flame angel

[bv_reefer]

-my cuzin wants 2 kinda get the flame angel cuz of the intense coloration
definitely ain't impressed with the whole ''reef compatible-with caution''
deal, and also how it always tends 2 nip alot @ stony and soft corals,
but what I waz wonderin' in a nut shell iz...if he fed it a proper diet of
spirulina,mysis and brine shrimp,hi-quality angelfish preparations, and marine algae, will it still occasionally nip @ the softies and stony's???

-cuz i kinda want one for my future 33-gallon softies tank too!

[RicePaddy]

I am always feeding my Angle and have greens in the tank for him to nip at. However he still attacks my Zeinia's to the point they are almost gone. I am real close to putting him in another tank. The only problem is I cannot catch him and I am not prepared to move 90lbs of rock to get at him.

[justinl]

that's why it's classified as not-very-reef-safe. because most of them will nip corals, although there are a few that will leave the corals alone. dont bet on getting one by luck though.

[Mik_101]

That realy sucks. I mean what a nice fish and it nips..............(that realy sucks)

[Delphinus]

Honestly, it's hit and miss, based on the individual. Afraid the only way to find out is try one and see how she behaves. I've known several reef tanks with flame angels that didn't have a problem, but that doesn't guarantee anything. Only reason I don't have a flame myself is that I have a potter's angel and I don't want to risk the potential aggression. The potter's, actually I have had two now, I had one before - a few years ago... has been for me a model reef citizen. I've had her in with SPS and clams and LPS and only ever eats the food I give her.

Here's a picture of my potter's - it's actually not the best photo to show off her exquisite colours- because I was just playing around with the camera one night after lights out and took this picture by accident (she's impossible to capture in a photograph if you actually try to take a picture of her - because she's a tease - "Hey look at me pose. I'll sit here and wait until you're just about ready to press the button, and then I'll dart off into the rocks. ".) The camera's flash did wash things out a bit, but I fiddled with the colour saturation and balance afterwards and was able to come up with this, which is "sort of" close. Basically the best I'm able to do until the day I actually get lucky and capture her in a photo where I *intended* on photographing her.

[ponokareefer]

I've had a flame angel for a few years now, and the only thing that it has ever nipped at are clams, and I have a wide range of corals, except SPS's. Good luck with trying to make the decision. It was a tough one for me, but in the end, I decided that I would rather have that fish than any coral out there, as it's colors are absolutely stunning, and unlike corals, it moves around alot .

[surgeonfish]

I have had two flame angels and they both never touched a coral or clam. However, maybe I have just been lucky so far.