. The small size is important to make sure you get two females.

For reference you should check the size of tanks Frank Baensch uses for spawning Centropyge - 2 pairs in a partitioned 55?

FWIW these guys took it upon themselves to destroy all my gsp's in less than 2 days.

 

[Ed Hahn]

Wayne,
I saw the word Reef in there. I recently removed two female flames from my 90. They ate well, they would bicker very little. They would be in my tank now if not for the love of my corals. My experience was my Flame Angels nipping all of my SPS. I lost several frags. I can email you some pictures if you email me. Flame Angels look awesome in a aquarium. But they can be a menace to your SPS. The nipped at just about everything I had in tank as far as SPS. I do not want to burst your bubble. You may not have any problems, it may be just luck of the draw for me.
Wishing you the best of luck, which ever way you decide.
sincerely,
Ed

 

[csrdph]

Thank you all for your responses! This has been very helpful! I think I'll avoid getting any flame angels for my reef at this point. Better safe-than sorry!

 

[BPMACMAN]

no problems in my reef tank what so ever,maybe i am just lucky eh?