Flame Angel, Reef Compatable?

[saltwaterboy321]

I really like dwarf angelfish including bicolor, coral beauty, lemonpeel, and flame. Flame is probably my favourite. Are any of these reef safe?

[Der_Iron_Chef]

It's hit & miss! I have a Rusty Angel and it seems to behave.

[Delphinus]

Flames are usually OK, but ultimately it's up to the individual fish. Seems to me the only way to know for sure is try one, see how it goes.

[fishytime]

Mine has been good so far, and so has my bi-colour.

[mseepman]

My flame angel doesn't touch any of my coral...seems to be pretty well behaved with the other fish too.

[whiteice669]

my flame never touched a thing for over a year, then got a taste of something, then cleaned off 2 sea fans and about 6 spots of zoos, see him nipping at sps alot

[Chin_Lee]

The fact that you need to ask this question tells me that you already know the answer but looking for the exceptions to the rule to reassure yourself that they could possibly be reefsafe in order to justify buying one to put into your reef tank. Don't worry - many of us do the same thing when we really want a non-reefsafe fish.
The truth of the matter is, even some fishes that are considered reefsafe are not 100% reef-safe. A friend of mine has regal tangs that are eating his xenias and softy corals. I once had a rabbit fish that ate rics and zoos. I currently have a lamark angel in my lps reef tank that likes to nip at the frogspawns and brains. ALL those fishes are considered reefsafe but these are examples that contradict the general "reef-safe" classification of these fishes.
So when asking this question if these angels are reefsafe, we seek reassurances from those who have these fishes that contradict their "non reef-safe " classification. But regardless how many people have angels in their reef that are behaving nicely, the only one that really matters is the one that you do buy.
My only advice is to put your new fish into QT tank and put frags of your different corals into the QT tank for observation. Don't feed the fish for a day or so to see if it will resort to the corals as a source of food. If it doesn't, then introduce into your reef tank and pray.

[mark]

I'm going to be doing what Chin says with my Potter's (tempting with a sample) though probably not moving the clam. Figure way easier to get out of a 20g QT than a stocked 145g.

[fishoholic]

Well said Chin. Reasurance from others helped me decide to get an emperor angel even though I'm well aware that he could start nipping/eating corals any day. So far he hasn't touched any corals, and my coral beauty hasn't either. It's really hit or miss, however if you really want one I'm sure you'll go for it, I know I did :biggrin:

[RicePaddy]

My Flame Angle killed my pulse xeinia and a Zoo colony. Just when I decided to remove him from the tank for sale, my anenome decided to have a snack. An expensive snack. Thus the circle of life fixed my problem.

Will

[tang daddy]

the flame angel and all the others you named can be and is reefsafe until it starts eating your corals!

then it is not.

after having to drain my tank twice to catch 2 different fish one a coral beauty and another a pseudochromis I will never add another angel into my reef again same with the pseudo.

Unless you're rich and don't mine restocking corals I would not suggest adding one but the option is up to you, my stupid coral beauty costs 35 dollars the damage he did costed me over 250 and finally after months of his destruction and my time trying to catch it,did I mention I tried to catch it for 2 months with no success I decided to drain my tank that was the only way.

so even if someone offered me 1 thousand dollars to try another angel in my reef I wouldn't.

Oh yea and just for reference when I caught him I literally threw him in my fowler this was last year and he happily resides in the fowler with bigger angels now thank me!

[saltwaterboy321]

I seem to be getting a lot of mixed answers. I guess it truly is a hit and miss. If does does eat the coral, I can't afford to replace it.

[fishoholic]

I seem to be getting a lot of mixed answers. I guess it truly is a hit and miss. If does does eat the coral, I can't afford to replace it.

It really comes down to if he eats your corals are you going to care more about the coral or the fish.

[reptile guy]

I've had flames that never touched a thing but just recently had one that turned into a holy terror going after all my aussie acans, scolomias and brains like a mad man so the potential is always there. I also had 2 blue tangs that were great for a year then started taking big bites out of all my lps and even biting and starting fights with my canary wrasses (was very weird behavior). The blue tangs and the flame angel both were very well fed with green, red, purple algae's , new life spectrum pellets, mysis and loads of live rock to feed on yet they still decided the taste of corals was to hard to pass up. Also heard of others on occasion having problems with there blues but the yellow tang who was in with them has always been a model citizen so have since gone with a school of yellows which looks great

[bloat]

I had a flame that was good for a year, but then started to get the flavor for a couple corals after 6 months or so. I also had an emperor that was good for well over a year, untill he aquired the taste for brains out of the blue.

I did have a coral beaughty though, that never posed a problem.
I also have a niger triger in my tank that hasn't been a beast to its tankmates, yet....

The choice and chance is yours. I would say if you are planning on keeping any brains, acans, flowerpots, or fans.....don't get an angel.....those were the coral victoms in my reef tank.