Reefsafe angelfishes? Look here

[yikai]

I think many reefers have been awaiting a thread like this, at least I hope you guys are. A thread listing all angelfish species and their behaviour towards standard reef aquaria. Please note that the information provided on this thread are based on the norm, but as we all know, exceptions do occur. Please feel free to share your experience with any angels that you have personally kept. This thread will also serve as a log towards the behaviour of these fishes. I hope that reefers will chip in their personal experiences with them and then i can add it to the existing log. So my hope for this thread will be an online diary with personal or known experiences. Hope that members participate!!

First up, just a brief introduction to the family. The super Pomacanthidae, the marine angels, consist of 9 genera and about 70+ species and i do believe it is growing. They get the name from the spine at the gill covers. In latin, pom means cover, and acanthus means spine. Go figure. Not all are suitable for the reef aquaria. Some being extremely difficult to keep, or grow to large sizes, while others remain small and are easy.

Introducing the 9 genera,

Apolemichthys - The famous goldflake and it's cousins

Centropyge - The dwarf angels

Chaetodontoplus

Genicanthus - The swallowtails

Holacanthus

Paracentropyge

Pomacanthus

Pygoplites

Sumireyakko

and the subgenus Euxiphipops

This thread is about the discussion of reef-safeness, and not the level of difficulty, although that will be touched on abit.

Starting with Apolemichthys

Bandit Angelfish - Holacanthus Arcuatus.

This fish was formerly placed in Holacanthus, but fishbase lists it under Apolemichthys and so do certain books. For now it shall be placed here.

Not much success is seen with this fish locally, although it is possible. Main diet in the wild should be sponges and tunicates. Requires cool water and do better when purchased as juveniles. Not much information on reefsafeness, care to share anyone? Based on first hand experience. Bandits are very safe with SPS.

Armitage Angelfish - Apolemichthys armitagei

Too rare. Found only in Maldives and Seychelles. Very very unlikely to encounter it here.

Griffith's Angelfish - Apolemichthys griffisi

Available Occasionally. Not much information from reefers but I have seen this fish placed in Iwarna's cube tank with corals before. Reef safe for the entire duration it was there.

Reunion Angelfish - Apolemichthys guezei

Never made it's way to Singapore. Only found in reunion islands. Ugly fish IMO.

Kingi Angelfish - Apolemichthys kingi

The MOST beautiful of the genus IMO, but too rare and you can forget about seeing it here. Maybe not in the near future.

The flagfin angelfish, Blue lip angel - Apolemichthys trimaculatus

Relatively safe with LPS and zoas. Very safe with SPS.

Goldflake Angelfish - Apolemichthys xanthopunctatus

Safe with SPS and relatively safe with LPS. Caution should be taken though, for I have personally seen this fish nipping on LPS and even noxious cladiella sp.

Red Sea Angelfish - Apolemichthys xanthotis

Apolemichthys xanthurus

Very similarly marked, the former from red sea and the latter, the indian ocean. No idea on it's reef safeness. Anyone with experience?

To sum up, this genus isn't as bad as some of the other angels out there in terms of reef safeness. But do take caution with your LPS and softies if you're introducing them. SPS no problem.

[yikai]

Centropyge

Everybody's favourite little monsters.

African Pygmy Angel - Centropyge acanthops

Very safe with SPS, with caution with LPS and softies. Will leave most noxious softies alone like leather.

Argi Angel - Centropyge argi

Very safe with SPS. Have not heard of any argi angels posing a threat to LPS and softies. But as with most dwarf angels, the risk is there although extremely minimal for this species.

Golden Angel - Centropyge aurantius

One of my personal fav, if you can keep it alive. Difficult to chance upon feeding specimens and VERY shy and cryptic initially. Harlequin Mania had one but I have seen it nipping on his LPS. Although literature states that this is one of the safer dwarves. You decide.

Flameback Angelfish - Centropyge aurantonotus

Another one of my personal fav, very reef safe IMO. Ranks with flame angel. Very rarely hear of them nipping on LPS and softies. Very safe with SPS.

Bicolour Angelfish - Centropyge bicolor

Hmm...not very reef safe IMO. The number of accounts of it munching on corals outdo the number of accounts in which it don't. Personally kept two before, developed a taste for LPS. Safe with SPS.

Coral Beauty Angel - Centropyge Bispinosa

Very reef safe, kept one for many many months before. No problem with my corals. Safe with SPS.

Colin's Angelfish - Centropyge colini

If you can get it feeding and keep it alive...This is one species i DON'T MIND nipping on my LPS. safe with SPS.

Debelius Angel - Centropyge debelius

No info? But as with other dwarves, should be exercised with caution

Eibli's Angelfish - Centropyge eibli

NO IMO. Nipped on my LPS before and have heard similar accounts. Safe with SPS.

Rusty Angelfish - Centropyge ferrugata

Quite tame as far as dwarves go. Seldom hear of this species nipping on coral. Then again, seldom see people keeping this. Safe with SPS. Experiences anyone?

Centropyge fisheri

Centropyge Flavicauda

Very similar in appearances, although the former may appear more brownish. The latter has a whitish-yellow tail. Former is a hawaiian endemic, the latter, from indonesia. Both of which i am unsure regarding their reef safeness. Anyone care to share? Safe with SPS

Centropyge flavipectoralis

Looks like a dark coral beauty with yellow fins. No idea on it's reefsafeness

Lemonpeel Angel - Centropyge Flavissimus

No experience, but the legend of the lemonpeel prevails as one of the most notoriously non-reefsafe dwarf. Safe with SPS though.

Centropyge Heraldi

No experience. Should exercise caution with this one with regards to LPS. Probably a nipper. Safe with SPS.

Centropyge hotumatua, Centropyge interruptus.

From Japan, the former being very rare. Both should be reef-safe from the articles i read online. None here to try though. Safe with SPS

Joculator Angel - Centropyge joculator

Amongst one of the safest. But i have heard a tale or two of them nipping on LPS. SPS safe

Flame Angelfish - Centropyge loricula

How can we forget the most famous of them all. The one species that put's its mark in EVERY forum. "Is flame angel reefsafe?" the most frequently asked question. Answer? It is not 50-50. Flame angel is one of the, if not, the safest dwarf angel IMO. i will say 70-30 or 80-20. The bigger number being the reef-safeness. But as usual, there are stories of them nipping on LPS. SPS friendly.

Multicolour Angel - Centropyge Multicolour

Mmm... no stories of them being naughty so far. SPS friendly

Centropyge nahackyi, Centropyge narcosis, Centropyge nigriocellus

All of which are too rare and un-obtainable.

Centropyge Nox

NOx very reef safe. pun intended lol. Heard more tales of them nipping LPS than not. SPS safe. very shy.

Potter's angel - Centropyge Potteri

Reefsafe with limited caution. As good as a flame. Mine didn't give me any problems. SPS safe

Centropyge Resplendens

IF you ever get one, all your LPS are probably unworthy for it. NIP AWAY I SAY. but seriously, should be LPS safe. SPS friendly

Shepard's Angel - Centropyge Shepardi

No info from me. Anyone care to share?

Keyhole Angel - Centropyge Tibicen

Not very LPS friendly. SPS safe

Pearly Angel - Centropyge vroliki

Dunno? Same as eibli's i guess.

Woodhead angel - Centropyge woodheadi

same as heraldi i guess.

To sum up, you guessed it. Most dwarf angels are ambiguous with regards to their reef-safeness. It all boils down to individual fishes personality. How to answer your question when you say is a dwarf angel reefsafe? Honestly, i don't know.. its too ambiguous and intangible. Such questions are not like math where its based on probability. I have a friend who had 5 flame angels eat his corals in a row. Go figure

[yikai]

Chaetodontoplus

Butterfly/angel hybrids if you ask me. I don't have much information on this genus. Hoping others will chip in.

Ballina Angel - Chaetodontoplus ballinae

Perhaps the RAREST angelfish in the entire world.

Chaetodontoplus caeruleopunctatus

really no idea.

Conspicillatus Angel - Chaetodontoplus conspicillatus

Digiman, care to share?

Scribbled Angel - Chaetodontoplus duboulayi

Not very safe from what i hear... SPS friendly though.

Black Poma Angel (Is this what they call it?) - Chaetodontoplus melanosoma

No idea. Seldom see people keeping this..

Meridith Angel - Chaetodontoplus meredithi

No idea. SPS safe but not sure for LPS. I'm guessing not very?

Singapore Angel - Chaetodontoplus mesoleucus

Not safe from the one that i kept. SPS safe.

Chaetodontoplus niger

Very very rare...

Personifer's angel - Chaetodontoplus personifer

THE angel that defines this genus IMO. SPS safe. Relativlely safe with LPS

Blue Lined Angel - Chaetodontoplus septentrionalis

My favourite. SPS safe, and should be safe with LPS. Seldom hear of them nipping LPS.

Any information would be appreciated. Quite dry with this genus... although from what i hear, these guys are quite okay with corals. But don't go buying them just yet. will wait for more input.

[yikai]

Genicanthus

The swallowtail Angels

VERY VERY safe. All are zooplanktivores and do not eat corals in the wild. Only heard of one case of them nipping on corals. That one is an isolated case. All are safe with SPS, LPS and zoas. Interesting thing to note is that this is the only genus of angelfish that express sexual dimorphism. ie, males and females look completely different. so its easy to pair them!

Bellus Angel - Genicanthus bellus

Zebra Swallowtail - Genicanthus caudovittatus

Lamarck Angel - Genicanthus lamarck

Blackspot - Genicanthus melanospilos

Personatus angel - Genicanthus personatus If you can afford it or get your hands on it!

Genicanthus semicinctus - rare... very rare

Masked Swallowtail - Genicanthus semifasciatus

Japanese Angelfish - Genicanthus takeuchii The rarest of the lot. Very rare very expensive. This fish is protected and you can only catch it while snorkeling. (i think)

Watanabei angel - Genicanthus watanabei

[BKChoo]

wow wow wow .....nice to have this as guide before head down to LFS shopping....

Thanks bro Lemonx2 :bow:

[yikai]

Holacanthus

The big boys

Holacanthus africanus

SPS safe. Not sure with LPS/softies?

Blue angel - Holacanthus bermudensis

SPS safe. Not safe with LPS. Seen them nipping nipping nipping...

Queen Angel - Holacanthus ciliaris

SPS safe?, NOT safe with LPS.

Summary? Best left in FOWLR tanks or with softies. NOT zoanthids.

Clarion Angel - Holacanthus clarionensis

SPS safe i would think, not sure about LPS. But im willing to say no.

Clipperton Angel - Holacanthus limbaughi

Should be SPS safe. No idea on LPS. But this is one angel i won't mind feeding LPS to.

King Angel - Holacanthus passer

mmm SPS safe i think. LPS most likely no

Rock Beauty - Holacanthus tricolour

Very difficult to sustain. Not LPS safe but okay with SPS.

[yikai]

Paracentropyge

Peppermint Angel - Centropyge boylei

HAHAHA. This angel will cost more than any LPS you ever buy. Better feed LPS to it i say! It's worthy

Multibar Angel - Paracentropyge multifasciatus

Difficult fish. Safe with SPS. With caution when keeping with LPS. they do nip. but i'm unsure of the ratio.

[yikai]

Pomacanthus

The best known angels come from here!

Blue Ring Angel - Pomacanthus annularis

SPS safe i would say. Not with LPS.

Gray Angel - Pomacanthus arcuatus

SPS safe? Although they grow very large and not very suitable for SPS system. Not safe with LPS

Asfur Angel - Pomacanthus Asfur sometimes known as Arusetta Asfur. Is Arusetta a subgenus?

SPS safe. This is one of the safer pomacanthus angels. In fact, i'm getting one for my coral tank. They attain adult colouration at relatively small sizes too. i reccomend this for anyone with guts and are willing to add a large angel to their coral tank. But they are still known to nip at LPS and zoas

Ear Spot Angel - Pomacanthus chrysurus

SPS safe i think. not with lps and softies

Emperor Angel - Pomacanthus imperator

A real emperor! Not safe with lps and softies but safe with SPS

Maculosus Angel - Pomacanthus (Arusetta) maculosus

SPS safe. Not with LPS

French Angel - Pomacanthus paru

No no no. Yes with sps

Koran Angel - Pomacanthus semicirculatus

SPS yes. LPS - maybe. Have heard some good reviews. But trust no large angel.

Cortez Angel - Pomacanthus zonipectus

No! sps yes.

Summary, trust no large angel. they will in nip your LPS and zoas eventually. But if you really want to try, go with asfur. damage done will be less compared to the rest.

[yikai]

Pomacanthus (Euxiphipos) The subgenus Euxiphipops

Majestic Angel - Pomacanthus (Euxiphipops) navarchus

One of the more reefsafe large angels. Similar to asfur. Attains adult colouration fairly young at 2.5 inch! good news! But as with all large angels, will tend to do some nipping of LPS. SPS safe.

Six Bar Angel - Pomacanthus (Euxiphipops) sexstriatus

Not reefsafe. Ugly. SPS safe.

Blue Faced Angel - Pomacanthus (Euxiphipops) xanthometopon

SPS safe. Very beautiful. Not very LPS safe though...

Summary? Same with the large angels. Not reefsafe except for SPS.

[yikai]

Pygoplites

The monotypic genus. Regal as a regal angel!

Regal Angel - Pygoplites Diacanthus

Geographical variants occur. Red sea specimens exhibit yellow bellies. Indo-pacific ones with grey bellies.

SPS safe! LPS and zoas with caution. Debatable! But its a risk i will take.

[yikai]

Sumireyakko

Monotypic Genus

Venustus Angel - Sumireyakko venustus

Difficult. SPS safe. LPS and softy with caution. I know some reefers who kept this for years with no problem. As safe as a dwarf angel.

[yikai]

I hope this guide does well for everyone and it's not complete yet. I hope reefers will chip in with their experience and i can add it to the list.

Please note that when i say SPS safe, i dont mean 100% safe. Sometimes, they nip and peck but i still consider it safe. Why? Read this article and you'll know why

Please note that there are certain things that will trigger an angel to go crazy for LPS. When your LPS is damaged, that is, injured or receeding, certain chemicals and smells are released and angels go crazy for this. When you see your dwarf angel nipping on your LPS, take a look first. It might very well be already injured and that's the reason for your naughty fish.

So please share and contribute! thanks!

[Digiman]

Chaetodontoplus

Conspicillatus Angel - Chaetodontoplus conspicillatus

Digiman, care to share?

Conspic Angel, one of the most highly valued angel of the genus chaetodontoplus. With its inquisitive puppy-like behaviour and unique spectacled look, it is the favourite of all angels i've kept thus far. Only bad side of the fish is it's care required which fall somewhere in between a regal(difficult) and a goldflake(easy). Biggest obstacle is getting the fish to start feeding and maintain and gain its appetite gradually and this has proven rather difficult for my 5 inch conspic in the first two months. It'll occasionally go on hunger strike for a few days which is pretty normal for most big angels during the first few months of acclimation. At the beginning it does not tolerate excessive competition but will gradually hold its own once pass its acclimation period. I feed an algae(nori) and MP heavy diet once to twice a day.

I've kept it w mainly softies and some LPS before. It's definitely not safe with fleshy LPS like open brain but is completely safe with softies and LPS of the euphyllias family. I dun keep SPS but conspic like other big angels should be safe with SPS. If u're willing to spend on a conspic i'm pretty sure u're more fish than coral lover like myself and will not fuss over occassional nippings on the corals. For people who intend to get a conspic in the near future, i think one of the greatest concern will be temperature issue. I'm still exploring this part myself. Website recommend 24 degree which is practically unachievable in our hot climate. My tank temp has gradually increase from 25 degree to 26.5 degree over a period of abt 7 months with no adverse sign from the fish. I'll prob increase the temp further to around 27 degree and let it stay there long term and thereafter only time will tell.

[yikai]

Conspic Angel, one of the most highly valued angel of the genus chaetodontoplus. With its inquisitive puppy-like behaviour and unique spectacled look, it is the favourite of all angels i've kept thus far. Only bad side of the fish is it's care required which fall somewhere in between a regal(difficult) and a goldflake(easy). Biggest obstacle is getting the fish to start feeding and maintain and gain its appetite gradually and this has proven rather difficult for my 5 inch conspic in the first two months. It'll occasionally go on hunger strike for a few days which is pretty normal for most big angels during the first few months of acclimation. At the beginning it does not tolerate excessive competition but will gradually hold its own once pass its acclimation period. I feed an algae(nori) and MP heavy diet once to twice a day.

I've kept it w mainly softies and some LPS before. It's definitely not safe with fleshy LPS like open brain but is completely safe with softies and LPS of the euphyllias family. I dun keep SPS but conspic like other big angels should be safe with SPS. If u're willing to spend on a conspic i'm pretty sure u're more fish than coral lover like myself and will not fuss over occassional nippings on the corals. For people who intend to get a conspic in the near future, i think one of the greatest concern will be temperature issue. I'm still exploring this part myself. Website recommend 24 degree which is practically unachievable in our hot climate. My tank temp has gradually increase from 25 degree to 26.5 degree over a period of abt 7 months with no adverse sign from the fish. I'll prob increase the temp further to around 27 degree and let it stay there long term and thereafter only time will tell.

excellent. thank you so much digiman.

[Digiman]

excellent. thank you so much digiman.

My pleasure. I'm still hoping and waiting for someone who is successful with a bandit angel to share his story with us esp temp and feeding issue.

[Jameshong]

Awesome write up and thanks for putting your effort to share the knowledge with us !

[vt_snowman87]

nice.. something that i've been looking for.. thanks Lemon, very thoughtful..

would appreciate more experiences on SPS though.. how bad the nipping can get etc..

[Terryz_]

nice.. something that i've been looking for.. thanks Lemon, very thoughtful..

would appreciate more experiences on SPS though.. how bad the nipping can get etc..

With a big tank and alot of SPS, the nipping can be ignore.. They will go nip and swim den nip and swim... If your sps are growing fast and healthy, a little nipping will not affect the sps too much.. But of course, it is difficult to have best of both world..

[yikai]

nice.. something that i've been looking for.. thanks Lemon, very thoughtful..

would appreciate more experiences on SPS though.. how bad the nipping can get etc..

hi. ok for nipping of SPS, it is very minimal and damage done is very limited. SPS make up almost 0% of diet found in wild angelfishes. Mainly sponge, tunicate, algae and benthic inverts. and a small % of LPS/softies.

Damage will only be done if the angel incessantly nips on one particular SPS the entire time, and everytime for that day everyday. But this is usually not the case and it's very rare.

Angels will leave SPS alone with the occasional nipping of mucus etc, as mentioned in the article i posted, they cannot eat polyps even if they wanted to.

i hope this helps.

[vt_snowman87]

thanks guys.. i guess the interesting thing abt this hobby is that u can't always have the best of both worlds.. so i presume frags of SPS are pretty dangerous, while an established SPS tank wld be angel-safe..

[yikai]

Interesting thing to note. When buying angels, don't have the idea that smaller/juvenile angels will have a lesser tendency to nip corals. My captive bred, tank raised maculosus angel that has been raised in glass tanks and machines since it was an egg, has never seen corals in it's entire life, but rushed to nip on clove corals the minute it was released. Coral nipping is in the genes.

[dreamlover]

I got a bad experience of my emperor and koran Angel nipping and eating my elegance till botak. Just a 2ft tank no sump tank to separate them... So sad....

[jythong]

Centropyge Flavicauda

Very similar in appearances, although the former may appear more brownish. The latter has a whitish-yellow tail. Former is a hawaiian endemic, the latter, from indonesia. Both of which i am unsure regarding their reef safeness. Anyone care to share? Safe with SPS

Have one flavicauda currently, seldom disturb my sps and lps. Prefers to nip at other dwarf angels, unfortunately.

[yikai]

I got a bad experience of my emperor and koran Angel nipping and eating my elegance till botak. Just a 2ft tank no sump tank to separate them... So sad....

emperor and koran are definiately not reef safe especially with meaty corals like elegance

[puppet]

Very helpful list for beginners like me.

I have a request though, could someone or all of us help source for pictures and attached them to each of the fish? Of course with clear citation of the source etc

Many LFS we visit either label the name wrongly or doesn't label them at all.

I know it's possible to search one by one for the pictures online, but I thought it did be good to have a place with consolidated information with pictures rather than having to search all over the net.

Cheers to lemon for the effort though