Bicolor Angel

[PessimisticOptimist]

Anyone have success keeping a Bicolor Pygmy Angel? Which, if any corals did it bother, merely SPS? Please advise.

I am considering such an addition but I would appreciate reading some first-hand anecdotal experiences first.

Thanks

[CarmieJo]

FWIW, I had a cherub and the ONLY coral it bothered was pocillopora.

[Amphibious]

Keith, also FWIW, the key to getting coral polyp nippers to leave the polyps alone is to train them to eat what you are offering and to forget the polyps. Not always an easy lesson to teach but it works. My best student example would be my Orange Spotted File fish. Known as “...almost impossible to keep without it’s natural diet of live stony coral polyps.” quoted from “Reef Aquarium Fishes” by Scott Michael, page 419. I would not dispute Scott Michael’s assessment of the Orange Spotted File fish (OSF), but rather add, in the care of the right person with the attitude of “whatever it takes” re-training is possible.



Here is my OSF eating Nori. He saw the much larger Tangs aggressively eating off the Nori clip and came in to check out what the feast offering was and took a liking to Nori. Very shortly he was right in the mix of the two Tangs making sure he got his share of Nori. He also relished frozen brine shrimp, Mysis, Cyclops and even flake foods.

IMHO, coral nippers are simply opportunistic feeders. On the reef they’re easiest prey is coral polyps. In our reef, they can be trained to feed on other choices IF offered in situations that force them to try it. This is easiest to accomplish in a quarantine tank, specifically my “Spa Quarantine” method. Which, by the way, is explained in my article “Nine Simple Rules”. If you haven’t read it or need a review, the article can be found on the opening page of TR or you can find it on my web site here - "Nine Simple Rules"

If you don’t quarantine then you may get some polyp nipping but, your other fish act as teachers and hopefully the Angel will get the message and switch preferences in food items. My way is much more sure of positive results because they have no choice but to switch or starve. Like humans, fish are very adaptable when it comes to starving to death. I hate asparagus in any form. However faced with the choice of life or death, I’d eat it!

Dick

[saltaddict]

I agree that fish will eat instead of starve BUT I would not eat asparagus instead of starving. There is always dirt or something else.

I agree if you QT and feed several times a day a get the fish accustom to not having to scavenge for food your corals will be ok.

IMO if fishy friends are not fed several times per day they do start hunting.

[Amphibious]

Absolutely agree. Like us, they are programmed to survive.

So, you don’t like asparagus, either?

[CarmieJo]

I'd starve before eating asparagus too!

My cherub ate everything I offered, kept the tank clean of algae but still nipped polyps.

[rayme07]

+4 on agreeing.

But how do yall not like asparagus?? I love it especially steamed.

[Amphibious]

OK, well that confirms it! I always wondered about you Raymond, your a little too good for a teen. It’s the ASPARAGUS!!!

[rayme07]

ok, well that confirms it! I always wondered about you raymond, your a little too good for a teen. It’s the asparagus!!!

lol