debating between regal and emperor angelfish?

[Neptune 555]

I have a 180 reef with a blue tang, yellow tang, vrolik wrasse, and 2 drawf pygmy angels: flame and flameback. I want to add a few more fish... on my list is a regal or emperor angelfish. I can't figure out why the regal is considered so difficult to keep versus the emperor? I actually prefer the emperor angelfish BUT it says minumum of 220 gallons... This will be my last fish to enter the tank.

The tank is 3 years old but build on 2 other tanks that were both 15/25 years old. SO STABLE.

thoughts on a regal or a emperor?

 

[Spare time]

Hmm I have seen a near fully grown angel in a 180 before it moved and it did feel like the environment was too small.

 

[DCR]

Regals are much more difficult to get eating typical fish foods than an emperor (at least a juvenile or small adult emperor) - especially the non Red Sea regals. The emperor grows larger than a regal and a 180 gal is somewhat marginal.

 

[tehmadreefer]

Regal, an emporer gets too big for a 180

 

[Singspot]

I noted "180 Gallon Reef" assume you have assessed risks to corals ...

What specific type of corals do Regals bother typically?

What are typical corals Emperor goes after?

(I get the answer "it depends on fish and tank" .. looking for typical affinity/ risks ...)

 

[davidcalgary29]

Captive-bred regals are available to purchase now, as well -- another point to consider.

 

[flagg37]

Captive-bred regals are available to purchase now, as well -- another point to consider.

Where do they have cb regals? That’s great!

 

[dennis romano]

Where do they have cb regals? That’s great!

Check Jersey Corals

 

[Blue Cheese]

Regal + majestic I’d do

 

[davidcalgary29]

Where do they have cb regals? That’s great!

Most of the ones that I've seen being sold have come from Biota.

 

[o2manyfish]

I've kept Regals in my display tank for years. I've been thru 4 (2 pairs) in the last 14 years. They don't like to eat what you feed the tank, they like to find their own food. I had one for over 7 years and short of live black worms never saw it eat any other kind of food.

The Regals are very slow growers. I have never started with a tiny juvenile. But starting at 3.5" they "Maybe" grow an inch a year if that. I had one for 5+ years that never grew at all. (This was in 400g tank).

I've kept all kind of corals and other than blastos randomly they never damaged corals or clams.

For the past 5 years I have been growing out Imperators in one of my 180g outdoor frag tanks. The imperators will eat anything that you put in the tank. The imperators grow ridiculously fast.

I had a 2.5" regal that I moved into a 560g display tank after the corals were wiped out. When I upgraded to a 750g in August I moved the Imperator in to see how he would do with corals. Between April and August the 2.5" fish grew to .5.5" plus. Now after 6 weeks in 750g the imperator is over 6".

As I have been adding corals to the 750g I have kept an eye on the imperator. I put in 5 large rocks of Vietnam Zoas. He decimiated 2.5 rocks. He didn't eat the zoas, he just ripped the zoas off the rocks to get to the sponge underneath. There are now 100's of zoas spread all around the tank... Which is kind of nice.

The Imperator has also terrorized a small elegance coral. There is something growing on the base of the elegance that he likes. He knocks the Elegance out of any location and then bashes it across the bottom of the tank to nip on the coral base on the bottom of the coral. So, he's not actually nipping at the elegance tissue but has brutalized it nonetheless.

Dave B

 

[moz71]

I have a regal in my 125 and love the fact he doesn’t get as big as emperor. I have to say never had a problem of him eating. He eats like a pig any frozen food and nori sheets I put in but could be just my luck. Also went on to eat all my zoas. Lol.

 

[Neptune 555]

I've kept Regals in my display tank for years. I've been thru 4 (2 pairs) in the last 14 years. They don't like to eat what you feed the tank, they like to find their own food. I had one for over 7 years and short of live black worms never saw it eat any other kind of food.

The Regals are very slow growers. I have never started with a tiny juvenile. But starting at 3.5" they "Maybe" grow an inch a year if that. I had one for 5+ years that never grew at all. (This was in 400g tank).

I've kept all kind of corals and other than blastos randomly they never damaged corals or clams.

For the past 5 years I have been growing out Imperators in one of my 180g outdoor frag tanks. The imperators will eat anything that you put in the tank. The imperators grow ridiculously fast.

I had a 2.5" regal that I moved into a 560g display tank after the corals were wiped out. When I upgraded to a 750g in August I moved the Imperator in to see how he would do with corals. Between April and August the 2.5" fish grew to .5.5" plus. Now after 6 weeks in 750g the imperator is over 6".

As I have been adding corals to the 750g I have kept an eye on the imperator. I put in 5 large rocks of Vietnam Zoas. He decimiated 2.5 rocks. He didn't eat the zoas, he just ripped the zoas off the rocks to get to the sponge underneath. There are now 100's of zoas spread all around the tank... Which is kind of nice.

The Imperator has also terrorized a small elegance coral. There is something growing on the base of the elegance that he likes. He knocks the Elegance out of any location and then bashes it across the bottom of the tank to nip on the coral base on the bottom of the coral. So, he's not actually nipping at the elegance tissue but has brutalized it nonetheless.

Dave B

Dave, thanks for the detail... I have 2 pygmy angels - a flame and a flameback what are your thoughts on aggression to the other pygmy angels? Wow you had 2 at the same time? but your tanks are way bigger.. mine is 180 ? After reading these threads I will stay away from emperor.

 

[Neptune 555]

I have a regal in my 125 and love the fact he doesn’t get as big as emperor. I have to say never had a problem of him eating. He eats like a pig any frozen food and nori sheets I put in but could be just my luck. Also went on to eat all my zoas. Lol.

What about other corals? I am surprised he ate zoes as they are poison/toxic I thought? I have a massive BTA explotion would love it if he at them! I will rid tank of most BTAs before I get regal. I have leather, mushrooms, kenya trees and sea fans. I like the coral but I love the fish more. I will keep what ever corals the regal does not eat. I like softies most... as they flow.

 

[Neptune 555]

Regal, an emporer gets too big for a 180

Agree - no emperor fish.... Still debating regal but think that is my next fish! The coral risk is possible... but will try my luck and adjust to corals he does not love.

 

[moz71]

What about other corals? I am surprised he ate zoes as they are poison/toxic I thought? I have a massive BTA explotion would love it if he at them! I will rid tank of most BTAs before I get regal. I have leather, mushrooms, kenya trees and sea fans. I like the coral but I love the fish more. I will keep what ever corals the regal does not eat. I like softies most... as they flow.

I have now mostly SPS, gorgonians, and an acan that he never touched. He also never touched my BTA. They do say mostly fleshy things like my elegance coral but some people get lucky. He did decimate my elegance coral. I don’t think he will touch the leather, mushrooms and Kenya tree as their taste is mostly LPS

 

[Singspot]

What about Goldflake Angelfish, i have heard they are relatively safer .. anyone with specit8c experience?

 

[Eric Cohen]

I have a 180 reef with a blue tang, yellow tang, vrolik wrasse, and 2 drawf pygmy angels: flame and flameback. I want to add a few more fish... on my list is a regal or emperor angelfish. I can't figure out why the regal is considered so difficult to keep versus the emperor? I actually prefer the emperor angelfish BUT it says minumum of 220 gallons... This will be my last fish to enter the tank.

The tank is 3 years old but build on 2 other tanks that were both 15/25 years old. SO STABLE.

thoughts on a regal or a emperor?

I have both in stock if you're interested....The Regal I just posted a video of it actually on marketplace, and the emperor is a large juv......both finished with QT and Conditioning so you couldn't find healthier specimens. My pick would be to take both, but if you only had to choose one, I would say go for the Emp. You can find both on my website as well.....cheers!