Bicolor Angel with cloudy eyes... improper env., no reading   7/16/09
Hey WWM Crew!
I have a bi color angel fish. He was introduced to the tank about a week and a half ago. The tank is a 30 gallon,
<Too small for this species>
live rock system. It has a 55 gallon tetra carbon filter on it. In the tank are a bulldozer shrimp, goby, and valentini puffer.
<This volume is too small for a Toby as well>
(These fish are doing fine, if anything, the goby and shrimp are happier that the angel is not harassing them today.) The live rock has about 6 large mushrooms growing on them.
Today, the angel is in its favorite hiding spot. He did come out to eat, but he hasn't come out since. His caudal fin is a little tattered...
<Likely... could be the Goby or Toby>
like someone took a bite out of him. And his eyes are super cloudy. I wouldn't doubt that its hard to see. I was reading that the angel probably has a bacterial infection...
<Mmm, no... not first order... improper environment primarily>
I do not have a quarantine tank. What would you recommend as the course of treatment for the angel?
<Better world; more space, less agonistic roommates>
I was reading that Mardel has a good treatment for cloudy eyes, but also that a simple water change might work...
<Nope>
I am worried about the other fish and mushrooms should I treat with an antibiotic. I don't have a test kit either : (. I have never had any problems with my goby and puffer (except for some diet and dental issues, which have been corrected) so I have never needed to check all of the particulars of the tank. I do 25% water changes every month when I change the carbon.
What do you suggest??
Thanks for your continual help!
Amy
<Reading: http://wetwebmedia.com/c_bicolor.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Bicolor Angelfish/Feeding 6/23/09
Hi Crew,
<Hello Cameron>
Thanks for your advice regarding my Blue Linckia back in May last year.
<You're welcome.>
I took some other advice from your website and a little over 1 year ago I invested in a refugium (CPR hang-on) and a protein skimmer (Remora Pro hang-on).
<Good move.>
I also emptied my canister filter (which now just circulates water) and increased the amount of live rock.
Despite all of this I still record moderate nitrate levels similar to when I operated the canister, but my gut feeling is that the new set up has improved the water stability and qualify.
In fact the Blue Linckia that I mentioned in my email from last May (13 months ago) is alive, well and active. It looked doomed shortly after my last email and developed several legions, but I think the refugium, skimmer etc may have helped bring it back from the brink and it's been healthy ever since. A good news story!
<Yes, indeed.>
On a different note, I have purchased a Bi-Color Angel and I read the section at http://www.wetwebmedia.com/c_bicolor.htm, which has some great information about this species. I'm concerned about quarantining this species for a long time because your website notes that they don't eat flakes, pellets or frozen food but rather need a good amount of live rock and living substrate. If I take a couple of rocks from my display tank and put them in the quarantine tank, will that be enough for the bi-color angel to live off for a 3 to 4 week quarantine?
<In the wild, the Bicolor Angelfish feeds on algae, small crustaceans and worms close to the bottom, so try feeding your Bicolor Angelfish small amounts of live, frozen, and prepared formula foods, you may be one of the lucky ones in getting this fish to eat prepared foods. Ocean Nutrition's Formula II and Angel Formula would be my first choice. Do keep in mind that these fish can be difficult to acclimate to prepared foods. As Bob mentions in the above article, keeping a good amount of healthy live rock in your display system is essential. I would also do as you suggest and place quality live rock in the QT. Rotating the live rock from the main display every five days or so would be beneficial to the fish.>
Best regards,
<Ditto. James (Salty Dog)>
Cameron

crazy bicolor morph fr; PNG  10/11/08 Guys Look at what we came up with today!!Where should it go...and how much shall we give as a bonus to Ralai...the guy who collected it. Steve Robinson Papua New Guinea <Ah, very nice. Thanks for sharing... am out to Raja Ampat in a couple weeks... BobF>

Bi-colour angel problem, feeding mostly    7/2/07
Hi
First things first, here are the stats of my aquarium:
55 gallon
25KG live rock
Pair tomato clown
1 copperband butterfly
<Needs more room>
1 damsel
1 green coral goby
1 bi-colour blenny
3 assorted soft corals
2 hermits and a few shrimps
Yesterday I added a bi-colour angel to my tank.
<Quarantined? This Centropyge is very prone to parasitic issues...>
He started eating
immediately, even ate flakes. But today, I placed live brine, Mysis and frozen brine into my aquarium, and he didn't eat anything. He would look at the food and just swim away, he didn't even try to eat. I live in Australia, and we cannot buy feeding inducers such as Selcon here. Any recommendations?
<Mmm, yes... Live rock, and lots of it... an almost sure-fire means of nourishing Centropyges fresh from the wild>
There is no aggression in the tank, my other fish don't bother him at all.
Much appreciated,
Albany
<Bob Fenner>

Bicolor angel color/beh.  6/28/07
Good morning gentlemen and ladies. <Hidey HOOOO there David, MacL here with you tonight.>
A friend of mine is taking down his 55 gal. reef set-up. I acquired a bicolor angel that he has had in his tank for over 1 year now. <Bicolors are known to not do well so you are very lucky to get one that has been in a tank a fairly long time.> The water quality in the tank was not good by any means (over run with algae) but the angel seemed healthy other than his/her face has lost color and turned white. <Sounds like the beginning of lateral line.> I brought the fish home and put it in my QT tank, it seems to be doing really well. I have fed flake food, brine, krill, and Cyclops and it is eating it all. The flakes are "color enhancing" is this fish going to get the color back or is there anything else I can do to help! <In my experience, they can recover from even way advance progression of this. I have brought several tangs back and had them regain their original color but it does take time. I doubt it will happen during your qt period. I know that I've found it quite helpful to add vitamins, especially products with vitamin C in them for assistance but I would also recommend that you give your angel some Spirulina or other algae related products or the real thing if you can.
Thank you for your time, and this wonderful website with a wealth of information that has helped me tremendously. <Thanks for the kind words, always appreciated, MacL>

Bleached BTA, Entacmaea quadricolor eats bicolor angel – 4/15/07 Please help me identify this anemone. <Sure will> I brought it from my local pet store and recently it killed my bicolor angel. His head was sucked in his mouth. <A bicolor angel should not be kept with an anemone.  It is known to nip at them.> Did the anemone sting or just suffocate my angel cause he was hungry or for any other reason. I have been feeding the anemone since I brought it home on a regular basis. <Your anemone was likely defending itself.  What have you been feeding your anemone?  It is hungry.  The short tentacles are a sign that it is not getting enough to eat.> It has a brown base with white chubby tentacles and at times they appear to be thin and pointy like. <Your anemone is a bubble tip anemone, Entacmaea quadricolor.  It is known to have “chubby” tentacles at times.  Your anemone is also bleached.  This means it has expelled its zooxanthellae.  Zooxanthellae is an algae the lives inside them.  I suggest feeding meat foods, like silversides, soaked in Selcon daily.  I also suggest portions no bigger than the anemones mouth.> I have attached a couple of photos I took this morning. If it’s not too much to ask could you send me a link or some information on his requirement and what if any special precautions I should take. <I recommend researching before you purchase.  Anemones are delicate and difficult to keep creatures with special requirements.  There is a lot of information regarding such on WWM.  Also www.karensroseanemones.com is also a great site.> Thanks in advance for all your help. Cheers, Kristy <You’re welcome!  Brenda>

Bicolor angel (Centropyge bicolor) Behavior - 02/06/07
<Greeting!  Mich here.>
I just recently got my bi-color.   
<OK.>
Now he is just swimming up and down in the corner and occasionally darting to the other corner.   Should I be concerned?  
<I don't think so.  My guess is that he is seeing his own reflection in the glass and is interacting with it, occasionally scaring himself and darting off.  How's that for fish psychology?  You could try covering the outside of the glass in the preferred corner with dark paper and see if you observe a change in behavior.  -Mich> 

Bicolor Angelfish
I have a bicolor Angelfish that has a little white scrap and is breathing rapidly.  All the water parameters are excellent Ammonia 0, Nitrate 1 ppm, nitrite 0, and ph is 8.2.  There is live rock in the tank and there is a skimmer.  And we haven't seen him eat but he picks at the bottom of the tank.  Do you think he is eating.  
Kenneth Thanks.
<Jambo my friend. If this fish is not thin, it is very likely eating... bits of the live rock, that which issues from it and the substrate. Have you had this fish long? Are other livestock acting oddly?  Bob Fenner>

Bicolor Buccaneer Bites 'em!!
>WWM crew,
>>Aye, matey, hallo thar!
>Are there any Corals that I can keep with a Bi-color angel? I removed all my Xenia because he started eating it. He does not touch the Zoanthids and Polyps. Are there any other corals I can keep that he will not nip at?
Thanks,
Chris
>>Bicolors are a touchy lot, me laddy.  Nay, I must say, there are none proven to be nip-proof whence under the lips of angels.  Lo!  There are those that be better than others - SPS corals shall refuse to walk the plank unless prodded forth, whilst LPS corals will turn tail and head for the briny deep as fast as we turn flags, arrgh.  Ye can expect your wee angel to give all sorts a try, a nip, and a taste.  Clam, brain, any and all may come under scrutiny, only a few may pass muster.  Arrgh!  Marina, the Salty Maiden of the Seven Seas.

Bicolor Buc - Did he Have a Go?
>Thanks for the feedback Captain Hook!
>>Argh, matey, that's CAPTAIN-ETTE!  Hee, thanks for putting up with my fun.  I've had my fish for the night, so my swashbuckling is over for the evening, as my belly is quite full.
>I suppose the Zoanthids which [are] all over my rocks are poisonous, and that's why he never nips at them?
>>Zoos can indeed be poisonous, and that isn't to say that he may not have *already* had himself a taste or two.  It'll be a process of elimination, and confirmation that fish can't smell, seeing as how he went to town on those Xenia.  Marina

Dwarf Angel Compatibility and Tank Capacity (1-22-04)
Hi!
<Hi there to you as well, Leslie here tonight.>
Thanks in advance, you've all be so helpful.
<You're welcome and glad to be of service.>
I have a 75 gallon, 25 lbs live rock, 1 sand sifting star, 2 dozen scarlet reef, 1 coral banded, 1 clown (Sebae?), 1 coral beauty. Based on advice from my LFS I just added a Bicolor Angel.
<Utto>
After doing so, I got to doing some more reading and have learned that these angels might not get along with other dwarf angels, do you know if he would get along with the coral beauty?
<It’s always best to do your research first and avoid such challenges. Here is an excerpt from one of Bob’s articles:  “All dwarf angels are territorial, especially with members of their own species, then other Centropyge. Only folks with very big systems, four or more feet long, should tempt fate with more than one of the same species... and then only with plenty of cover and their watchful eye. Adding more than one Centropyge to your system? Do try to place them at the same time; or if that's not probable, make sure the new arrival is bigger (or female gender if discernible) and rearrange the decor to disorient the current tenants.”   
Here is a link to some additional info on these fish http://www.centropyge.net/bicolor.html  >
If not, I'll probably be able to tell you soon enough :).
<I hope not for the sake of the fish. The bicolor has a poor rate of success in captivity and less than ideal conditions will most likely not increase your odds for success.>
My other question was about tank capacity, I would eventually like to add a Blue Tang, would that be too much?
<No, I don’t think so but your tank size borders on the low end of the scale for the recommend tank size for these fish. I prefer to see them in a larger tank.>
My filtration is probably light, just an emperor 400 (I change the filters monthly and the activated carbon in the extra insert twice a month) and power heads with sponges. I realize that I should probably have a skimmer, I've just haven't had much luck with them in the past.
<That’s to bad. A skimmer would be ideal. Perhaps your poor luck with them in the past was related to the brand you were using. Please do consider giving them another chance. You might want to give another manufacturer a try. I like the CPR Bak Paks and the Remora’s>
Thanks so much for your help! Matt
<You're most welcome, Leslie> 

Tempting An Angel
I just bought a Bicolor Angel on Tuesday and it hasn't eaten anything. I know it is normal for a fish to not eat for the first couple of days but this guy is very active and swims all over the tank. When I put the food in he will act like it isn't there, swimming normally with no interest in the food. He is about 4 1/2 in. including his tail and I have tried brine shrimp, algae sheets, and krill. Should I try something else or just let him be? Thanks, Andy
<Well, Andy- it's very important to continue tempting this fish with as many different foods as you can think of. I'd try to throw in a few small live rocks that have a nice growth of fauna and microalgae on them. You also might want to try some other frozen foods, particularly "Angel Formula" by Ocean Nutrition. I've used this food many times to tempt finicky Centropyge angels into eating a captive diet. Be sure to keep the water quality high, and the feedings varied and frequent. Hopefully, this guy will come around and feed...Good luck! Regards, Scott F>

Bicolor Angelfish color loss
Hi I am Kenneth
My son's Bicolor angelfish is losing color on the dark blue part of it, it is turning a light blue is it anything I should worry about? THANK YOU
<Possibly... are your other livestock "okay"? It may be that this animal is deficient in some aspects of nutrition (lots of live rock is a standard item here), or that some aspect/s of water quality are lacking... do you have sufficient skimming, regular water changing? Could be "just a sign of age"... as the blue does diminish in the wild with growth/size. Bob Fenner>

Re: Bicolor Angelfish color loss
Thank you Bob for your help I will add liverock and check water quality.
<Real good. Please do keep me posted. Bob Fenner>

Dwarf Angel Compatibility and Tank Capacity (1-22-04)
Hi!
<Hi there to you as well, Leslie here tonight.>
Thanks in advance, you've all be so helpful.
<You're welcome and glad to be of service.>
I have a 75 gallon, 25 lbs live rock, 1 sand sifting star, 2 dozen scarlet reef, 1 coral banded, 1 clown (Sebae?), 1 coral beauty. Based on advice from my LFS I just added a Bicolor Angel.
<Utto>
After doing so, I got to doing some more reading and have learned that these angels might not get along with other dwarf angels, do you know if he would get along with the coral beauty?
<It’s always best to do your research first and avoid such challenges. Here is an excerpt from one of Bob’s articles:  “All dwarf angels are territorial, especially with members of their own species, then other Centropyge. Only folks with very big systems, four or more feet long, should tempt fate with more than one of the same species... and then only with plenty of cover and their watchful eye. Adding more than one Centropyge to your system? Do try to place them at the same time; or if that's not probable, make sure the new arrival is bigger (or female gender if discernible) and rearrange the decor to disorient the current tenants.”   
Here is a link to some additional info on these fish http://www.centropyge.net/bicolor.html  >
If not, I'll probably be able to tell you soon enough :).
<I hope not for the sake of the fish. The bicolor has a poor rate of success in captivity and less than ideal conditions will most likely not increase your odds for success.>
My other question was about tank capacity, I would eventually like to add a Blue Tang, would that be too much?
<No, I don’t think so but your tank size borders on the low end of the scale for the recommend tank size for these fish. I prefer to see them in a larger tank.>
My filtration is probably light, just an emperor 400 (I change the filters monthly and the activated carbon in the extra insert twice a month) and power heads with sponges. I realize that I should probably have a skimmer, I've just haven't had much luck with them in the past.
<That’s too bad. A skimmer would be ideal. Perhaps your poor luck with them in the past was related to the brand you were using. Please do consider giving them another chance. You might want to give another manufacturer a try. I like the CPR Bak Paks and the Remora’s>
Thanks so much for your help! Matt
<You're most welcome, Leslie> 

Bicolor Angel Question
Hello Mr. Bob Fenner,
<<Hi Long, Craig here today>>
I've been reading on the website and do appreciate all the help you've given everyone. Just reading everyone's questions and answers helps a great deal since I'm a beginner. I've read that the Bicolor Angel tend to eat mainly from liverock. I have a 40 gallon aquarium with 45 lbs of liverock. Other fishes I have: 1 Mandarin Dragonet, 1 Percula Clown, 1 Chalk Basslet, 1 Peppermint shrimp, 1 Coral Banded Shrimp. The one thing I wanted to ask you was whether I should get any hermit crabs and snails. I only have about 4 snails right now and 1 small hermit crab. I have quite a bit of algae on the rocks and was wanting to get more creatures to help clean it. I was concerned that if I got too many they would eat all the algae and the Bicolor wouldn't have anything to pick on. What would you suggest on this matter. Thanks in advance. Long
<<I think you have some stocking issues here Long. You Mandarin needs a minimum of 75 lbs of LR to have a sufficient pod population to survive unless he is fed. This is difficult. I would look into getting him to eat Mysis shrimp, grow pods in a refugium, etc. He will slowly starve if he doesn't get enough food. Maybe return him to the store or sell him to someone who has the space and rock to support him.
Your coral banded shrimp, if not well fed, will help himself to your peppermint when it molts. In a 40 your bi-color angel will need to be fed anyway as there isn't enough space or rock. He will assist in cleaning rock, glass etc. but can't rely on this for sustenance. The snails etc. do depend on this for their sole source of food.
You can add snails if yours appear to not keep up. This runs in cycles so stock carefully. Hermits are a personal choice. Do check out the additional info on stocking at WWM and perhaps search for additional info on your angel and Basslet so you have all the information you need to successfully keep them. Lot's to do! Craig>>

Re: Bicolor Angel Question
Thanks for the info. I was wondering if you could give me more information on how the pods that you mentioned. Where would I go to purchase the seeds and how long does it usually take to develop.
<<Hi Tran, Please search WWM for "Amphipods". These are small marine animals used for food by such fish as your Mandarin. You need a large enough aquarium to hold 75 lbs of live rock, or you need to have a refugium where these can reproduce and grow. You need to either feed your fish another kind of nutritional food like Mysis shrimp and see if he will eat them, or give him enough live rock to foster the population of amphipods needed to maintain their population and your mandarin to feed himself. Please see WWM and search for amphipods and refugiums, there is much excellent info there. Craig>>

- Bicolor Angel Woes -
I first want to thank you in advance for your help!!!!! <Well... let's both hope that I actually can help then...>
My Bicolor Angel has not eaten in a week. I just bought him a week ago and he is so shy and will not eat. I am trying to feed him flake food and Brine Shrimp and he will not eat?? What can I do to get him to eat? Its one of the most beautiful fish I have ever seen! <First, I would suggest you read up on these fish here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/angels/centropyge/index.htm
Then, I will just quickly paraphrase and say that these fish are among the more difficult of the pygmy angels to keep. You've picked yourself a good challenge. Your best bet would be to obtain [if you don't have it already] some really healthy live rock with a good crop of micro- and macro algae that this fish can pick at. Most all pygmy angels constantly pick at these food-stuffs in the wild, and bringing in similar fauna will promote your success. If things don't turn around very soon, or if you can't get the live rock, try taking a frozen food like Pygmy Angel Formula - thaw it out, and then press small chunks of it into a piece of rock or smooth [dead] coral. This will simulate their natural food source and likewise their natural method for feeding. You can prepare several rocks in one sitting and re-freeze the ones you don't use immediately. Cheers, J -- >

- Re: Bicolor Angel Woes -
Thanks for the quick response! <My pleasure.> I will go out tomorrow and get some healthy live rock. When you say "similar fauna" what do you mean... <Micro and macro algae> I'm sorry for asking so many questions. <No worries.> In the mean time I could do as you said and get the frozen food and put it in some of the rock that I have. You are a life saver and thank you for your time!!!!! Merry Xmas to you and yours!!!!
<And you as well. Cheers, J -- >

Bicolor beauty mark?
<Hi Mike, PF here this PM>
I just ran across your site and could not find specific info on my dilemma with a newly acquired bi-color angelfish.. this beautiful fish was introduced to my 60 gallon tank last Thursday and was healthy looking to my untrained eyes.. I covered the tank with the lights off for the first 24 hours. <Good procedure> I did not attempt to feed this fish until the next day... it has been one week now and this fish still hides in the live rock and only eats algae, or so it appears... my most urgent problem is a pink wart like growth by one of its gills, size looks to be about 4mm in size. I have since noticing this growth added Melafix, a Melaleuca tea tree oil as this has always helped the fish's skin to retain bacteria resistant "oils"?. do you have a name for this growth and possibly a solution for this most elegant fish?? in advance, thank you for your help... mike
<Well Mike, digging through the FAQs this is what I found:
(here's the FAQ btw www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/angels/disease. tm )
From Bob on a wart like growth on an angel: (Sound familiar?)
<Well, thanks for the last comment... and thanks for causing me to get out all my older and latest "fish disease" reference works... To sum up: Idiopathic epidermal proliferation (i.e. the type of tumor you're describing) have no direct cause-effect relationship... many authors cite water "contaminants" as probable cause... and yes, there are incidents and suggestions that when such "neoplasm's" occur on the outer surface of a fish that some sort of surgery might/has proven worthwhile...
If it were me though... I'd just attempt to improve and hold steady your water quality, and if (I know the species and it is a good feeder) the animal is still feeding, apply a vitamin, iodine mix (these are made for fish foods as well as humans) to its food immediately before offering it.
I wouldn't "try" anti microbials, or anti-protozoals... And I would try to be upbeat. Bob Fenner >
<Hopefully this helps. You may want to feed it Mysis, or perhaps live brine (this is basically water flavored shrimp, but they love it, it's ok as an occasional treat - think of it as fish junk food) to get it feeding. You can gut load the brine with vitamins such as Selco, that wouldn't hurt to add it to it's diet. Have a good evening, and good luck. PF>

Questions about Bi-Color Angels
Hi Bob,
<<JasonC here, Bob is away diving>>
Had a quick question: I have a 25 Gallon mini reef, that's been going for over a year, and I just picked up a Bicolor Angel, I was wondering if this fish might be too big for my tank, or do you think it would be fine?
Thanks! David
<<well, I suppose the simple answer is yes - these can grow to 6" and that's a pretty big fish for a 25. Additionally, angels require top water quality and as such, a 25 is of a size small enough to have accidental/drastic changes that could do-in your angel. Do read up, if you haven't already on Bob's thoughts on the Dwarf angels: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/centropy.htm - Cheers, J -- >>

More on the Bi-Color
So, yes I should return it?
<<uhh, or plan to upgrade to a larger tank in the near future, sure>>
sorry, got a little confused, I asked a 2 part question, 
<<looked for the second part in your earlier email - didn't see it, now you're confusing me...>>
 I think that might be too big, 
<<the bicolor, you mean?>> 
I had a pigmy angel for about a year, and he just died, I thought this guy might be a little big. 
<<perhaps... did you check out that URL? Research before buying, is best way to go for you and your marines.>> 
I just added some live sand an wanted to get a new fish in while my Skunk Back Pseudochromis was trying to figure out where it was, its been a bit territorial, and mean to new fish!, So I think I'll bring this guy back tomorrow. 
<<probably best>>
David
<<Cheers, J -- >>

...and More on the Bi-Color
Ok, I just returned the Bi-Color, I hate when I get too impulsive with fish purchasing... 
<<yeah, impulsive fish-buying often turns out wrong, even with the best of intentions>> 
Anyway, so these guys will order me what ever I want, I've had a Pigmy angel, and while I like it a lot, I'd love to try something different... which small dwarf angel would you suggest? how are these rusty dwarfs? any suggestions?
<<it's all laid out at http://www.wetwebmedia.com/centropy.htm and as a quick aside - Bob's rating system is 1/2/3 - good/medium/poor. Check that page.>>
thanks! DAVE
<<you are quite welcome, cheers. J -- >>

Bicolor Angelfish
Got A Bicolor Angel fish. Have now (after buying it) read that they are difficult to keep and especially to get them to eat.
<Are you pulling Bob the Fishman's fins here? Why would you do such a thing?>
Have you ever owned a bicolor angel and if so what did you feed it....
<Used to collect this species in the Philippines in the sixties... "Oriole Angels" used to be a sturdy species...>
I have been offering flake and frozen brine... he seems to ignore the flakes entirely and nibbles on the brine (doesn't eat to much maybe one or two)... he mostly just munches on the live rock all day and I'm not sure how much algae I have on them that's left. I only have like 9-10 pounds of live rock.
<Do yourself and your livestock a favor, study what it takes for simple husbandry IN ADVANCE of purchasing life. Do at least read over the materials archived on our site: www.WetWebMedia.com ahead of writing. Bob Fenner>

Bicolor Angelfish, parable about folks not studying history repeating mistakes...
So should I take him back? or try different food? What sort of dwarf angel would you recommend (flame, coral beauty, etc..) for a small reef tank?
<You should study, read where you've been sent to repeatedly: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ Go there, use the many detailed experiences of others to help yourself. Bob Fenner>

Help!!! Sick Bicolor Angel
I came home today, to find my Bicolor Angel lying on its side at the bottom of my QT tank... It looked like he had some black spots around the gills. He had been swimming and feeding yesterday. There were no signs of infection or parasites. He was not eating much, but he was eating. The damsel that lives in this tank is healthy.
<hmmm... not symptomatic of anything specifically pathogenic but this species is notoriously still drug caught. If you bought it for under $30 in most big cities in the US then it is a strong candidate for drug poisoning. Quality hand-caught Bicolor's from Fiji and elsewhere are significantly more expensive than the cheap Jakarta and Philippine specimens. >
I did a water test last night. Ammonia and Nitrite 0.. PH 8.3... Nitrate 60 - 80 ppm. I changed 2 gallons out of this 10 gallon tank while he was getting the FW dip.
I scooped him out and gave him a 6 - 7 minute FW dip. I returned him to the QT.. He not lying on his side yet. What should I do? Continue FW Dips? 
<hold off on the dips unless you see a specific indication of parasites (scratching, spots, sloughing possibly)>
I looked closer, and his pectoral fins have a slight dusting of white spots.. Great!!! Ich!! I guess, I need to use Formalin II, along with the FW Dips.
<Ok...fair enough... I agree <smile>. That will be $50 for the service call...hehe>
Please let me know if there is anything else I should be doing...
<singing in the rain is always delightful if it is warm enough outside>
Thanks, Glenn
<kindly, Anthony>

Re: Help!!! Sick Bicolor Angel
Hi Anthony,
Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately, my Bicolor Angel did not improve. He became more lethargic. His respiration was very high. I was sure he would not survive the night, so I decided euthanasia was the only humane thing to do.. I froze him..
<alas... I am sorry to hear about it>
He had been in my tank for almost two weeks.. He appeared healthy. Unfortunately, he only cost me $25, so I guess he suffered cyanide poisoning.. 
<it is certainly a strong possibility. Take a look at the gill color as well... should be richly red/pink. If pale pink in color... another indication of an unsound collecting technique>
That will be the last Bicolor I buy. 
<or let it serve as a reminder that many such "difficult" fish are difficult because of prevalent collecting or shipping practices. You may just need to research and buy from a different source. Case in point... common Regal Angels are all but "impossible" to keep alive. But aquarists have found that the race called "orange throat" Regals from the Maldives and Red Sea are quite able to live in captivity. Unfortunately, they are much more expensive and generally need to be special ordered. Many other such examples (Moorish Idols from Hawaii, Coral Beauties from Fiji (mostly purple body... not orange dominant)). Indeed, many subtleties to research or look out for> 
Not to mention from now on, I'll research ya'lls site before buying any new fish.. Thanks Again, Glenn
<excellent... information is power as they say. Anthony>

Dwarf Angel in a dwarf system... big problems?
Hello,
<Hi there>
Quick question for your Q&A board-
I have recently purchased a Bi-colored angel- I watched him eat in the store before purchasing. I brought him home and he ate the day I put him in the tank and the 2 days following that- He was eating Krill, bring shrimp and Caulerpa (plants).
A few days later I tested the water (which was fine) and added a Royal Gramma. Since then the Angel has not eaten- He picks the rocks a little but stays hidden- His color is good and he doesn't look sick but he hides often and won't eat. The Royal Gramma doesn't seem to bother anyone in the tank so I don't think that it is a Quarrel.
<Might be bothered just the same>
Since then I have tried smashing Angel food (formula???) into the cracks in the rocks near his hide out but he won't come out and look at me, much less eat in front of me-
Any suggestions? Could it be grazing enough to stay full?
<I hope so... see below>
One more thing- was it a mistake to add a Bi-colored angel to a 30Gl reef tank in the long run?
<Yes. Too small a space to culture enough food on live rock etc... I would trade this fish in for something smaller. Perhaps one of the dwarf-dwarf Angels of the tropical West Atlantic... Centropyge argi, C. aurantonotus... Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/angels/Centropyge/index.htm and the linked FAQs files therein. Bob Fenner>
Thanks, Hank

Bicolor Angel Not Eating
Hi MacL, <Hi Wid>
Thanks for the reply, I was anxious about it as I was lurking around WWM
site... and your mail pop up :-) <I'm sorry its taken so long to get back to you again, lets talk about appraisals, and other boring not fish stuff!> For maintaining the biological filtration I'd probably be continuing feeding the shrimps, star, and corals in there, may be a bit heavier than usual. <Sounds great> I have one more problem here, hope that you bear with me.
The 1.2" bicolour angel mentioned is actually a new purchase. Perhaps it is not so wise to purchase such a young specimen. It seems alright but I have never seen it eat any flakes (2 types) that I fed, even after soaking in garlic. I left 2" square kelp in the tank and hoping that it will nibble on it but have no luck, even soaked it in garlic too. <I'd suggest live brine soaked in Selcon or Zoë. If you can find it live Mysis.> However this little guy is active and keeps nibbling on some plastic piping that I put in there. But I don't know how long can this little guy last in a bare tank which is so clean. It is the 3rd day since I've got it. (I know might a bit early to worry, but I really don't want to ruin such an apparently healthy specimen) <Notorious for not being good eaters, try some live foods and get him started eating, then switch.>
My questions are:
1. Should I put a piece of live rock from my main tank which might harbor some ich for it to nibble on? And another problem is I am dosing ParaGuard as a preventive measure in the quarantine tank and am afraid that live rock may not be good. <I would buy a piece of fresh before I took that chance.>
2. Can I use some warm white fluorescent to encourage some algae in my quarantine tank for it to feed on?  At the moment I am using a single 18W NO daylight tube. <6500 spectrum is daylight, easy to find at hardware stores.>
I might try fresh seafood today, but it is not its main diet. Or may be get some Nori. <Always worth a try.>
Thanks again for your wonderful work that serves us so well in time of need:)
Wid
<Don't give up Wid, try the live foods and the Nori and hopefully you'll get her eating. MacL.>

Bi-color angel
I recently purchased a bi-color angel about 2.5 weeks ago. It's a 29 gallon with some small pieces of live rock in it and many other rocks and decorations. I also have a yellow tang and a small percula clown in it with a hermit crab. The others are eating just fine but the bi-color will not eat anything but the live rock. I have been feeding them formula one, angel formula, formula two, frozen brine, and even live brine and the others love
it, but the angel just wont eat. he looks pale on his blue side and I'm very concerned about his health. what should I do about this? I don't want him to die on me because he won't eat. PLEASE HELP!!!!
<I share your concern re this dwarf angelfish species (Centropyge bicolor). Currently ffexpress is building out a facility, but up to this point has been more of a selection service, combing the LA wholesalers for the best of what's available... and the wholesalers by and large do not feed their livestock. Your angel will probably start eating on its own, or is getting enough nutriment from the live rock. You might try soaking some live foods (of fresh or marine origin) in a vitamin prep. (some folks use Selcon, others liquid baby vitamins...) This should do the trick. Bob Fenner>

Feeding Dwarf Angels
If you don't mind, can you tell me how do I feed a bicolor angel? I bought it 5 days ago and don't want to eat anything. Thank you
<<Have you tried any live food items? Hopefully you do have live rock in with it... as it does feed on a great deal of filamentous algae and will nibble at different sorts of creatures found in and on the rock. Bob Fenner>>

My bicolor angelfish
Hello Mr. Fenner!
I've written to you several times in the past (I'm the "dog bone in the fish tank" lady). Recently, I added two false percula clownfish, a bi-color angel, and a cleaner shrimp to my tank. Everyone seemed to be doing well, and still is, except for the angelfish. He seemed very healthy, inquisitive about the tank, non-stressed, and gently swimming to and fro, but would not eat any of the food that I put in the tank. I tried, from various
recommendations: bloodworms, brine shrimp, macro-algae sheets and flake-food. He wouldn't touch any of it. The only thing that he would pick at was some of the brown algae in my tank, but there's not much of that.
Unfortunately, after 5 days in the tank, I came home last night to find him stuck to a powerhead basket.
<Yowzah, very sorry to hear/read>
My question is, are these particularly difficult angels to keep? 
<Hmm, yes... Centropyge bicolor, aka the Oriole (Dwarf) Angel, used to be a very hardy species for the most part... and can still be... coming from certain localities... but most all specimens of this species do languish in some manner as you've described... I would try a generally hardier species next time. Please see our site re the genus here: www.WetWebMedia.com and endeavor to find, pay for specimens from better source locations, as listed>
If not, what did I do wrong? The water quality is excellent by all of my tests, the temperature is steady 78F, and none of the other fish are aggressive. Also, all of the other fish in the tank are very healthy. The clownfish are doing well, and the shrimp has already molted once.
I read various reviews on these fish, some saying that they are easy, others difficult, and yet others in between. I'd like to replace him, but if I should stay away from the bi-colors, then I'll get something else.
<Something else>
Any help that you could give would be greatly appreciated.
Deborah H. Colella
<Bob Fenner>

Well, I think problem is something else.. (Sick Fish... knowledge value...)
Well, as I told you last Thursday, my lionfish died. My angelfish (Bicolor Angelfish) seemed alright. I got a coral beauty on Sunday.
<Hmm... so soon... and two Centropyge in how large a system?...>
Later in the day however, I noticed a small grey sore-looking mark on his back, right in front of the dorsal fin, and above the eyes. Well, its day two now, and it's grown a lot. This white-looking material has spread. I looked it up, and its supposed to be "fungus" or a bacteria.
<Supposed to be?...>
Anyways, I got Saltwater Maracyn to hopefully cure whatever was inside the tank affecting the coral beauty. Well, it turns out that body-fungus, which is what I suspect my coral beauty has, also has symptoms of "body scratching" which I believe I told you my lionfish did, and also cloudiness of the eyes (another thing my lionfish had).
Unfortunately, I wish I could of treated the tank when I first noticed the lionfish acting odd. Also, my Bi-Color angel fish is "scratching" himself along the coral, and the bottom of the tank.
<Uh, oh...>
I read that low water quality can affect fungus too.. helping it grow. 
<Yes, well put>
I have 0 nitrites, 0 ammonia.. as for PH however, I'm a little confused. Normal range is between 8.1-8.4 I have 3 saltwater PH test kits. One said my PH is 7.4, another said it was 8.3, and the last said 9.0!
<Have someone with a working kit test your water... and test your kits against known pH samples... junk the bad ones... look to the brands mentioned on the piece on pH, test kits and FAQs on the www.WetWebMedia.com site>
Well, I'm going with the one that said 7.4 since that's the 'newest' one I got, and it tests for nitrites, ammonia, and nitrates.
Well, if my water is really 7.4, I never knew, since my other two PH kits told me different, so I added some buffer to the tank to raise the ph
<See above... Don't "go with" a given kit because of its age...>
I hear that having crushed coral as a bottom substrate is bad for a saltwater tank, since it's a refuge for fungus to grow. Well, I have roughly 3 inches of crushed coral on the bottom of my entire tank.
<What? No... where are you getting this mythinformation?>
Basically, I'm hoping the Maracyn can cure whatever is affecting my fish, but I now know (I think anyways) that the lionfish most likely died to whatever is affecting my only two fish right now. Any suggestions you have to help keep a "fungus-clean" tank? I feel like I've done a lot, but maybe something I'm missing.
<There is no such thing as a "fungus-free system"... only ones that are more/less optimized to host a minimum of decomposing organisms/populations... You need to find the real cause/s of the apparent problems here... It is entirely likely that the Coral Beauty Angels appearance is due to "stress" in general (shipping, handling...), and little to no value in treating the system with Minocycline (MarII)... Do read over the archives of some of the listservs on the net re disease, environment...>
So I'm treating the tank right now, and I plan to do a 30% water change in 3 days when the Maracyn treatment is over with.
<The water change will definitely help... as might "environmental manipulation"... lowering spg, raising temp... see the WWM sites "Disease" sections under the Marine area...>
And, I'm also removing the crushed coral as a bottom, and putting in normal sand. Any suggestions you have would greatly be appreciated.
<What is... "normal" sand? Please read over the "Marine Substrates" area and FAQs on the WWM site as well... I would NOT remove the current substrate while your livestock are having problems... Do you have a sophisticated marine aquarist friend who can come over, look over your shoulder and check your system, maintenance protocol out? Bob Fenner>

Bicolor Angel eats Aiptasia!
I will swear on a stack of bibles, I am not lying! My bi-color angelfish is munching on a rock full of glass anemones (Aiptasia), even as we speak. I've never heard or read anything to support this, that's why I'm e-mailing this to you. Have you ever heard or seen this?
We kind of thought something was strange because this is the only salt tank in the house that does not have Aiptasia in it, now I think I know why.
Let us know what you think! 
<Lorenzo Gonzalez here responding for Bob, who is around the world in 14 days, and asked me to keep his many internet friends appeased...
To your Aiptasia eating angel, I say:
LUCKY YOU! TREAT THAT FISH LIKE A KING! (or queen, as the case may be) You could rent that fish out at the local reefkeepers meeting!
;-) -Lorenzo>

Nitrates 8/28/06
Hi Bob,
<Hi Aaron, Leslie filling in for Bob this evening>
You're a great help to me and my fish.
<Glad to hear and will pass it on.>
I have a 55 gallon marine, Seaclone 150, Emperor 400, 18 watt Turbo Twist UV, 50 lbs. live rock, with 1 small Saddleback Clownfish, and 1 small Blue Tang, a couple small snails, and crabs. I am having trouble keeping my nitrates down below 10 ppm.
<10 ppm is not a problem.>
I do 10 gallon water changes every two weeks.  I just put the Tang in about 4 weeks ago, and I have a small bicolor angel that I have in my QT, that I am wanting to add but I don't want to if my nitrates are to high.
<They are not to high>
I know <30 ppm is acceptable but I don't want to kill my fish by adding another.
<Should not be a problem.>
Should I get some kind of nitrate remover media for my emperor, or do you have any other suggestions.
<No, would not recommend any of those. Small frequent water changes, some additional live rock, live sand if you do not have any and some macro algae should help. Please do have a look at the following article and FAQs
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nitratesmar.htm
Thank You, Aaron
<Your most welcome, HTH, Leslie>