Mobile Bay Reef Keepers

What are you guys views on the commonly sold dwarf angels and which one would you most trust in a coral tank with sps lps shrimps and a clam. Also is a 55 gallon to small.

The only species I trust is C. potteri, but some of the true pygmy angels (argi complex) don't seem to usually nip at corals. If you can find one, C. multicolor doesn't usually present a problem, either. All of them, to some extent or another, are somewhat hit and miss.

My multicolor angel "Centropyge multicolor" has been the perfect reef fish since I bought him. I do not have shrimp but he has never touched the SPS or clam I had. I have had him for probably close to 2 years or more now. I bought it at Progressive and I think it was one of the first ones they had ever received.

I thought the multicolor in the tank at Progressive was actually picking on things in that tank. I'm not 100% sure of that but I know the golden was.

Since c.potteri and multicolored. Seem to be the safest ill conisider one of them. Is a 55 OK for 1

Just keep in mind both could end up eating corals(sps, lps, zoanthids), and clams. I think LPS might be more of an issue but I've read numerous posts on reefcentral of the multi picking at polyps of sps. I'd love an angel but have decided to stick to oddball basslets and wrasse.

I had a coral beauty that was amazing with shrimp, sps and lps. He dies due to a tank crash and my next one was a TERROR. I had to catch him and take him back because he picked at every coral and every other fish. I seen the multicolored and wanted to try it and it has worked out fine. I agree that it is hit and miss in regards to getting a "reef safe" one.

I'd say of the main ones I mentioned, the multicolor is the more hit-or-miss species. It's going to vary from individual to individual, really. C. aurantia is a known, notorious coral-nipper.

Andrew was right on the money with the Argi complex, any of them can be good, they stay small and are hardy. They can get nasty to similar looking fish however.

The absolute two best of that complex (IME/IMO) are the C. fisheri and C. flavicauda. I had a flavicauda in our true mixed reef for many years with out any nipping. The C. fisheri is just a "prettier" version of the flavicauda.

Been there done that with a Flame Angel, no more for my tanks. My Flame was mean to everything smaller than him and and had to destroy the tank to catch him, no more.

| had a Bicolor Angel (Centropyge bicolor) for several years and it never nipped at anything. They are however known to be one of the worst offenders of the genus along with the Lemonpeels especially toward LPS corals. Most notably I would argue any Trachyphillia corals. I have never kept a Trachyphillia however.
I had mainly SPS and softies at the time. I do think that most angelfish would have a tough time resisting Trachyphillia and possibly Catalyphyllia for that matter (Elegance).

James