Coral beauty 8/17/05
Hello. <Hi Pat> I've been quarantining a coral beauty for ich the last month and it has started to swim furiously back and forth along the glass, scraping its mouth white. I imagine that it is chasing its reflection, and that the stress of this action in the main tank probably contributed to it getting ich.  Are there any things I can try to get the fish to stop?  Thank you <Try putting some pieces of PVC pipe in the QT tank.  They definitely need a place to retreat and relax.  James (Salty Dog)>
Pat

- Fish Question -
Hi!  I bought a male and female Watanabe Angels from your company a few weeks ago. <Very interesting - considering that we're not a company and we don't sell fish.> I am noticing that the male is having more difficulty staying down than floating up.  When he does try to swim down his face is down on an angle - it doesn't really look that serious, but is there any prevention that I can do without putting him in my quarantine tank (it's only a 20 gallon). <Hmm... not much you can do beyond quarantine.> I know I broke the rules and put him directly in the main 110 gallon reef tank when I first got them, so catching him won't be that easy or fun.  I've heard "shelled peas" might work? <Work with what? The floating problem? Have never heard of this and would not rely on it. If you're having issues with this fish eating, then you want to offer a proper fish food - for instance Pygmy Angel Formula or Formula Two.> Any insight you have would be helpful.
Thanks in advance.
Jim
<Cheers, J -- >

Queen and majestic...
  I was wondering how hardy are queen angels and majestic angels... Are they susceptible to Ich?
  Do you need to keep them in a FO tank running copper? Any other info would help! thanks! Ben
< Queens (Holacanthus ciliaris) are far hardier than Majestics (Pomacanthus Euxiphipops navarchus)... out of ten in the way of a historical survivability scoring scheme, I'd rate them an 8 and a 2 respectively. Both are "medium" susceptible/resistant to ich, velvet...
I would not keep any livestock running under copper continuously. 
My further ideas on these fishes, the issues of selection, acclimation procedures... can be found on the site: www.wetwebmedia.com, Bob Fenner>

Angel Fights I have two angels both about 4" in length. The newest angel is a scribble and the oldest a three year old fights constantly with the scribble. The other angel is a Cortez( or so I'm told, brown with dark yellow stripes). 
Most people can't identify this species. Any suggestions how to stop the two from fighting?
>>
Hmmm, at four inches, brown (maybe more blackish) with dark yellow stripes... does sound like a Cortez (Pomacanthus zonipectus) to me. You don't give much information, like the size of the system, other tankmates... but you may be able to declare a truce in the tank by adding more decor items (plastic plants, live or base rock, faux or real coral skeletons, shells...) such that the two Angels don't often "see" each other... otherwise another possibility is to add some "dither fish" like some of the feistier damselfishes... These will serve to "give the angels something else to chase after"...
Bob Fenner

Angel fish quarrels
Hi Bob,
I just introduced a juvenile(2.5") French Angel into my 55 gallon fish/reef tank with 60 pd.s of rock. There is also an Imperator(aprox.4"), Maroon clown and a blue damsel. 
I just finished quarantining the French Angel( two weeks). I turned off the lights and let him sit in the hang on clear box for about 1/2 hour so the other fish could check him out for a while. they didn't really pay much attention to him.) Once I put him in that's when the problems began with the Imperator. The Imperator chased the French angel relentlessly for about an hour. Finally when he went into a corner I put a rock above him so the Imperator cant really see him right now so he stopped the pursuit. Later today I'm going to switch around some of the rock, maybe that will help a bit. I really love both these Angels and I want to keep them both. Do you think the Imperator will eventually stop the harassment or will it continue until he kills the other fish? Is there any else that I might be able to do to help the situation? I checked with numerous sources before buying the French Angel and they all said that this combination of Angel fish should work out. thanks for any help 
>>
Yikesville... I wish (as in "if wishes were fishes, we'd all have full tanks) that the size and species and order of introduction could all be switched. IF the 2.5" Imperator had been put in after the French (4")... all might be well. As it is, there is very little chance of the two ever "getting along". I would either move the Imperator, leaving the French in the tank in question for a few weeks, then try placing the Imperator back... Or separate the two permanently... It's not for their regal colors alone that the Imperator Angel is named...
Bob Fenner

Hi Bob, I sent you an email earlier today regarding my problem between my Imperator and the French Angel. Just one more question, If I completely rearrange the tank, including all the rock work. Do you think this might help? What I cant understand is that if the French angel is smaller than the Imperator then why would the Imperator attack him so much when the French would not be a threat whatsoever. Could you recommend a book or website that speaks on this subject of fish compatibility especially Angels. Also if these angel are not compatible then why do stores such as FFExpress advise client that Angels are compatible with each other on the charts in their website?
>>
Hmmm, well, yes I agree that the tank arranging, rearranging is a good idea to reduce agonistic behavior twixt new arrivals and established territorial organisms... but I doubt if it's going to help in this circumstance (species, system)... But do try it if you're that curious. Re the issue of compatibility charts... I'm very sure I did not write, or help compose such... so I can't answer to their accuracy or usefulness... but my books definitely do address such issues... as do simple survey articles...
And you are welcome to them for free at my website, www.wetwebmedia.com
Bob Fenner

Question: I wanted to e-mail you to let you know that I have just finished your book "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" and I thought it was fantastic . The way that you use scientific terms and mix it with layman's terms gives someone relatively new to the hobby a feel for what we are really trying to accomplish here . We are not just keeping a "fish tank" we are keeping small eco-systems in are homes . The scientific names reminds you of that fact. Thank you!

I have been following your advice about picking out fish to the letter, leaving questionable ones behind. I just made a rather significant purchase as far as fish are concerned. After about two weeks watching a Pomacanthus Annularis in the local pet shop, I brought it home . As you can imagine it was quite expensive, but it was well worth the wait and expense. Until today that is.

I've noticed that the eyes are starting to cloud over. In your book you go over Popeye briefly, but don't mention cloudiness. I would appreciate any direction you might have regarding this subject or any references you might have that I could look up. I understand that you must get thousands of e-mails , and can't possibly answer them all , but please try to get back to me. I WOULD RATHER SEE THESE FISH STAY IN THE REEFS OF THE WORLD THEN TO SEE THEM DIE IN MY SYSTEM!

Bob's Answer: Richard, thank you for writing, and your kind words re: my efforts at writing. I share your concern re the Annularis, and will try to help you. First of all let me state that any eye cloudiness is a bad sign, but that esp. with larger fish specimens, it is not uncommon. Especially when netted, they get scratched and this coupled with the stress of being moved and new water, light and even social conditions in the new system can add to the problem...

But generally the cloudiness is not based on an actual infection of any sort and SELF CURES. Now some important questions. How long has the tank been running? Tell us/me about your set-up, filtration esp. What other sorts of organisms do you have (an important clue)? Do you have sufficient decor that the angel can get out of the light? In the meanwhile of waiting to see if the cloudiness has stopped progressing (it may take a few days to weeks to regress completely), please don't add medicines of any sort to the system or even the animal's foods. And for browsers, particularly industry types, do utilize soft nets at the worst, and just your hand and a waiting submersed doubled bag at best to capture these fishes in captivity.

Question: I am having one heck of a time keeping large angels alive. I have a 55gal tank with 2 power heads atop an under-gravel filter. I have had my water tested many times and every time it has came back excellent for everything. All my other fish are doing perfect, and thriving. I have had the same tank and general set-up for the last 5 years and never had a problem until trying my hand at large angels (Rock Beauty, French).

Every time one is introduced, it refuses to eat, but keeps it color, swims up and down in one corner of the tank, and dies about a week later. I have been told my water quality must be bad, BUT if it is so bad, why are the other fish doing so great?

I have been fighting a couple brown algae blooms the last month or so, but I believe that is due to the increased sun light through the nearby window. Anyway, do you have any ideas as to why all my angels are dying?

Bob's Answer: Gosh, Jeff, could be a bunch of things. For one the Rock Beauty (Holacanthus tricolor) is not a hardy fish at all... but the French is!

Very likely whatever your perception re: the "other" established livestock, your water quality may be way off. There's a tremendous amount of adaptive conditioning to water over a period of time, but new livestock may not be able to "take it".

You mention some algae blooms ... do you have a "dependency" on chemical supplements and treatments for the same? This and/or the algae themselves could well be affecting the living conditions. My real advice? Try some smaller angelfish species. A 55 is too small for the ones you have tried.