CorlBeauSysFAQ

FAQs about the Coral Beauty Dwarf Angel Systems

Related Articles: Coral Beauty Angels, Marine Angelfishes, Flame Angels,

Sans large, predatory tankmates of course. Hypodytes rubripinnis

Angelfishes for Marine Aquariums
Diversity, Selection & Care
New eBook on Amazon: Available here
New Print Book on Create Space: Available here

by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Is it possible? Coral Beauty Comp./Stkg.      3/18/17
<Hi Aaron, Earl today.>
Hello! Big fan here! I have a bit of a question to ask. I have a 40 gallon mixed reef with a coral beauty, approximately 3 inches and most likely male due to the fact that I got it from a shop who I saw had him in a tank to himself for around three months, anyways, I have been interested in possibly pairing up the coral beauty and was wondering if I could do it in the 40 breeder with no plan of upgrading tank size in the near future?
<This is playing with fire. Assuming they do not get along, and I would bet they will not, how prepared are you to physically remove one of them from a functional reef tank? I would not consider this but if you do, have a solid
game plan for rehousing one of the fishes if/when that becomes a necessity.
You would also need a way to monitor their interactions intensely (as close to 24/7) maybe with help from a spouse, etc.. Look up the topic of introducing potentially troublesome fishes on WWM (pasta strainer "shark
cages" and such; helped me with similar problems back in the day). In short, I would look into the many, many safer options and also ask myself "why?" as in, what is the motivation? Visuals? Interesting behavior? These
can be good reasons but with so many other options for a small reef tank and so much risk with the angels, I'd look elsewhere. All this applies to any same or similar species angelfish to some degree. Some of my favorites
and ones I will go out of my way (and budget, Argh!) to keep but they definitely have their share of attendant issues.>
Also, to add to that, I was possibly hoping to pair it with a deep water coral beauty. Would this be possible? I know pairing Centropyge species can be risky. Thank you. -Aaron
<Hope this helps and please follow up, this adds info for fellow aquarists to come! -Earl C.>
Re: Is it possible?     3/18/17
Thank you Earl! I figured it would not be possible (well maybe haha). The reason for the question was to see if I could possibly pair them and have a breeding pair as I am very interested in the breeding of marine angels
especially Centropyge and Paracentropyge species.
<If you can get that going, cha-ching! But that is a whole different ball of wax and not in the real of a hobbyist in their own home to attempt.
Breeding most marine fish is a herculean task, frankly.>
Also, it was going to be a pair only species tank with the two and the small yellow clown goby and skunk cleaner shrimp I have in the with the male right now. Maybe one day I'll upgrade but not in the near future. Thank you again!
<Get a bigger tank, use the 40g as a fuge/sump maybe ;) but this is coming from a guy who is looking at a switch to a 350 or similar to house a shockingly quickly growing queen angel. They lure you in and don't let go
once you fall in love with angelfish! Anyway let us know how it works out.>
Re: Is it possible?      3/19/17
Thanks again Earl haha, angels really do have the power to lure us in, sirens of the sea i may say haha. So i just got a hold of a lfs and the owner who i know very well due to the fact that i have worked there for a while said if i help him with his corals in his 125 frag tank he's setting up, he will give me a 100 gallon tank that he got from a guy that needs to be extensively cleaned up and resealed due to it sitting outside but once i clean it up and reseal it its all mine. So now that i have a plan for a bigger tank, maybe i could get this project going. Also, would a majestic angel be happy in a 100 gallon if there wasn't a lot of tank mates maybe just a pair of coral beauties and some smaller docile tankmates?
<Low and wide is definitely the way to go (pretty much whenever possible, imo). Probably a no on the majestic angel though...they can get 8"+. It seems like your interests and intents are better suited towards some of the
"middle-sized" marine angels (Lamarck's and other Genicanthus). Check them out. They are not hard to find in mated pairs, they are gorgeous, interesting behaviorally, and sexually dimorphic,>
I should include that the 100 gallon we are talking about is shaped like a 40 breeder just bigger dimensions. Thanks again Earl! -Aaron
<Make sure it's sealed very carefully if it's been out in the weather for any length of time. Once it's all done and seems ready, you can put layers of newspaper or similar underneath it, fill it, and leave it for a few days. If there are any leaks, the paper will reveal it. Also a good time to test bulkheads. Definitely have it drilled if it isn't. WWM has more info on this. On another note, a lower, wider than standard 100g tank is not easy to come by cheap so IMO it's probably a great score if you can indeed get it operational.>

Success Story. Centropyge in a 30 8/15/11
Hey crew!
<Matt>
No question, just a quick thank you and a reference to the ultimate success story. I have been interested in adding a dwarf angel to my small system. Live aquaria lists 30g as their minimum tank size, so I thought I would be okay. My favorite fish store also happened to have the most beautiful coral beauty I've seen AND it was on sale. Was very active, responding, healthy looking and eating. I checked live aquaria's page on my phone and it looked fine. I still managed to hold off and come home to do more research first.
An hour or so of research on your site and I've determined that my tank is not best for dwarf angels. I'll pass!
<Ah good>
Somehow I get just as excited about that as I do getting new fish!
Thanks crew! You help fish and hobbyists everywhere!
Matt
<Welcome! Bob Fenner>

Tank Change... Centropyge sys. 4/28/08 Good afternoon. I was hoping to get some guidance on moving my Coral Beauty to a larger tank. She is currently in a 40 gallon tank <...> with a Pajama Cardinal, a large Maroon Clown, a Lawnmower Blenny, a very large Condy that the Clown hosts in and several polyp frags, Bubble coral and Colt coral. I now have a 125 gallon tank, bought from a friend with about 100 lbs. of live rock, 3 Damsels, a Spotted Grouper, a Cubicus Boxfish, and a Snowflake eel. Everyone in the 40 gal. is getting very big, and I'd like to turn it into a reef tank, so I was wondering if moving the Coral Beauty to the 125 would be better? <Definitely yes> She seems equally as aggressive as the fish in the bigger tank, and there is plenty of rock for her to pick at and reside in. The water temp. and parameters are almost exactly the same, but I add calcium, Zoe, Micro Vert and Strontium & Molybdenum to the smaller tank and not the other. I also recently moved my Diadema Urchin to the big tank, and two weeks later he lost all his spikes and died. ( I had him for almost 2 years : (. ) So how should I go about moving the Coral Beauty, if it is even a good idea? <Net/s...> I don't want to kill another longtime pet, I feel bad enough about the Urchin! Thank <I'd be moving, summarily. Bob Fenner>

Coral Beauty Transfer Procedure 03/30/2008 Hi! <<Hello, Andrew today>> I thought I'd try something new...ask a question BEFORE I get into trouble... Last week I picked up a Coral Beauty and I now have him in a 20-Gal quarantine tank w/heater, Skilter, bare bottom and some PVC pipe for hiding. It's been eating like a pig. (I'm afraid to put my hand in the water; just in case). So far so good. I'm doing small water changes every few days; otherwise it's been a breeze. I now have to start planning the transfer. I read in one of the FAQ's here that a FW dip was a bad idea for a Coral Beauty. So, I'm planning on moving him directly to the display tank. When the LFS guy netted him out at the store, he sort of cradled the fish with his hand saying that the fish has little protruding fins that can get caught in a net. So should I be concerned about this when I transfer him?...maybe I should try an alternate method...like a container or a trap or something. <<Yes, one of the more awkward fish to move. I personally prefer to use a tub to transfer this fish from one tank to another. I feel its safe, less stressful for the fish>> Anyway, I wanted to pick your brain and see if 'just a net' is good enough or if there is a better way to transfer the new guy. I don't want to hurt it...it's absolutely gorgeous...and hungry! m. <<Thanks for the question, hope this helps. A Nixon>>

Yellowtail Damselfish... solitaire, and Centropyge in a 35... 7/8/07 Hello WWM Crew! I have a 35 gallon tank consisting of 20 pounds of LR, one yellowtail Damselfish and one Ocellaris Clownfish. About 2 weeks ago I added a Coral Beauty. <Needs more room than this by at least twice> The Coral Beauty has had no problems eating or interacting with the other fish. Today when I feed my fish, I noticed the Yellowtail Damsel wasn't eating. As I watched the Damsel, I noticed part of his lip is losing color. Any suggestions of what I should do to keep this fish healthy and eating? Thanks, Ryan. <Perhaps some sort of negative interaction going on here... And the Damsel is likely a social species of the genus Chrysiptera... live in groups... Please... read re these species needs (and all future purchases) on WWM... Systems, Compatibility especially. You need a larger system, more members... Bob Fenner>

Coral Beauty Hardiness- Location, Location, Location! 5/24/07 Hello Crew! - and specifically a big Texas "Howdy" to Bob, as we haven't spoken in quite some time. I need to drop him a special "line" some time soon and I still need to get to Fiji. <Hi there! Scott F. with you tonight!> I have searched the site for specifics on this issue without seeing it addressed, but being "timing/event" sensitive it is probably best to ask the question again anyway. So, please forgive if I am redundant. <No problem...that's why we're here!> My questions are in regards to the current availability/hardiness of Centropyge bispinosa, the beautiful Coral Beauty Angel, one of my personal favorites. <One of mine, too- a favorite in one of my favorite families of fishes!> First of all, knowing that you remain abreast of all things salty, where are the hardiest specimens of C. bispinosa being collected currently that are making their way to dealer's tanks? Does one region surpass another at this time for exceptional hardiness over another and is there really a preferred origin with this genus-species as with many others? <Great questions. I've been doing a lot of personal research on various Centropyge species lately, and I've been talking to some of the local wholesalers here in L.A., as well as shop owners and others in the know. The current consensus is that the hardiest C. bispinosus are coming from Australia and Polynesia. The collection practices in these countries are much more conscientious and yield consistently healthier, hardier specimens than those that come from areas such as The Philippines. Much effort has been put into training local fisherman into utilizing better collection practices (without chemicals, dynamiting reefs, etc.), but change is slow. Bottom line- at this time, I'd try to find a Coral Beauty out of Australia or Polynesia. Reputable e-tailers, such as Marine Center or Live Aquaria can help you locate specimens from these locales and others where better collection practices are common.> I ask primarily because I feel that the quality of these animals that I am seeing today is superior to the ones that I have owned or viewed 3 to 4 years ago. This may be an aberration or coincidental to my experience but they seem to be far more robust, inquisitive, and active at the LFS. I would like to think progress has been made and the industry is ramping up in terms of knowledge, resulting in increased environmental awareness, and subsequently more acceptable collection, transportation, and transfer methods. <Agreed...change is happening for the better. As Bob has mentioned often, we as hobbyists can "vote with our pocketbooks" and pass on specimens that appear to have been collected with chemicals, or from locales that have not embraced more conscientious collection practices. We should speak up and let our local fish stores know that we want specimens from reputable collectors/suppliers. Not always an easy thing to do, but it can and will make a difference in the long run.> I ask because four to five years ago I owned two Beauties, one immediately after the demise of the first (which didn't last more than 5 months). The second also succumbed after only a few months in the tank, manifesting the same symptoms - a brief period (less than a week) with loss of vitality, appetite, activity and awareness. They went down fast. <Sad to hear...Many possibilities as to why this happened.> Looking back, these specimens seemed to meet the criteria of healthy animals when acquired but comparatively did not display as much vigor as those I am now seeing. This 55 gallon reef system had already been running successfully, without the loss of any other fishes, for about 3 years - all parameters in check. It contained 70 lbs. of live rock, which served as constant forage and cover and these fish were good eaters of all other fare. There were no signs of any disease present or any harassment/conflict from and with mates, as well. <An excellent environment for Centropyge species.> This particular system is still running successfully, going on 8 years now. It currently houses a 5 year old Tomato Clown, a smaller Foxface of about 3" (which will need to move eventually, requiring larger quarters - YES!), an Azure Damsel, and a Yellow Dottyback, all healthy and getting along remarkably well. I am planning on acquiring another C. bispinosa and would like to know the current state of the species as far as origin, availability and hardiness are concerned. <Just a word of caution: The welcome this fish receives may not be all that warm if the Dottyback, Clown, and Damsel assert themselves..!> I would like to be armed with updated information when I enter the store. I would feel a sense of confidence in knowing that the order of things is superior today, if this is indeed the case. <Again, I agree that there are many better quality specimens arriving today than ever before.> Thanks, Crew, for your dedicated support to all of our efforts. David Bell Highland Village, Texas <And best of luck to you, David! Hope that your Coral Beauty works out great! Regards, Scott F.>

Coral Beauty Requirements 4/11/07 Hello all, <Hi> Like any long time reader, I first must thank, praise, sanctify, etc your website and work. <Thanks> I have a 40 gallon reef into which a QT'd coral beauty was just placed after acclimation and 15 min FW dip w/ m. blue. <Good> I felt she could've gone longer, but I didn't feel a need. <Usually 6-9 is better, gives a little more time for problems, Ich especially, to show up if they are present.> Within 10 min of being in the tank she was picking at the rocks and exploring the caves and such. <Good> He's eating prepared foods. Though I read your guy's website extensively (and several others, message boards, etc) I checked the Dr.F+S website for a quick remembrance of the minimum tank size for a coral beauty, for which they state 30 gallons. Upon doing more research later I found you guys recommend a tank of at least 75 gallons for this guy. <I lean more towards a 55 myself, but I wouldn't complain about a 75.> I feel like I'm in a good position to take care of this fish, as the tank, though 4 months old, was seeded with LR from years old tanks. There is a fuge and aprox 50-60 lbs LR, TONS of caves/overhangs etc. I like to feel that I am a champion of maintenance. I change the prefilter every other day, the tank is double skimmed with an 18" air driven (change the limewood diffuser regularly) and a Prizm which I adjust regularly to produce a cup or so of dark stuff daily. Every couple days I baste 1/4 of the rocks. I have about a 22x turnover w/powerheads and return pump. No problems with nuisance algae, and quite a bit of filamentous stuff and 'pods for munchin'. Other inhabitants in the tank are 1 2" ocellaris 1 2.5"cleaner shrimp 3 peppermint shrimp (one large that's carrying eggs, 2 small) several Nas. snails (12-15?) several turbo snails (7?) fighting conch There are also some corals in the tank Monti cap mushroom toadstool leathers Zoanthids There are a ton of hitch hikers -- tons of small filter feeders and sponges and brittle stars an spaghetti worms and Nerite (sp?) snails. I check the tank specs 1-2x a week never show any nitrogenous wastes, pH steady at 8.1-8.3 temp 79-80. I dose Kalk nightly via IV tubing (benefit of having a nurse as a fiancée) <Nice> GAH after ALL of that, I'm curious if the fish will need to go sooner rather than later. I do have a 50 gallon FOWLR with a bit less great rockwork that's been waiting on a good dwarf lion in the area, so if the coral beauty starts nipping at the corals he can move over there. <Will probably be ok in the 40 as long as it stays lightly stocked, and if you start seeing behavioral problems the 50 would be good for it as well.> Also, I REALLY wish those sites were more consistent at getting those kind of requirements accurate, seems like you guys could put some pressure on 'um, right? right? <I wish, the best pressure is applied with the all mighty dollar.> ah, I'll stop trying to excuse myself. <Heehee> Anyway, I had originally hoped to put a 6 line wrasse in there eventually, would this be a bad idea? <I think it would be ok.> If I switched out and got a pygmy cherub or Flameback would a 6 line fit better? <Be fine as is in my opinion.> Another question I have is if the nightly cocoon would function to help prevent crypt from parasitizing during the night. <Not to any significant extent, water passes through it easily enough, bringing the parasites with.> Anyway, thanks mega super big time for all that you guys have already done. Wes <Chris>

Stocking Questions -- 20 gallon Saltwater 11/21/06 Hello Team, <Hey Tom, JustinN with you tonight> I have one quick question for you. I have a well established (6 months) 20G saltwater tank. <Mmm, still establishing> So far I have tried to play it very safe with stocking. Right now I have one tank raised percula clown, a shrimp and some hermit crabs and snails. I have read some of your Q&As and seen that other people have mush more in smaller tanks. <You may also often notice these against the crews recommendations...> What I would love to have would be a Coral Beauty, and two Clownfish. I am guessing that it would be too heavy of a bio load but I would like know what you think. I have a very efficient skimmer and filter. Thanks for your time. Tom <Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your tank is, in my opinion, at least 35 gallons too small for a Coral Beauty. While these fish are much smaller than the other larger angelfish, they still do need ample swimming room and live rock to graze on. Perhaps you might be interested in some of the more comical blenny species (a personal favorite), or gobies? Keep reading, you'll get there! Hope this helps! -JustinN>

Acclimating Coral Beauty Hello Bob, I have on four occasions now tried to stock coral beauty's in my store but have always had very limited success getting them to feed. I have tried pretty much all of the prepared foods we stock. Do you have any recommendations on getting these guys started? <Yes... in well-established systems with plenty of healthy live rock... and a live sump/refugium in addition if possible. They nibble on algae, sponges, sea squirts in the wild...> All of the ones we received have been from QM and looked great on arrival. I have had great success with other supposedly less hardy dwarf species and am close to putting coral beauties on my "Do Not Order". <It may be that you're spot on here... the source your supplier is using may be "bunk" for this species. If you can, avoid ones from Indonesia and the Philippines... pay more for better specimens from elsewhere in the West-, South-Pacific. Bob Fenner> Thanks, Richard

Angelfishes for Marine Aquariums
Diversity, Selection & Care
New eBook on Amazon: Available here
New Print Book on Create Space: Available here

by Robert (Bob) Fenner

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