how many emperor angel owners here?

[tucker]

just want to get some different opinions.

1. do they nip at your corals?

2. how old is yours?

3. how many have you had prior to? ie. i bought 11vnty billion emperors and this last one has lived for 3 weeks

4. how big is your tank?

any tidbits or firsthand info is greatly appreciated. this is the last fish on my wishlist. thanks all!

[jc]

1. I don't know its in a fowlr tank. (any idea what corals I can keep with it?)
2. about 2 months since I bought it.
3. zero, first one i've had.
4 180 gallons.

[GaryP]

Alton has had several over the years. He'll post something soon, I'm sure.

[alton]

Coral Friendly, even does great with a clam. Tamer has had one from a juvi and now i am guessing he is around 10"? Louis had him in his shop for a while with all of his corals. The only one I never tried was a brain. I have had mine over a year, got him from CB pets as a juvi.( He is in my gallery, I need to update his picture) I have tried two Red Sea imperators before this one, none of them made it over a month. Sorry but the articiles that state Red Sea are more hardy is questionable? I had one about twelve years ago when saltwater was new (to me) and all I had to feed him was brine shrimp. I had him in a trigger tank with the nitrates above 60. And I managed to keep him for three years until I gave him to a friend. The tank Jr. is in now is 155 but by tomorrow night I hope to have him transfered to my 200. If you get one please buy one from someone who will hold him for a while to make sure he is eating and healthy. I try to support all of the fish shops(ask my wife) in the SA area but when it comes to this fish this one was my achilles heal. They like to hide a lot, so have plenty of tunnels and structures for him to feel secure around. The fish foods on the market now are excellent. The one I had twelve years ago never changed, the one I have today went from three to five inches in a year and went from a clear juvi to adult colors. Good luck on your endeavor.

[jc]

I would love to add a clam to my fowlr tank. I guess that would no longer make it a fowlr tank. So you have had them with clams safely. If mine turns on the clam will it make it dinner in one night or will it just pick at it?

[alton]

I had my Clam with a juvi Blue face in my 75 for about four months before he started picking on the clam. Didn't really damage him, but the clam stayed shut most of the time and when the Blue face swam by he would shut, so after a day I brought him home and the imp and the clam have been together ever since. The funny part the imp can swim by and even bump into the clam and he never closes. I guess they know?

[alton]

I forgot until I saw the posting on Tang eating Zoos, emp. love to eat Zoo's. It makes them High? So Reef safe except for Zoo's, sorry I forgot.

[brewercm]

I think they are probably more hit and miss. I still remember the picture from RC several years ago of the clam that shut down on a juvi Emperor and killed it. Expensive lesson on that specific fish. Just my opinion that you just need to keep an eye out on them.

[Instar]

I had an adult emperor about 30 years ago. He was personable and ate anything frozen. FO tank, 125, had him for years until I went on vacation and my tank sitter killed everything with malation.

Saw one in an sps predomintate tank of around 220 gallons. 6 inch adult. It turned on the electric green trumpet and took several holes out of it while I was there. Then it hit an open brain hard enough to tear it. I think it was hungry at the time. The reefer fed it but it really didn't leave the trumpet alone after that. It left clams, mushrooms and sps alone. Overall I would have to agree with Cliff, keep an eye on them even after they are acclimated with clams and things. As a general rule with some fish; New clams that are stressed and clams in the sand bed are often targeted when clams up off the sand and in the reef are not.

[jc]

what's malation? I think maybe I should try a cheap piece of mushroom first. No reason to risk a clam just yet.