Dwarf Angelfish??

[Dorsalfin1]

Can someone tell me a nice Dwarf Anglefish, that won't have the phrase "may nip a coral" next to its description?

I like the coloring on the coral beauty, and I had one in a fish only tank. But don't want to put one in my reef if it is going to eat my corals.

125 gal tank w/ plenum
30 gal sump
1 protien skimmer rated for 150 tank
90 lbs, LR
1 hammer coral (doing great, need another green one, anyone?)
1 rock about the size of 2 male fists covered with star plyps
1 other rock about the same size covered with 'shrooms
1 colony of 15 green botton polyps
6 Green Chromis
1 Clown
1 Lawnmower Blenny
1 Yellow Tang
2 Bar Gobies
Lots of Blue Legged Crabs and one Sand Sifting Star.

Water and LR came from my 75 gallon tank that was 4 years old, this tank with the remaining new water is 6 months old.

[Geoff]

about your only choice if you want to be safe are going to be the species in the Genicanthus genus. these are zooplankton eaters. i have a female melanospilis she is a great fish. they are not listed as dwarf, but full size angels. they generally grow to only 6". i personally find the femals of the species more attractive than the males, but your preference may differ. all are sexual dichromatic so make sure which one you are looking at before you order. C. argi seem to be the most well behaved of the true dwarfs, but have heard some stories of them nipping shrooms, and feather dusters. i had one that munched on feather dusters, but generally just munched on algae and pods in the rock.

also of note Genicanthus start out all female, then change to male when they get older. i do not know when they do this, mine has not and does not look like she will anytime soon. she is about 5" now.

hth,

G~

[Dorsalfin1]

What would be the common name for C. argi? As far as the Genicanthus goes I will look into this as well. Thank you.

[LittleFishBoy]

C. Argi (aka Centropyge Argi) is the Pygmy (Cherub) angelfish. If i understand correctly this fish may nip at LPS corals and clams. But i guess they all do or may being the key word. By far though, this fish and the Yellow and Black Heraldi angelfish (Centropyge Heraldi) are a couple of the best ones to go with IMO.

[Geoff]

sorry, i changed Genus on ya.

LittleFishBoy got what i was saying, thanks.

G~

[Reefdude5]

I have a flame angel and a coral beauty in my reef and they don't cause any problems. They're less of a problem than the regal tangs! Although mine might be that special occasion, they're just too pretty to give up in my opinion!

[Pirate]

For what it's worth, (not too much) I was going to purchase a flame angel from a shop I normally deal with. As I was looking at it and waiting for the big catch, I watched it eat polyps from a large toadstool leather. I have also seen the Coral beauty do the same. This is one of those areas where I say there are no hard fast, set rules re: "reef safe fish". I spoke to another hobbyist and he has had a full size angel in his reef for years with no damage. I would love to have one, however, for me it's just not worth the gamble. I could never catch it to remove it if I needed.

[ruhspolostar]

My friend has two flame angels in his tank and I told him while they don't nip at his coral they may nip at the mantle on his clam, but they haven't even done that like some books say, lucky...

____________________________
Chech out my new avatar na-nice (live long and prosper)

[105man]

I have a flame angel in a tank with softies only and have had no problems.