How 'Reef-Safe' is the Regal Angel ( Pygoplites diacanthus)

[fkadir]

Guys, Im comtemplating adding the above fish to my SPS dominated reef. In your opinion how 'reef-safe' is it?

Also, if you have personal experience with the species. Pls let us know your findings and how the fish is generally.

Thanks!

[Sing]

Farish, i have one in my tank (bought from Coral Farm) and it is really a nice addition. I finally succeded after 2nd try. My first is a real small one (~1.5-2" size) and it did not make it. My Chevron tang and PBT did not give him a chance.. So i go for a ~3" size (from what i read, 3-4" size has a higher chance of survival) and after ~1 week or so, it is basically eating anything (one thing good about buying from coral farm is that you are sure it is really eating pellets). But do take note that regal angel is used to pecking on sponge and so on, so it is not a fast eater and tend to lose out to tangs and other fishes. But i realised that if i feed more (purposely let some sink to the bottom), they are able to wonder around and pick those up...

And most importantly, regal angel in general is pretty tame and never see him bully any of the smaller fish. I am lucky that mine did not pick on sps/acan/cynarina/clam/ric/yuma.. And even zoo.. Actually i am prepare that it finishes off the zoo but.. Anyway, all my sponge is gone, that about all.. Conclusion: i would say it is worth taking the risk and do get ~3" size and make sure it is eating pellet. Good luck!

[Janne]

Not so tough and sky, therefore can it be problem to get used with the new food, but if you don't have any larger fish before the chance is better. Be shure that the fish is in good condition, to many never get acclimatized to the aquarium. My is complete reefsafe and here it is.

/Janne

[moonpod]

IMO, it's pretty safe. I only had problems with zoos.

[Marineaquarium]

Hi,

I have an regal for almost two years now. Complety safe on the Sps, not on zoos.
Be sure to give enough hiding places. He dont like to be in the spotlights all day!


Gr,

Ron.

[cali_reef]

Mine eats zoas and picks at clams.

[fkadir]

Thanks guys. Seems like Zoos will be whacked without a doubt from all accounts. Softies are at risk but since I dunt have any precious softies, Im almost sure that Im going to add one to my reef.

[nbd13]

make sure you find a healthy one, these guys are very tough to keep...

Nick

[losmandy]

Alfa, Prata would be the next possible target.

Sealife has a few nice yellow belly ones that you might like to give it a shot.

[fkadir]

Thanks for the tip Weileong. Will further deliberate for a few months before taking the plunge. I want the best for both the fishes and the corals under my care so got to weight the pros and cons of adding more bioload againsts having such a magnificant fish.

[danano]

Farish, I would say my Regal has not always been a model reef citizen but for its beauty, I was prepared to forego all my LPS.

I've had my yellow-belly Regal for about 7 months. It was 3" when I first got it (from Sealife). It's grown ever so slightly, so possibly 3.5" now. It took my Regal 4 months to start taking pellets and now it eats anything I throw in the tank. In the first 4 months, it relied on food off the LR and acan lord polyps! Yes, you heard right, acanthastrea lordhowensis! It did not devour the acans but it would pick at a polyp or two every other time it swam by. Fortunately, it discovered a taste for pellets and I was able to gradually wean it off acans. The acans have since recovered.

I have a patch of zoos that it has never touched.

If you get one, 4" would be a good size to start off with for your tank. Not sure if your AT would make life difficult for it though.

Here is a recent pic I took of the little beauty.

[Aged Salt]

Hi Dan, & welcome to our forum Great post, btw, Bob

[fkadir]

Dan! Welcome to Zeoville! and thanks for that info you gave. Highly appreciated. I am nearly confirmed on the Regal. How high a bioload would you consider them to be? Equivalent to another tang perhaps?

Now lay on some of those candy pics pls..

[reefplayer]

Wow, fantastic Regal you have there Dan. I cannot remember seeing it when i was at your place. Maybe your sps were too stunning that i forget about fishes. I was thinking of getting a Regal too. Been very long since i decided to get angels in my tank and forego all LPS. **SIGN** Last week i got 5 angels into my tank and i love the blue face and hope all are doing fine. Now aiming for a flame and a Regal. Heard that there are 3 to 4 species, Indian Ocean, Red Sea, Northern Pacific and South Pacific. Those are of different colour intensity and belly. Even shape are different. E.g. The red sea ones are more shorter in length than those from the Pacific. I also do hope my fierce AT will not hazzle regal if i were to put one in.

[danano]

... How high a bioload would you consider them to be? Equivalent to another tang perhaps?

Farish, as my regal is still relatively small, I would say it eats about as much as my multi-colour or flame angel but no where near what my purple tang eats.

Dan