Pomacanthus paru (french angel) *controversial post*

Hello all,

I will preface with something that shouldn't be controversial but it probably is. I collect my own reef fish of my coast in Florida, I use a monofilament net and stay strictly within Florida Fish & Wildlife's regulations. This is arguably more ethical than purchasing fish caught in indo/pacific. Anyways I caught a beautiful 2in French Angelfish and well it was intentioned for my dad's 200G fish only tank, I've since decided to put it in my 20G reef tank for the sake of science, until it gets bigger. Trust me, I know this is a terrible idea, but I'm going to do it. I will update here on how it goes.

 

Please dont.

 

My first SW tank, was when I lived in Boynton Beach FL. and would capture all my fish and and get all my SW from the ocean there. I did WC's, etc.

I too had caught a small French Angel that I had for many months in a 30g. It was small, etc.
I used a slurp gun, and would put it over holes in the rockwork and slurp up the inhabitants while snorkelling, or scuba diving.

My comments may be controversial, but I think what your'e doing IS logical, and rehome him when he outgrows, etc. As you said, it's really small now- I don't think that's a problem.

MIne grew to a beautiful fish!

 

Aside from the other obvious reasons this is a bad idea Angels will nip and eat coral.

 

What science are you trying to figure out with a fish to big for a tank? Not trying to be rude but that fish will suffer and hopefully you can actually rehome it when the time comes. Hopefully the fish doesn't die before then, it's gonna produce a lot of waste.

 

Clearly I won't keep in in a 20G once it gets too large–I'm not malicious–but just while its a juvenile and in risk of being eaten by a lionfish in a fish only tank. Considering that he might live in a 10G at many LFS for months before he is purchased, I think he'll be plenty of happy for a couple of months in a 20G. Water volume was never a concern in my mind, at least not in the short term, but will a juvenile from the subtropics nip at tropical corals? Probably. I've included a picture of the little guy, for reference, that is a beau-greogory damselfish and it's probably the size of a dime.

 

Ah, I caught and kept both of those fish when I lived in Boynton Beach, across the street from a State beach park, on A1A. I think that's what the coastal highway was called, maybe it just just 1A. I had damsels, a porc. puffer, a stick fish, a seargent major- all very small. The slurp gun opening was only about 1.5in.

At the moment- this fish is not too big for this 20g

** Edit- I use to catch spinae lobsters too. A tickle stick and a net.
This was legal- when you did it in season, WITH a license and lobster(crawfish) stamp from the State of florida, - which I did.
One time- the day before the season opened- I saw a line of big lobsters walking antenna to tails in a long line in about 45ft of water while scuba diving.
I didn't get any of them- was not season yet.

 

Beautiful Angel! when they get a littlw bigger, the caudal side of the pec fins will be all yellow

 

Did you keep it in a tank with corals?

 

Well the little guy has been in there for nearly a day and seems to be leaving the sessile invertebrates alone for the time being. He's definitely appreciating the space compared to the QT tank he was in for the past 6 weeks.