Flame Angel In A Reef Tank

[AquaDen]

I have a small Hydroid issue and have heard and read that the Flame Angel loves to eat them. Being that it is a reef tank I am a little concerned about adding a Flame Angel because I have also heard and read that they will sometimes harm coral.

Is there anyone that has good success with a Flame Angel or had problems with them in a reef? Also, is there anyone that has every had a Flame Angel and had Hydroids in there tank? Of course I do not want to take a chance on adding the Flame Angel is someone has had the fish and had Hydroids........

Any help in appreciated!

[erikharrison]

Have you double checked phosphate levels? Is your skimmer adequate for your current setup? I would look at removing the nutrients. What is your water change regimen?

[AquaDen]

All of the levels are perfect and have never had a phosphate issue.

The skimmer is actually over rated for the tank.

I have a 300 gallon tank and do a 15 percent water change every 4-5 weeks.

As for macro algae removing the nutrients, I have enough Chaeto to fill a 55 gallon aquarium and about 2 gallons of Dragons Tongue macro algae.

One thing that I did notice was that when I feed frozen Cyclopeze to the coral and fish the hydroids started to multiply like crazy. I noticed this and then of course stopped the feeding of Cyclopeze right away. I am assuming that the frozen Cyclopeze is small enough to feed the Hydroids?

I have pulled off any Hydroids that I can get to and of course that helps. But I am looking for a way to get rid of them completely and I heard that a Flame Angel will eat them.

I do not mind having the Flame Angel because I think they are great looking fish. But I have a lot of coral and several hundred frags that I do not want to get harmed.

[RayAllen]

With any Angel- Dwarf or Large its always a risk. Some will eat at corals other will leave them alone.

[erikharrison]

I figured that your parameters were in check, but of course I had to ask. :)

I found this on Reef Central.

Lights out with Hydroid
I have a hydroid macerna problem. It is the tan variety that grows in a daisy chain. My neighbor with a reef tank had this species fair very poorly when he had his lights out for three days while replacing a lighting system.

I have recently been collecting light skimmate and boosting conditions of the aquarium to go ahead and try the same thing intentionally.

Other methods of manual control did not work as well as the reports of the Rusty Angel working. They did not touch it, atleast the one I have.

[tony]

i have always wanted one in my 30 cube, i tried it once and it didnt go well (it died in less than a week)

it is probably the most popular fish over at nano-reef.com in members tanks or at least at the top of the heap and ive seen way more people saying theirs caused no damage than do but take that with a grain of salt

[erikharrison]

Maybe some peppermint shrimp?

[jtrux]

Maybe some peppermint shrimp?


A little off the subject but I noticed you're near Churchill, i'm right up the road a Blanco and Churchill Estates. Sorry for the hijack.

[BigKGlen]

I've had a dwarf flame for just short of a year in my 180...never had a problem

[AquaDen]

I figured that your parameters were in check, but of course I had to ask. :)

I found this on Reef Central.

Lights out with Hydroid
I have a hydroid macerna problem. It is the tan variety that grows in a daisy chain. My neighbor with a reef tank had this species fair very poorly when he had his lights out for three days while replacing a lighting system.

I have recently been collecting light skimmate and boosting conditions of the aquarium to go ahead and try the same thing intentionally.

Other methods of manual control did not work as well as the reports of the Rusty Angel working. They did not touch it, atleast the one I have.

I just covered all that I can with kalk paste. I have covered them before and of course it brought down the population but then they started popping up again!

I have never tried "lights out" but I can see having low or no light would help. I am going to try this and see what happens. I also just hooked up another skimmer to the systam and running it a little wet to try to take out any additional nutrients....... These things are horrible!!!!

[JimD]

"I have pulled off any Hydroids that I can get to and of course that helps. But I am looking for a way to get rid of them completely and I heard that a Flame Angel will eat them."

Forget it, the only thing that might eat them would be a Tiger Cowery and thats no guarantee. You can turn the lights off forever and theyll still be there to some degree when you return... The only proven way to control them is by manual removal. We all have them, most of us just dont know it. Dont put a flame in there in the hopes of it doing the job, you'll just be stuck with the unplesent chore of removing it if it starts nipping on coral polyps...

[AquaDen]

i have always wanted one in my 30 cube, i tried it once and it didnt go well (it died in less than a week)

it is probably the most popular fish over at nano-reef.com in members tanks or at least at the top of the heap and ive seen way more people saying theirs caused no damage than do but take that with a grain of salt

Tony,
I agree, the flame angel is a great looking fish. I have always read that the flame angel is very hardy but since I have looked further into them people are saying that they are only living for a couple of months???? This seems to be very strange to me. I would assume that where ever they are being collected, the process has changed.

After the kalk paste has hardened I believe I am going to put a flame angel in the tank.
As you said they are in high demand, so if they angel does not eat the hydroids then I should have no problem passing it along!
Thanks!

[AquaDen]

I've had a dwarf flame for just short of a year in my 180...never had a problem


Do you have or ever noticed hydroids in your tank??

I have read that most people that add a flame angel typically have no hydroids and if they did have them the angel took care if it.

[AquaDen]

"I have pulled off any Hydroids that I can get to and of course that helps. But I am looking for a way to get rid of them completely and I heard that a Flame Angel will eat them."

Forget it, the only thing that might eat them would be a Tiger Cowery and thats no guarantee. You can turn the lights off forever and theyll still be there to some degree when you return... The only proven way to control them is by manual removal. We all have them, most of us just dont know it. Dont put a flame in there in the hopes of it doing the job, you'll just be stuck with the unplesent chore of removing it if it starts nipping on coral polyps...

Do you have experience with trying the flame angel? I have heard so many things.... Many say that the angel will not eat the hydroids and many state that they watch the angel eat them.

The hydroids that remain are in areas that I could not possibly get to without ripping the tank apart. Even if I were to rip it apart then there is a slim to none chance that I got all of them out. So, I do not want to disturb the tank for no reason!

[JimD]

I wish you luck!

[erikharrison]

I was going to tell you that if you do a three day lights out, you should do these things accordingly
20% w/c before and after
Bring the lights back on slowly over a couple of days so you do not fry corals!

[AquaDen]

Do you think I risk losing coral with a 3 day of having the lights out? I have never done this before and the thought is rather scary!

I have heard of people doing this once a month to keep algae down and so on.

I am going to try everything possible before adding the fish. Once I put the fish in the tank it will be more than impossible to catch it.
Thanks!

[Bill S]

FWIW. I've had a Flame in my reef tank for about a year. So far, he's behaved himself. Some will, some won't.

[captexas]

Flame Angles are my favorite fish, but I have never been successful in my 3 attempts to keep them over the past couple years. In doing some reading on them at the time, I found they had a high death rate industry wide for many years, most likely due to the methods used to capture them. They just don't do well going through the stress of capture, transport, and then being transplanted in different holding tanks until it reaches your tank. Mine always lived from a few days to about 2 weeks before they died. Some people have been lucky though, maybe due to what ocean/region they are captured from.

[copperband]

well i have read that there are two species of flame angels that live in different oceans so that may have something to do with it one may be hardier than the other and if you do get one i would soak your food in garlic. garlic helps prevent ich and stuff like that good luck

[AquaDen]

Thanks for your help guys/gals! I think I am going to try the approach of skimming the tank like crazy, pulling off as much as possible, using kalk paste and 3 days with the lights out..

This is about everything that people have suggested on the thread. I figure if this does not work then I will try the angel. And if none of it works.......... well, I guess I will have to grow some hair just to pull it out!!

[erikharrison]

I don't think you will lose any corals, just be careful with the lights. All three of those methods should give you some good reprive. Keep us postedddddddddddddd!!