Pygmy Angels QT

[MissT]

Wanted to get other's thoughts on the idea of quanatining pygmy angels in a tank with various LPS to give them a "test run" on their behavior with nipping corals. It would be much easier to remove a fish from a smaller tank if it decides to munch on the coral than to tear apart a display. I really like the Potter's angels, but they have a reputation for being worse about this than some others i.e coral beauties, and flames.
I'm just not sure if the "test run" will even answer any questions because the behavior isn't monitored on the long term...
Opinions?

[Richard]

I don't know if that would really tell you much. They may take to nipping corals sometime down the road or they might be more likely to start doing it in a small qt tank with less foraging space.

[MissT]

yeah, I kind of figured that, but I guess I needed to hear it from someone else... thanks for the response

[reeferRob]

pygmy angels IME are relatively easy to trap, since they are not real shy and will go in a trap for food within couple days usually

[SoLiD]

My Flame Angels pick at my rocks all day but pretty much leave everything else alone. I had an Atlantic Pygmy for about 5 months and it acted the same way. I gave it to a friend of mine and it has been fine in his 240g for about a year. IMHO Coral Beauty's are more risky than Pygmy's. -David

[merlin0883]

I have a pygmy angel (bluish violet with yellow face, right?) and it has never picked at my corals that I have seen. I am happy with it. Maybe this will help.??

[MissT]

Sorry not to have clarified, I guess I should have included all "pygmys" (those that stay at or under 6")... Particularly the Potter's, the Bellus, and the half black...

[merlin0883]

Well, the one i have doesn't harm anything. Can't vouch for the others.

[BA]

i had a potter's and he never touched any of my corals, although he always came really close to my clams but then would swim away

[lt1z28]

The Bellus is a Genicanthus Angel. Genicanthus angels are planktivores and do not eat coral.

[captexas]

Potter's angels are nice looking, remind me of an angel version of the Chevron tang. I saw a Golden Angel awhile back that I loved, but was in the same boat as you worried about it picking on corals. As for other pygmy's, I had an African Flameback Angel that was great and never caused any troubles. Unfortunately they aren't as common now as they were 3 years or so ago when I had mine and they have gone up in price accordingly. Thanks to information in a link Richard posted in another thread about sudden death with some pygmy angels, I have finally been successful at keeping a Flame Angel, which is my all time favorite.

[MissT]

Maybe Richard still has that link to share???

The Goldens are really beautiful fish, but from what I understand are extremely notorious for munching on clam mantles and LPS. I had almost decided to cross pretty much every angel off my stocking list, but they're such cool fish with interesting behavior and personality that I'm still thinking about adding a couple... The ones I listed above are on the top of my list (potter's & bellus in particular)
Speaking of Bellus, you had one in your mixed reef, GreenMako, right? How's she do? (It was a female if I recall....)