Eiblii Angel Eating My Corals!

Mattfish · 09-22-2007, 09:36 PM

I should have known better but got an Eiblii Angelfish. He was decent for a while, but now seems to be a voracious eater of all our corals (OK, not all, but is doing major damage to many...) I need to get him out, but catching him is impossible in our tank (125g) and it's gotten extreme.

Short of tearing the tank apart, any suggestions on saving our corals? Every day we find another serious injury and I can't wait any longer.

Thanks!

omard · 09-22-2007, 11:37 PM

Catch him with one of these:

DIY Fishtrap

Good Luck!

Mattfish · 09-23-2007, 02:45 AM

Thanks - we'll give this a try. He looks cool but he's eaten so much beautiful coral that I've come to consider an enemy and an annoyance, and a tank shouldn't cause that much negative energy.

lunatik_69 · 09-23-2007, 05:55 AM

I feel ya. I bought a Key hole angel ( should be renamed to ****** Angel ) once and OMG. Before I was able to catch them, we where calling him osma bin ladin. WHAT A TERRORIST that fish. As long as I will have a reef tank, NO angel will see the likes of my tank, for sure!!!

JustPhish · 09-23-2007, 05:56 AM

Unfortunately that's the risk with all the dwarf angel species. You can try leaving a large net in the tank and feeding over the net each time. When the fish gets used to it after a few days feed and then scoop it up when the fish is over the net.

Good luck.

lunatik_69 · 09-23-2007, 06:01 AM

I had to buy a fish trap from Dr foster and smith to get him out. took about two weeks to finally trap him. Some lfs rent out the fish traps instaed of buying it. Sometimes its cheaper to rent and sometimes its better to buy. do some research.

Tangster · 09-23-2007, 07:07 AM

Angels never belong in a reef tank not many Pygmies angles either.. I trust none of them as I like to say they will be fine until one day they drop and separate and the fish becomes a big boy! na d remembers how Mother nature programmed him and they where programmed to eat corals clams sponges and such..

Mattfish · 09-23-2007, 09:51 AM

Thanks for all the suggestions. Worst case, we're reaquascaping in two weeks when we move the tank to a new custom stand and change to a sump with a fuge. Our lfs will do all the work, so they can also catch the angelfish, if I can't catch him first.

Lesson learned. As much as I've always wanted a Potter's Angel, this house and tank are now an angelfish-free zone. And anything else that isn't clearly reef friendly.

dfurbee · 09-23-2007, 02:36 PM

I have a yellow pygmy angel. Has not bothered the coral yet?? Should I try and sell it, or just wait and see?? Thanks

Mattfish · 09-23-2007, 03:23 PM

Hi Debbie, if it were me and he's doing well so far, I'd leave him but keep a watchful eye - some are good and learn to eat mysis, etc, and nori/seaweed. Some don't. Probably, at some point, he'll revert to his origins and nip here and there, at which point, catching him will be the plan, but if it's no easier now than later to catch him, I'd enjoy him while you can....

But we also know there's plenty of people smarter than me with better opinions....