Queen Angel... health  - 5/18/2006
Hi Crew,
  I recently purchased a Queen Angel and have him housed in my 200 gallon FOWLR Tank. He has been in the tank for about three days now and have not started eating yet but he is swimming around. This morning I noticed what looks like his intestines sticking out of his rectum and after about 2 hours it seems to have gone back in. I was wondering what could have caused this and what am I to do about it?
<Mmm, not much other than hope for a self-cure. There are such causes for "prolapsed colon" condition that can be parasitic in origin, but these cannot, should not be addressed with chemical treatments in the short term. Bob Fenner>

Need help with a queen that's flickering and scratching    4/16/06
Hi there ,
  I looking for some advise on what to do if anything with  my queen angel.   I have a 4 inch queen in a 125 for about a  month  now and she's been doing great and eats like crazy.  I noticed yesterday that she's been flickering/shimmy once in a while .
<Is a normal/natural behavior to a degree>
  I also noticed her rub here mouth or face against the rock and some ornaments several times .  She has no visible signs on her . My water parameters are fine .  (0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 8.3 ph, and nitrates usually kept around .10).  I'm debating whether to do anything right now or wait?  
<I would wait>
I was thinking of giving a freshwater dip for a few minutes then a 1 hour bath in saltwater with methylene blue or Para guard (SeaChem).  I also have something called "quick cure" which has malachite green and formalin but I've never used this product.
<Is mentioned on WWM, is toxic...>
   By the way I've been running a  15 gallon QT tank for about two weeks now .  there's are two perculas in there right now.  Your advice is well appreciated.   
     Peter
<Please read over WWM re all marine Angel and species disease, systems... Bob Fenner>
Pete Collazo

Re: need help with a queen that's twitching and scratching***update**  - 04/19/2006
Hi there
My Queen is still twitching and rubbing against objects in the tank though she still has no visible parasite signs and is eating very well.
This has been going on now for six days so I'm getting worried its only going to get worse and I want to do something before its too late.
<I would not "do something" here>
  As stated previously, I have a 15g QT that's cycled and been using water from the display tank with a penguin BioWheel/   I was considering giving her a  5 minute fw dip with either methylene blue or quick cure then moving her to the qt .  While in qt , which chemical treatment would you recommend ?
<... none>
Cupramine, CopperSafe, ParaGuard or methylene blue?
Also since I shouldn't be using carbon in the qt , how often do I need to change the water?    
Thanks
Peter
<... posted on WWM. Bob Fenner>

Hyposalinity...   4/18/06
Bob
  thanks for your quick reply . just one other thing. A friend suggested to lower my salinity to about 1.016   I previously had the sg at 1.022 and its now 1.020 after yesterday's water change.   Would lowering the  sg to 1.018 help at all in eradicating a parasite and is it a safe and comfortable level for a queen angel.  She still eating a lot but the shimmering and scratching hasn't stopped .    thanks
     Peter
<Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/martrthyposalfaqs.htm
and the linked files above. BobF>

Queen angel selection and age  - 03/11/2006
Hi Bob
I want to purchase a  medium queen angel , about 3- 5" as recommended. My LFS has one that's about 3-3 1/2"  with its juve coloration almost gone.  I was debating whether to buy it or hold out for a bigger one.
Is there any difference in terms of acclimating to a home aquarium between 3" or 5" angel?
<The three inchers are much better...>
Which one would you recommend?  Also, approximately how old is a queen at 3"
<Under a year...>
and what is their growth rate in captivity?  
<Mmm, five, six inches in two years... six, seven in three...>
Currently I  have a 125tank and I'm getting a 265(7ft x 2ft) early next year.
<Will need this. Cheers, Bob Fenner>

Queen Angel Attacking White Spotted bamboo shark 8/11/05
Hello WWM Crew,
<Mark...>
I need some advice. Help! I am having a problem now with my Queen  Angel attacking my White Spotted bamboo shark.
<Happens...>
They have been together for a  long time now and was getting along until two days ago my Queen Angel who  is about 7"
suddenly thinks that the shark eyeball is edible. The queen angel  will constantly pick on the sharks eyeball every time he has a chance to get  to it. I
watched it for few minutes, thinking that the queen might stop.
<No... highly unlikely... these fishes must be separated... quickly>
I looked at the sharks eye ball and I was alarmed due to its eyeball  is now all red. I took the necessary action, I fished out the queen angel (which  
took me half a day to do) and put him to my quarantine tank. He is doing fine in the quarantine tank and eating well. The queen angel has been in the
quarantine  tank for 3 days now.
My question, how long should I leave my queen angel to my quarantine  tank before I introduce him back again to my main tank with the white spotted  bamboo
shark?
<Forever... can't be kept together>
I am thinking that If I separate the queen for few days and until  the shark heals, then introduce them together again, the aggression will stop  
and they will get along again. Am I right? What is the best thing to do at this point? I like both of them. I have them both for a long time now. Please
help!  Once again, thanks for your time.
Mark A.
<Please read... don't write... on WWM... learn to/use the indices, search tool... re Shark Compatibility, Holacanthus ciliaris... Bob Fenner>

Queen Angel and food sponges
Bob,
Hi, what types of sponges do Angels eat? Like the Queen angel fish. I know there are many types of sponges in the ocean. Such as tube sponges etc. But what type do these fish like to eat? Thanks again.
<Mmm, you'll need to do some legwork... on fishbase.org: Queen Angel  Look at the link to "Food Items"... and all the way to Gerald Allen's 1985 reference... or get thee to a large college library for a computer based bibliographic search. Bob Fenner>

Is it too big? Z. desjardinii vs. H. ciliaris in a 125 
>I recently sent an email asking about keeping a queen angel H. ciliaris in a 125G tank, 72" x 18" x 22". I was emphatically told that a tank this size was far too small for a queen angel. 
>>Hmm.. a matter of opinion, here. I think that, while small, it could work. Of course, larger would be better, but the H. ciliaris is an 8" fish, that wouldn't exactly mean you were cruelly stuffing it into a tank it couldn't even turn around in. 
>There was some mention that it MAY be too small for the planned 2" Z. desjardinii I plan to have. 
>>FAR more so than the H. ciliaris! The queen will hit about 8", as I said, whereas the Z. desjardinii will be close to DOUBLE that size! Not to mention the fact that the tang will want/need *far* more in terms of swimming space than the angel. If it were me, I'd go for the angel before the tang. However, if you're new to all this, I'd go with hardier animals altogether. While the same size range as the queen, a blue-lined (C. septentrionalis) angel might work out a little better. 
>I would like to get further clarification on this, as I would never want to keep any marine life in an improper environment. Is a tank this size too small for the Desjardin tang, too? It won't be packed with LR or coral, but a nice mixture of swimming room but LR to forage on. 
>>As I said, much more so for the tang than for the angel. Part of the equation here is ultimate adult size, and the tang could conceivably hit 15", you see? I think it's great that you're doing research first, too, and want to encourage you and give you props for going to the trouble. 
>Thanks 
>>Quite welcome, and you might reconsider the queen angel (though I don't know who told you it would not be a good idea, depending on who it was I may or may not argue!). Marina

Is it too big?  H. ciliaris vs. Z. desjardinii - CORRECTION
>I recently sent an email asking about keeping a queen angel H. ciliaris in a 125G tank, 72" x 18" x 22". I was emphatically told that a tank this size was far too small for a queen angel. There was some mention that it MAY be too small for the planned 2" Z. desjardinii I plan to have. I would like to get further clarification on this, as I would never want to keep any marine life in an improper environment. Is a tank this size too small for the Desjardin tang, too? It won't be packed with LR or coral, but a nice mixture of swimming room but LR to forage on.  Thanks
>>Hi, I wrote back to you last night regarding the suitability of a queen angel vs. a Z. desjardinii in a 125 gallon tank.  I have been given information showing that the queen does not attain an adult size of 8", but instead 18".  Clearly, a tank of the dimensions you outline above would be woefully inadequate for such a fish.  I must correct myself and state, emphatically, that NEITHER fish you wish to house would be appropriate in this system.  I must also tell you that you need to make sure that the animals you consider for this system should grow no larger than 6"-8", lest their health and physical and mental well-being be harmed.  You have my apologies for giving you incorrect information.  Marina

Precious Fish Passed Away, But He Did His Best to Save It (4/5/04)
  Hi there again Crew! <Steve Allen tonight>
  Lost my prized queen angel....Gutted! And feel like giving up and forgetting about reef tanks etc. <So sorry for your loss, but hang in there.> I have gone around 4 years without any diseases at all. Including bringing back a yellow tang with terrible HLLE to a plump healthy beautifully coloured individual. <Good work. You have proven your abilities.> Have a couple of questions to ask you if I may? <Certainly.>
  The only two signs something was wrong with the queen was increased respiration rate + refusal of any food. <A sure sign of disease.> I am not one usually given to knee-jerk re-actions, but
in this case I knew I had to do something quick. I moved the queen to a hospital tank (with the water taken from the main display) and began treatment with copper. Now I know the queen (as are most angels I believe) are fairly intolerant of copper but as my bat was definitely suffering from Ich ( they were in the same tank) and until I QT'd the bat 4 days ago, I presumed that the queen had an infection which at this time was confined to the gills. From the first sign of distress to death was a matter of around
30 hours......Have you any idea if there was any other form of treatment I could have given? <Formalin can be a great alternative. It may not be the copper that killed the fish. Gill infestations are rapidly fatal. Angels have been successfully treated with proper copper dosing/levels.> Did I do the wrong thing? <Now> Should I have done FW dips? <FW or FW/Formalin dips are effective, but so is copper. Aggressive therapy was indicated here.> Should I not have used copper? <I do not think this was the big mistake you worry that it was. Something else may have been better, but I think your fish died because its gills were affected by the infestation, not due to your copper treatment.> There are still 4 fish left in the 6x2x2 should I remove them all or can I
leave them until maybe 2 months has gone bye and after this time assume the disease has gone from the tank (The idea behind this being that if no other fish are infected then the Ich has not had a host?) or am I daft to think this? <It could still be lurking sub-clinically as long as their are fish in there. Have you any theory as to where the ich came from? I'd say the safest approach would be to quarantine and treat them (hyposalinity and increased temp, with copper or Formalin if signs/symptoms) to be safe. Leave the main tank fish-free for 6 weeks or so for the parasites to die out.>
  After going for so long w/out disease I guess I got complacent and put one piece of live rock straight in the main tank and from there on lost half my fish. <More evidence to support the prevailing WWM view that all living things be quarantined, not just fish.> Anyhow from a fed-up (and now very broke) aquarist of many years I wish you all a good day. And hope to speak to you again soon with some better news. <We look forward to that.> With many thanks. Simon <Don't give up yet Simon. Your techniques are fundamentally sound. Do the QT/fallow to be safe and then think about a new fish to add down the road. Nothing can "replace" a precious/beloved animal that dies, but you can find another to cherish in its own right some day. Good luck to you.>

Queen Angel Coloring Cont'd
Dear Ryan"
<Eric,>
I FW dip the queen angel, and right when he is at the FW a lot of white little "stuff" flying out of his gills and fins, he instantly open up his gills again and start eating those white stuff back!... strange... I figure that would not be good so I change the FW and dip him a little longer, then back into the QT... 1 day later he is breathing normally again, fins is all cleared and is eating/swimming normal. However, the color issue is still present, but not at night when the fish is
asleep... (When I check him out at the middle of the light his body is uniform in color...)
<Hmm...I'm sure you already know that Angels of this difficulty are easily infected with parasitic and fungal diseases.  I would certainly keep dosing with Formalin (if you already are), and continue the FW dips.>
What would probably be the stuff that flies out from his gills?? Those stuff like expanded when coming out of the fish's gills.. It's soft, milky white, circular to the human eye... <Sounds fungal, but if you send a pic I'm sure that Bob/Anthony can verify>
If now the fish is all well, should I treat it with any medication just in case?? <Yes, Formalin ASAP>
Lastly, will small puffer (dogface) eat coral and cleaner shrimps that
larger than itself? <Yes, and likely choke to death in the process.  I wish you the best of luck getting this animal healthy!>
Eric

Queen On A Hunger Strike?
I have a queen angel that has been a voracious eater and bully, but as of late he hasn't eating since taking a nibble on a green Sinularia that I purchased. When I bought the coral, I placed it in the tank, and he took two nibbles of it. I quickly removed the coral and place it in one of my other tanks.
<Good move if you want to save the coral!>
The angel has no external problems and it is in perfect condition, just that it has stop eating. the other fish in the tank are doing fine. The water parameters are perfect. Can you please share some light on this situation? Thanks, Pablo   
<Well, Pablo- I suppose that it's theoretically possible that the Sinularia, which does produce some unusual chemical compounds, any of which could potentially serve to help discourage nibbling by fishes. Perhaps there was some sort of a toxin that the fish ingested while "snacking". Or, it may just be a coincidental "hunger strike" caused by some other stressor. At this stage, do keep a close eye on the fish, and observe for other obvious signs of stress or illness. Sometimes, it might simply take a small water change to bring the fish around. Take appropriate action as necessary. Good luck! Regards, Scott F.>

Adding a Queen? (1/4/2004)
Mr. Fenner: <Steve Allen tonight.>
Foremost, congrats on an awesome site. <Bob has certainly assembled a wonderful tool here.> I have never asked questions before, but constantly find myself reading different subjects here and have multiple links to this web site that I refer to frequently. Great resource. <I have learned something from it everyday for quite a while.>
Now on to my question. I have a 360g tank with a 100g refugium and a 100g sump. <Sweet> The tank is 99% SPS dominated corals with multiple fish ranging from tangs to smaller fish like Firefish and such. <How many. Even this tank can get overstocked.> I have a rather large batfish (Platax tiera) that has been a model citizen in terms of not picking at any corals, fish, or invertebrates. <So far, may nip later. A beautiful fish for a large tank. Hope it continues to thrive.>
I know someone that is tearing up his tank and I have the opportunity to inherit his 5.5" queen angel. He tells me he is very docile and does not bother any corals, but I want to know if this s a fish that I can trust to maintain such behavior as it matures. <No; also tends to get mean to other fish to.> Also, is he likely to get along well with my other inhabitants? Will he now or eventually pick on  invertebrates (have multiple types of shrimp)? <Tasty treats.> I read the information on the website, but it did not say anything about reef environments. <Most Angels cannot be truly trusted in reefs. Sounds like you have a wonderful set-up here. In your shoes, I would be careful not to upset the balance. You'll have an awful time trying to get that angel back out if it causes problems. Think carefully about this one.>
Thanks, Alberto Perez DiMaggio, MD <Hope this helps.>

- Angelfish & Anemones, Compatibility -
How do anemones fare with a Queen angel? <Very hard to predict.> Dinner? <Perhaps not dinner exactly, but very likely the anemone will end up picked to death.> I'm planning a 180 for a queen, and have a couple of BTA clones & their clownfish that I'd like to put in the tank with the live rock. <Believe it or not, a 180 is on the small side for an adult Queen Angel - these fish top out at around 18" making a 24" wide tank a bit cramped.> MH lighting with actinic supplementation, good skimmer, lots of flow. <Should be a fine tank otherwise.> I wouldn't mind if the angel ate the xenia or tree corals, (those grow like weeds anyway), but NOT my BTA's! <Hard to predict. Many times Angel fish start off as model reef tank citizens and after a couple of years decide to take a bite, and worse yet, they decide that they like it. May want to consider a separate system for the anemones.>
Thanks,
Neil
<Cheers, J -- >

- Angelfish & Anemones, Follow-up -
Thanks for replying. <My pleasure.> This is pretty much as I suspected.  I know the Queens aren't "reef safe", and they are prone to pick on some corals and even clam mantles, but could find nothing on their appetite for anemones.
Honey, I'm gonna need to set up another tank! <There you go!
Cheers, J -- >

Re: Is this a Queen angel?
Dear Bob,
<Alan>
I own this angel.  I've been considering giving it up because I'm not sure if it's a Queen angel or not.
When I bought it they said it's a blue angel but it was very cute.  Sometime it seem like a Queen angel though.
<Whichever it is or a hybrid, it is gorgeous, and in apparently good health. I would definitely keep it. Bob Fenner>
Alan

Juv. Queen Angelfish Not Eating
>Hi.  
>>Hello.
>Recently (three days ago) bought a rather small queen angelfish (~3") just turning into his adult colors.  He looks healthy and is swimming all over the place.  He is in the quarantine tank now and likes swimming in the current from the powerheads and back filter.  Just one problem.  He swims up to the food and won't eat it.  Anything.  I've tried formula one (flake and frozen), formula two (flake, frozen and pellets), frozen angelfish formula, Mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, Nori and generic flake food.  He isn't lethargic, and swims up fast to the food but turns up his nose.  Any advice or suggestions?
>>Well, first thing I would do is either go back to the purveyor, or contact the retailer from whom you purchased the fish.  Find out how long they had him as well as what he was fed.  Next thing I would do is give him a couple of days to get hungry, and then start offering the foods mentioned EXCEPT the brine.  If that fish is really hardcore about being picky, I'd also try (but not long-term) bloodworms, just to see if it's that he doesn't recognize the other items as food.  There are many people who are big proponents of garlic as an appetite stimulant, and I seem to recollect an article written in the online Advanced Aquarist Magazine (I believe you can find it through www.reefs.org).  Also, please search our site for other information here--> http://www.wetwebmedia.com/MarInd3of6.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/part2.htm  (scroll down to the angelfishes)  Now, this may also be a case of the fish not recognizing what's food, in which case you may want to consider putting a cheap, ravenous fish like a very small damsel in there to stimulate feeding response in him.  If you do so, be sure to give it a freshwater dip before putting it in with the angel, and in my mind this would be a last resort.  Hopefully, the retailer you purchased the fish from should be able to tell you what the fish was eating before.
>Thanks in advance.  Steve B.
>>You're welcome, Marina.

Save The Queen! (Sick Queen Angel)
Hi,
<Hi there! Scott F. with you today!>
I just moved my two fish to a hospital tank for treatment of ich.  The queen angel is looking the worst, rapid gilling and signs of excessive mucus.
<Hmm...could be a sign of Amyloodinium, which is a very aggressive parasitic disease, or possibly, a response to an environmental trauma of some sort...>
I have a good level of copper in the tank, but I'm wondering if I should give a freshwater dip or if it would be too stressful on him.  If I leave him in the tank and just wait for the copper to show its effects on the disease, I'm worried he may not last that long.  What do you think?  As you can imagine, this is kind of an emergency, so thanks for your reply. Tim  
<Well, if you also see a very fine "haze" of spots on the fish, it may very well be Amyloodinium, which can kill with horrifying rapidity if left unchecked. Do a quick scan for information about this illness on the WWM site, just to make sure. I would, however, check all "basic" water parameters ( pH, ammonia, nitrite) to verify if there is no environmental cause for the reaction that you are witnessing. I'd also check your copper level in the (treatment?) tank, to make sure that you did not overdose...Very important to measure when utilizing copper for a disease treatment. If dosed improperly, you could do more harm than good! Finally, I think that freshwater dips, properly executed, can certainly help with parasitic diseases. They should be used as a supplemental therapy, IMO, in conjunction with a course of copper sulphate at proper therapeutic levels. Decisive action is important with this illness, so if it's Amyloodinium, you did the right thing...Just keep a close eye on things, and be prepared to take further corrective actions as they become necessary. Good luck! Regards, Scott F>

Queen angel
Hi bob
     <You got Cody today!>
          Firstly may I say what a cool sight you have most informative. I have a 6x2x2 fish only tank which currently houses 1 panther grouper 6" 1lion fish (volitans) 6" another loin fish (volitans) also 4" 1 purple moon angel 4" 1 cream angel4".All get on great however I would like to add a 5" queen angel as my final fish. I have been told that you can mix angels as long as they are not from the same genera what is your opinion to this. Also @ the moment I am changing 20 gals every 3weeks do you think that this is enough as I have been told it should be this amount weekly. <I would not add any more angels to this system as you will likely have problems as they grow.  You already have the max, or close to it, bioload for this system.  The water changes should be performed every week to maintain the best water quality.>
PS my sump houses a trickle filter 2x fluidized bed filters 2x UV sterilizers & a large Berlin skimmer + 2x 300 watt heaters + an Eheim 1060 pump for water return.
Best regards Karl from newquay Cornwall UK
< Cody>

Appropriate Tank Size
Hello.  Good Evening.<Hey there! Phil here!>
I would like to get a queen angelfish.<Very pretty fish!>  I have tried to find out as much information as I could before I got one.  I read in "Marine Fishes" by Scott Michael that the minimum size for an aquarium to house this fish is 180 gallons.  So I bought a 240 gallon aquarium thinking that it would be happier in a larger tank.  Now I read in the angelfish portion of WWM that "a few hundred to several hundred gallon" tank is necessary.  Is that absolute?  Do you think that a 240 would be acceptable?  I really had my heart set on this fish, but I don't want to be cruel.  I know that it would be OK for a while, but would it be OK into adulthood? If not, how about an Emperor Angel?
Thanks.
Steve
<Talked with Ananda about this for a while...  A queen angel reaches around 17 inches.  I believe your tank is 24 inches wide.  That's kind of tight for an active fish.  Ananda's rule (mine too) is that an active fish's tank should be 6-8 times their adult body length.  So a Queen Angel's tank should be around 150 inches or more.  These fish are very active and will swim like crazy.  Size does matter!  I think you can get away with a Emperor Angel if you keep high water quality, don't over feed, and keep a lot of open swimming space.  Water should be perfect, these fish have a way of letting you know when they are stressed!!  Remember Emperor Angels are tough to keep, much harder then say the Queen Angel.  You need to be on top of them, watch for any signs of distress.  Hope this helps!  Phil>

Re: question on queen angel
Hello, I've got a 72 gallon setup with 50 pounds of live rock, a 5" yellow tang,4"regal tang,3"Picasso trigger , 1" clown and my 2" queen angel. I was just wondering when will I have to get a bigger tank and at what size do they change into the adult.
thank you
<ASAP as in now... your fishes are already mal-affected psychologically from being crowded... they will be less colorful, more aggressive, more susceptible to disease till moved to larger (like three times the size you currently have) quarters. Bob Fenner>

Sick Queen Angel?
Hello how are you today ?
<Fine, thank you! Scott F. here today>
Sorry to bother you again!
<Never a bother, my friend!>
But my queen Angel as stopped eating two days ago! (can he stay a lot of time without eating??) and  seems to have cloudy eye and also the eye membrane seems to be damage going out a little bit still but less than before ,also a notice that his eyes are a little bit red ,and he also had like blood behind the lateral
fins, but it seems that it is healing now (white covering it) also have white spots on the fins!!! but doesn't look like ich, he always hiding, but he is breathing normal !!! My nitrate was a little bit high, but I did a water change of about 30% of the tank (125 gallons)  and it is now ok.
<Good decisive move!>
All the other fish are fine. I wouldn't want this to spread to the other fish. Maybe  environmental disease?
<Hard to say from here, but it may be a (secondary) bacterial infection of some sort. It may have been brought on by lapses in water quality, an injury, or some other trauma.>
Should I move him out of the tank and use medication? If yes what should I use that is easy to get in almost all fish stores? I don't want to loose it. Thank you in advance and also HAPPY NEW YEAR! And again, thank you for your help! Your web site is  helping me a lot and I am sure a lot of aquarists, also! Continue the great work!!!!
<I think it is time to move the fish to another tank for observation and treatment. I'd probably try a broad spectrum antibiotic, such as Maracyn Two in the treatment tank. Please note that antibiotics can interrupt nitrification in aquariums, so be sure to supply mechanical and chemical filtration in the treatment tank. Do keep reading on the wetwebmedia.com site to see if you find descriptions of any disorders that are similar to the one that your fish is experiencing. Good luck! Regards, Scott F>

Question on Queen Angelfish
Hi Bob,
<Steven Pro in this evening.>
I just found your web site and have been mesmerized - reading on and on!
This is the best information I have found to date. Thank you!
<We are glad you have found it educational.>
I have a 210 gallon tank. I have the same dilemma that so many people have - I love the Angelfishes and am wondering about compatibility. Current fish are: 3 1/2" Queen Angel, Flame Angel, 2 Yellow Tangs (one large, one small), Snowflake Moray, 3" Hawaiian Lionfish, 3" Huma Huma Trigger, 2 Chromis, 1 Damsel, 3" Spotted (or Freckled) Hawkfish, 2" Tomato Clown, 4" Longnose Butterflyfish, 5 1/2" Red Coris Wrasse, and 5" Green Bird Wrasse. I had ordered the Queen over the internet, and it is smaller than I'd like. I've had her for 2 weeks. Today I saw a beautiful Queen (5 1/2") at my local store, even at a great price - I wish I had waited for this one. Although I know it is better to get the smaller fish, I feel like a bigger one would really be the "showpiece" of the tank.
<5 1/2" is an ok size for this species.>
I have a few questions.
How fast can I expect the smaller Queen to grow?
<This depends on diet and water quality to a large extent.>
Is there any chance the 2 queens could get along?
<Little to none>
I have read a bit of confusing info on Queens, saying that females would get along, and that they are often found in pairs.
<If you purchased them as a mated pair, that would be one thing, but they are likely to kill each other in your tank.>
Is there a way to determine the sex?
<Not that I know of and would not be helpful anyway. They would still need time and room to court one anther and that could not happen safely in the confines of an aquarium.>
If I forgo the bigger queen now, is there any type of angel that would have a good chance of getting along with the queen?
<No. You already have the Queen and the Flame. It is unlikely you could safely house anymore.>
One of my options, is to take the smaller queen to the store as a trade in, but I will lose a big chunk of money by doing this. Lastly, the small Queen I have seems to have some pinkish splotches/spots on the sides of the back of it's body. I haven't seen that type of thing before. In general it is doing well - eating well, not fighting. Any ideas on what that could be?
<I would double check water quality issues first; pH of 8.2 or higher and under 40 ppm Nitrate. A water change (when properly conducted) is always beneficial.>
Thanks for your help!
<You are welcome. -Steven Pro>

Queen Angel Problem
Hi Bob,
<Steven Pro in this morning.>
I came across your website today for the first time trying to figure out a complication with my Queen Angel. The problem is for the last week it's only breathing from one gill at an accelerated pace.
<Sounds parasitic; Cryptocaryon, Amyloodinium, or Gill Flukes are all possibilities.>
Behavioral patterns are normal, water conditions are fine, and the rest of the inhabitants are healthy. I've tried to locate this problem on other websites the past few days and came up with no results. Is there anything I can do to help this great fish. I really don't want to lose him.
<Look up those diseases on our site, www.WetWebMedia.com, for treatment options. Quarantining and freshwater dips or formalin baths would be my course of action.>
Thanks, Brian
<You are welcome. -Steven Pro>

Queen angel not eating
Greetings Bob and Anthony, I have a real quick question,
<<Hello, it's JasonC this time...>>
I have a 160 fowl, setup for several years, I have 5 fish total, the largest is a show queen, a beautiful and curious fish. Everything has been perfect for the past 7 months, no disease and more importantly no ICK!!!
I try to feed these guys an assortment of foods, however they seemingly
have gotten spoiled on fresh oysters to the point they wont eat frozen food (who could blame them??). Approximately two weeks, I changed 20 gallons of water, with a new salt I had never used (Crystal Sea), prior to I had always used Instant Ocean. I use RO water only, and let it mix for 24 hours (heated), all of a sudden my queen started hiding, and refused to eat oysters, further, some of the other fish followed the same course of action. I changed more water, assumed that it could be a bad batch of oysters, and bought more with seemingly the same result. The only food I have been able to get this fish to eat is romaine, but it eats a quarter of what it did before. When its feeding time it will come out and stare at me waiting for food, but it seems no matter what I feed it its not interested, tonight not even the romaine. Color is still good, but I fear if I cant get it eating voraciously again as it did in the past, I may lose it.
Is it possible that it hates the new salt? <<That's a very easy theory to test, just go back to the Instant Ocean salts. Depending on the age/health of this individual, I would think you have enough time to test this out. Also a note on the romaine lettuce - you and your angel would be much better off with a dried seaweed product... Nori, Sea Veggies, Seaweed Selects or otherwise... terrestrial vegetables just aren't the proper source of nutrition for these fish.>> Or, could it be internal bacterial infections from bad oysters? <<Also a possibility, but very hard to test - probably need a microscope and tissue samples from the food you have been feeding.>> I have changed no other variables
other than those stated. What do you think? <<Start with the salts... easiest thing to test/prove out.>>
Thanks, Tom Griffith
<<Cheers and good luck. J -- >>

Queen angel not eating
Thought I would let you know what was causing the lack of appetite behavior, apparently my AC was slowly on the outs, when it quit working, I checked the water temp, 87F! 
<Doh!>
Needless to say after adding ice to bring the tank back below 80, these fish started pigging out again! Thanks for your help
<yowsa.... hopefully the drop in temperature was gradual (2-3 days?). A sudden drop in temp can be worse than the drop of the high temps. Please be very alert for an ich outbreak in the next week and be prepared with a QT tank if necessary (do not medicate in the main display). Best regards, Anthony>

Please Help Me, My Queen Angel is Sick!
Dear Mr. Fenner,
<Steven Pro in this morning.>
About one month ago I purchased a Queen Angelfish from a local aquarium store. It is a gorgeous specimen and little over 4" in length. My tank setup is approximately 10 months old and is 46 gallon bow front
<Very cramped quarters for this fish. It will easily reach 12" and up to 18" in the long run. Needs a tank at least 180 gallon (2'x2'x6') for proper growth.>
with 55 lbs. of Fiji live rock, and a crushed coral substrate. I have a Tetra Tec PF300 power filter on back and a SeaClone Protein Skimmer also mounted on the back. The other inhabitants are a Humu Humu triggerfish and a small Fiji Devil Damsel. I do not currently have anything else like shrimps or invertebrates. My Queen has developed some kind of infection whether it is parasitic, bacterial, or fungal I can not determine, all I can do is describe it. It looks exactly like little tiny white pieces of feta cheese growing on its caudal, anal, dorsal, and pectoral fins. The majority of the "junk" is concentrated to the caudal fin where the material began to appear.
<Sounds like a good description of Lymphocystis, a viral infection. You can see a picture of it here http://www.wetwebmedia.com/viraldislymph.htm on another Queen Angelfish. If you follow on to the linked FAQ files, you will find more information on causes and treatment.>
The fish also seems to have Ick and/or velvet with small salt granular type bumps on its fins and body.
<Could be Marine Ich/Cryptocaryon or small patches of Lymphocystis. More info on Ich can be found here http://www.wetwebmedia.com/parasitf.htm>
In addition to the other aliments it also seems to be developing a case of Popeye in it's left eye.
<Wow, this fish is getting hammered. I am guessing some aspect of its environment is off. Popeye info here http://www.wetwebmedia.com/popeyefaqs.htm>
I have observed it swimming with its mouth open and its gills pumping quite rapidly. The fish also has erratic swimming patterns that include darting, rapid swimming, and tremors or rapid shaking. I have checked all my levels and my pH is at 8.1, and the others NH3, nitrite, and nitrates are at 0. Specific gravity checked out at 1.023. My Humu Humu Trigger seems to have marine ick but is showing no other signs of the aliments that the Queen is facing. I feed my fish twice a day with a broad diet containing a variety of frozen foods, seaweed selects
algae strips, live brine shrimp, and occasionally shrimp from the Giant. I am currently trying to treat my fish with a combination of Maracyn-One and Organi-Cure copper sulfate treatments.
<Ugh, in the main tank? A terrible idea. Your liverock is now dead rock and forever contaminated. Same goes for the crushed coral. All meds should be applied in a separate quarantine/hospital tank.>
I have removed the carbon from my filter and turned off my protein skimmer. After one and a half weeks of copper-sulfate and 5 days of Maracyn I can see no improvement in the condition of my Queen in fact it seems to be getting worse.
<Neither would help the Lymphocystis. Could in fact make it worse.>
I tried doing a freshwater dip but it nearly killed the Queen after getting its gill barb stuck in my soft net, and from the shock of the freshwater. Please Mr. Fenner, I am desperate and have the means to fund a strong fight for the fish but I need to know if what I'm doing is right and if you have any suggestions, any at all, to please give them to me as soon as possible. I appreciate you reading my plea and taking the time to help. Thank you for your consideration. -Dan Heffelfinger
P.S. I have read the Conscientious Marine Aquarist cover to cover a few times and enjoy it very much.
<Do read through the above links to enlighten yourself as to the causes and corrective measures. Good luck. -Steven Pro>

A 6 year old queen angel .
Hi Mr. Fenner
<Hello>
my name is Andrew Davies I live in s Wales U.K. . a fellow marine fish keeper , asked me to e-mail you concerning his queen angel , his system is run on a wet dry trickle tower system +a 300 gallon fluidized bed the system has been up and running for about 6yrs in all that time . the queen angel has been with him he, purchased the queen when she was small has moved her twice ,when he was upgrading his system and the queen has been very well indeed but for some unknown reason last week he did a 20gallon water change as he has always done , but for some unknown reason , she has stopped feeding , and is not as active as she normally after many hours of watching her not feeding , we where wondering if you could enlighten us  to our problem, would be very grateful to hear your views on this matter.
I look forward to your reply .
yours faithfully MR. ANDREW DAVIES + MR. ANTHONY GEORGE
<A good record here of husbandry... could be that "something" was out of the ordinary with the source water that day (this happens quite often in the States... for instance, the municipality "pulses" chloramine (sanitizer) at several times a regular concentration at times). I would not panic at this juncture, but do try supplementing the food and water with an aqueous vitamin/HUFA product and be patient. Do also please read over the following: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/water4maruse.htm
particularly developing a routine of pre-mixing and storing new seawater ahead of use. 
Cheers, Bob Fenner>

6year old queen angel
to who it may concern,
I have a 150 gal marine fish only system which has been running for about 6 yrs. up until about a week everything was fine but after carrying out a 20 gal. water change which I do every 3 weeks my 6 yr old queen angel has stopped feeding and become lethargic. her breathing has also slightly increased. I use r/o water by the way. I haven't added any fish for a long time and all my fish get on well. all the
parameters of the new water were identical to the tank. I filter the system with a trickle filter/ sump tank, fluidized bed, U.V and heavy protein skimming. am I doing too many water changes even though the experts say to do so? 
<Ah, a bit more, different information. Your reverse osmosis device should be taking care of problems with your source water... do check the carbon contactor (perhaps with a chlorine test kit and a sample of the produced water) to see if it has become exhausted... and renew (British for "replace" for U.S. readers)>
what could possibly have disrupted the fish or the balance of the filter system?
I don't think its just a coincidence. thank you, George
<Something definitely did... I would still pre-make, aerate newly made water. The volume, percentage changed out is fine. Bob Fenner>

Re: a 6 year old queen angel .
hi Robert
Andrew here with reference to your e-mail Anthony and myself share the same r/o unit and I have not had any problems with my tank, there are a couple of large fish in the tank , with the queen do you think she needs more space .
<Yes... likely something in the range of about twice (let's say 300 gallons) of what you have this fish in now. Bob Fenner>
thank you for your reply a Davies

Re: a 6 year old queen angel .
hi Robert Andrew here again
the queen is not in 300 gallons she is in 150 gallons 
<Yes, I understood that from your previous e-mails, pls re-read my last>
I have the 300 gallons in my system and I have a large grey angel in my tank with a half-moon angel , .Robert can you tell me which off the angels is the most difficult to keep +why also can you tell me what are the chances of ME, keeping Moorish idols in my tank please ..
<Please review the articles on pomacanthids and the many FAQs files associated with them on our root web: starting here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/angels/index.htm>
thanks for you advice on the r/o unit we shall be changing the 3filters in the unit ASAP.
<Real good. Be chatting, Bob Fenner>
thanks again Robert Andrew

Re: Queen Angelfish
Anthony,
Here is what I have been able to discern from the time that I wrote you
yesterday. The problem with the Queen Angel wasn't one of tank mates,
apparently. Rather I think it may be a question of water movement in the tank. 
<interesting>
I noticed that the angel likes to scrutinize everything that it eats.
With my original setup on the tank, 2 aqua clear 300's and 2 power heads
moving water around, it had a difficult time chasing food around, watching it closely and then eating it. The food appeared to be moving a little too quickly for the fish to perform all of the aforementioned actions, and eat a decent portion of it. 
<very dubious, my friend... water flow on the reefs where these fish are collected make our tanks look like quiet tide pools. Still... I trust your observation and perhaps it is somehow related>
My solution, thus far, has been to turn off the 2 power heads and let the food float for a little while in the tank. So far
he hasn't had a problem getting it. I have fed him twice using this
arrangement, and once more with all of the filters and power heads running. Sure enough, with all of the water moving around he had a difficult time feeding.
<fair enough... if this will go on for long... consider a little relay/timer to automatically turn pumps back on>
Your comments about the Tuskfish were cause for some alarm, however. As I said the Tuskfish hasn't been aggressive towards the Angel. Nor does it seem to be an overly frisky eater, as you put it. 
Nor does the Angel seem to have a problem being out and eating at the same time the Tuskfish does.
<not at all a realistic evaluation without watching fishes mature (sexually especially) in the 1-3 year picture and beyond. many such Angels eat parasites (as cleaner fish) as juveniles, mucho algae as subadult and anything they darn well please as grumpy adults <. Yet a 2 week or even six month snapshot of such a fish or fishes is not even remotely indicative of how it/they will behave as it/they mature...no matter how much we both may wish for it <G>>
I was told by multiple people that Tuskfish weren't aggressive, or overly territorial fish. 
<I would indeed agree... mostly a problem with great activity and assertiveness. Can be very intimidating to other tankmates who although don't get molested by the Tusk, are still out competed and end up being stressed significantly over tie for it.>
The person I purchased it from quipped that it looked the part of a real brute, but in fact was quite gentle toward other fish. 
<hardly an unbiased opinion. I, instead, am not trying to sell you anything... just sharing opinions...heehee. But seriously... I do agree that for its size, it is especially passive... unless you are a crustacean <wink>>
This was the reason I bought the fish in the first place...well okay he also looks great. Is this not true? According to your email, I should have grave concerns for any other fish that I put in the tank with him,
particularly as he gets older. 
<again... not attacking but out competing. Still can lead to attrition and intimidation into poor health for some fishes>
If this is the case I may move him to another tank.
<as long as the angel doesn't hard him and the tank is large enough... it sounds like it may very well be fine. Quite a beautiful pair too>
Please understand, also, that I am well aware of the special requirements of each fish. I currently have (2) eighty gallon tanks right now, and I'm in the process of making (2) two hundred gallon tanks in my basement. 
<very well... but the two fish as adults are still a lot of fish for a two hundred gallon tank. Two foot worth of dog confined to a six foot cage doesn't sound like much fun... and I like fish as much or more than dogs...heehee>
Outside of building the tanks, which is a much larger project than I had first anticipated not to mention very expensive!!!!, it has also proven necessary to pour a more stable reinforced concrete pad in that section of the cellar. The plan is to have this finished by the time the fish are too big for their present homes.
<excellent... best of luck in this endeavor>
As always I await your response with baited anticipation.....
BTW, you may remember the little Blonde Naso that I wrote to you about a few weeks ago. 
You will be pleased to know that he is doing very well. Again a very large thank you on all of your help, and advice.
<always great to hear follow up success stories... another big beautiful fish... hmmm, have you thought about skipping the two hundred gallon tank and just building a saltwater lagoon in the basement? How cool would that be!?!>
God speed, Michael
<kindly, Anthony>

Queen Angelfish
Gentlemen,
<cheers, good sir>
I have finally decided to venture into the world of large angelfishes.
<magnificent fishes...but not plural in display <wink> and for large aquaria only in the long run (over 150 gallon)>
After setting up two 80 gallon tanks a few years ago, and stocking them with a few tangs, and other unique fishes I thought it might be time to spend some money on a nice angelfish. So after much reading, and studying I decided that a Queen angelfish would be a good first choice. 
<indeed... a beauty, hardy, etc>
I purchased one that is about 5 inches long, possibly a little longer. He looks absolutely perfect; a real stunner of a fish. I set him in a well established tank with a Harlequin Tuskfish for a tank mate. 
<hmmmm... a tough pair in the long run...both reaching a foot in length with nasty attitudes. Good luck>
Both fish are roughly the same size, and do not display any aggression towards each other.
<yet...heehee>
I have had the fish for roughly 2 weeks.
<ahhh...yes>
So now that we have some background, I will say that I am a bit concerned about the eating habits of this fish. Having seen other large angels eat, I was expecting a fish that would become an aggressive feeder after the initial settling in period. I saw him eat Mysid shrimp in the LFS, several times, and was expecting him to eat the same thing at home. And while he does eat, I am concerned that he isn't eating enough. Normally I feed my fish twice a day. I will put some Mysid shrimp in the tank in the morning, and then either some Mysid, or chopped clam or shrimp in at night. Of the food that I place in the tank he only seems to sample the fair. Let's say that I place 20-30 Mysid shrimp in the tank; of this he may only eat between
7-10 individual shrimp. He will also nibble on Spirulina flake, and Nori clipped to the side of the tank. As I stated I was shocked to see the fish not go after the shrimp avidly. 
<this problem could easily have been avoided by a proper quarantine period in your home while the fish got used to your schedule and feeding>
Especially because everything I have read seems to say that these fish are supposed to eat greens, 
<not at all so much as they get older... more so when younger>
and small crustaceans. 
<indeed>
I have concerns that if his eating doesn't improve, I won't be
able to add any other fish to the tank that might eat too aggressively. Or at the very worst, I may loose a great fish to poor nutrition.
<exactly... even if your Tuskfish (or any other fish) was not directly aggressive to the angel...some passive fish are just intimidated by the activity of others to the point where they will be out competed and indeed decline unto death. This may be a the reality of your system. Was your Tuskfish in first and a frisky/fast feeder as most are. All the more reason why the angelfish (and all new animals) should have been quarantined, my friend, if there was any hope>
Are my concerns founded or am I just being pedantic? 
<very real concerns indeed>
Should he be eating more, or does it sound that he may be eating enough? 
<Standard angels are definitely aggressive feeders to the point where they intimidate other fishes! I think your fish could be eating a lot more, If it is convenient... do try a jar of Sweetwater plankton. An amazingly attractive food to slow/shy feeders. And let me know what the results are if you do. Heehee... I'm not a spokesperson for the product either! Just a satisfied customer.>
My instincts, and what experience I have, are telling me that he is not eating enough to remain healthy.
<agreed...he will not perish within weeks...but months likely at this rate>
Any advice that you may offer would be of great value. You've already ready been an enormous help with a small juvenile Naso tang.
Many thanks, Michael Mariani
<best regards, my friend. Anthony Calfo>

Queen angel
Hi, what do you think about a queen angel in a 45 gal. Will it work?
<The adult size of this fish is nearly a foot long and as such would be inappropriate to keep it in a tank this size. Even if purchased small, it would be better off in a large aquarium. Its always best to plan for the long term. Responsible aquariology with living animals. Anthony>

Queen in Reef
Hi Bob,
<Anthony Calfo in your service>
Just one questions. I have the intentions of purchasing an adult queen angel of size between 3 to 6 inch. Are they reef safe?
<not even close, my friend>
I have lots of corals in my tank and I do not want the queen to destroy my corals. Any advise? Thanks.
<small queens are sometimes well behaved, but most or all over 4" are dangerous and unpredictable. You have a tank of natural food. I would strongly advice against it. Even if safe, they are so strong and aggressive that they will forbid the inclusion of many other small reef fishes that you may want or find necessary for tank maintenance. Anthony>

Tropical west Atlantic
Thank you for responding to my question about my Queen angels happiness. You suggested going to a more Tropical Western Atlantic setup. I having some trouble finding fish from this area. I have found that the Sergeant Major damsels live there. I've read that its hard to keep this damsel in shoals, is this true? 
<Shoals? Yes hard to do so unless you have a very large aquarium... for all members of the genus (Abudefduf)... >
I would greatly appreciate some more ideas on other fish from the western Atlantic. 
<Have just come back from diving, filming there... have you perused the section on our site re this regions aquarium life?: http://wetwebmedia.com/twafwgv1.htm
A section of my latest book...>
My Queen is about 5" from head to tail and she grew 1" in a years time. If he/she continues to grow at the rate it will take 13 more years to reach her full growth, right? 
<Umm, no... this fish is being stunted in your system... it will likely only grow about another inch total... within a year or two. Bob Fenner>
Will she attain 18" in an aquarium? 
<In a very large one (thousands of gallons), yes>
Thanks, Tim

Queen Angel, Quality of Life Issues
I have had a Queen Angel for a little over a year. When I first Bought her I put her in my 55, knowing that I would have to put her in an larger system. Six mouths passed and I bought a 90 gallon. Since then I have come to find out that you recommend a much larger system. Right know I have a Miniatus Grouper, a Niger Trigger, Snowflake Moray, and the Queen. She has grown maybe an inch, so her growth seems slow. 
<To what size now? An inch in six months is about right. Don't think this specimen has been stunted by the environment>
She's a slight bully but not bad. I assuming that she feel's crowded. Anyway my Question is if I remove the other inhabitants will she be happy in this tank buy herself for the duration of her life? 
<Hmm, define "happy"... May I share a bit of my understanding of the universe? To me "truth" is what is in keeping in line with our nature. Beauty is its semblance, goodness is its quality, and happiness is its sensation. Is living in a ninety gallon system w/o tankmates "sensorially enlivening" to this fish?>
Or do I still need the larger system. Thank you for your time. -Tim
<I would say a larger system, other fishes to interact with, perhaps something in the way of a tropical western Atlantic biotopic arrangement would allow your Queen to be happier. Bob Fenner>

Sick Queen Angel
Bob,
I'm about to lose a really beautiful young Queen Angel (my 3 year daughter calls her "Nicca") to some kind of parasite. Her eyes are clouding over and she has been scratching herself in the tank. I went and bought your book
(Extraordinary, by the way.), but I am new to this responsibility and have only one 55 gal tank and no quarantine set up. I tried freshwater dipping for 10 minutes as recommended by the shop I frequent and parasites leap off except for the eyes and now one fin seems in trouble. She only gotten more lethargic.
<How long have you had this fish?... What other livestock is in with it (good clues here) that is doing well, okay?>
what do you recommend I do?
<Please QUICKLY read over the parts of our website: www.WetWebMedia.com on "Marine Parasitic Disease" , the FAQs and treatment sections... I would lower the spg and even move this specimen if you have the facility to do so... Act now!>
I appreciate your ear.
Michael O'Neill
<Be chatting... pls send all corr. to by Bob Fenner. Bob Fenner>

Re: Sick Queen Angel
Bob, 
Thanks so much for your response. I've had this fish for a little less than 3 weeks. Other specimens in the tank from oldest to youngest are one med coral angel, one purple tang (red sea), one bicolor angel, one medium copperband, one small maroon clown, and the small queen we are treating. 
However. I noticed last night that the copperband is started to scratch on the rock. I have a good bit of live rock in the tank as well. The coral, tang, clown, and bicolor all seem to be doing well. 
I've read over the article as you suggested and assume that I'm dealing with Amyloodinium ocellatum, though why are the eyes clouding over. Because I'm limited to my one tank, I think I have to try a copper dip ( I think you call 
it Methylene blue in your book). 
<Sounds like Velvet, yes... and a real need to move quickly, treat with environmental manipulation, vitamin prep. and cleaners... ahead/in place of copper (which will kill much of your live rock... while it is absorbing the copper...)>
The Queen Angel is doing better today, has gotten more active, and is eating some. She still has the parasite in her eye, but I'm encouraged. 
Again, thanks 
Michael 
<Please do re-read the "treatments" sections of the WetWebMedia.com site over and initiate the above mentioned protocol. Bob Fenner>

Adult Queen Angel Questions
Hi Bob !!! I need your advice regarding my adult Queen angel. I had my Queen angel for one week and up to now, she refused to eat all kinds of dried food including frozen krill. There're a lot of "coaches" I mean fishes like damsels
and tangs) around and hope that she will learn from them but she didn't. What should I do? 
<You state this is an "adult" specimen? Better to start with juveniles, sub-adults... as they are not so finicky about eating novel foodstuffs... Do you have plenty of live rock? If not, I would add more, quick, from the tropical West Atlantic (rather than from elsewhere)... hoping there are materials (sponges, tunicates, algae mainly) that this fish recognizes as food, and that the rock modifies the water/environment more to this fish's liking... otherwise, keep trying all different types of foods, perhaps soaked in a vitamin prep. ahead of offering>
How long can she go without food or can she find food in my reef aquarium?
<Perhaps a few weeks>
Secondly, my queen angel doesn't like to swim out in the open like the rest but instead like to stay in one or two location. She doesn't appears to be sick. Is this a normal behaviour ?
<Normal for a Holacanthus ciliaris that is "stressed" from capture, moving, being held in a very small space in "weird" surroundings...>
Your articles regarding this species also stated that " The species is found foraging and hiding around rocky reefs, not
in open, upper waters or over sandy bottoms. Provide some similar habitat."
Could you kindly clarify? Thanks.
<A note that this Angel requires plenty of cover to duck into, and forage on and about. Next time (if there is one) start with at most a four inch long specimen. Bob Fenner> 

Questions re Queen Angel Reef Safe Index...
Hi Bob !!! I have two questions for you regarding the Queen Angel. Firstly, is the queen angel reef safe?
<For a very large system... with lots of filtration... live rock to nibble on tunicates, sponges otherwise... maybe>
I saw them in two of the LFS that I visit regularly and all the corals in the tanks are not damaged at all. Am I right to say that they're reef safe?
<All animals to an extent are "reef safe"... but not really the large marine Angels... they are all subject/suspect to nibble, sample, tear up sessile invertebrates for... food, fun, experience...>
Secondly, since they're known to be disease resistance, does this mean that they will never get any disease at all in an infected tank ?
<Certainly not my friend... perhaps better to consider that they (Holacanthus ciliaris) are inclined to "show" the effects of parasitic, infectious diseases later than other types of fishes...>
Please advice.
<Be seeing you. Bob Fenner>

Queen Angel Compatibility Odds
Hello,
Sorry about sending another question but this will be the last one.
<Yikes, hope you mean "for today"...>
We have the queen trigger in a 75 gallon tank it is about 2 and a half inches in my 125 there is my stars and stripes if I added more rock to the 75 could I put the puffer in there with the queen. The queen is very aggressive about 6 months ago it killed a porcupine puffer that was about the same size but the puffer in the 125 is about 5-7 so do you
think this would be okay?
<Hmm, better odds... likely they will go together... and learn from each other in the larger tank. Bob Fenner>

Questions
Hi Bob. Could you kindly answer the following questions :
1) If both the phosphate and nitrate readings in my tank are zero, should I expect algae free ?
<At least much less algae than otherwise... unless the algae are growing so quickly that they're uptaking these nutrients.>
2) I came upon a beautiful Queen angel in my local fish shop but with one small defects.........one side of the eye is half the size of the other. The rest of the body are beautiful and normal and the selling is only half of the
original price. The angel has been in the tank for 5 months ! In your opinion, should I buy it ? Thanks.
<If you don't mind the slight imperfection, sure. Bob Fenner, who had an "ugly" blind koi for more than twenty years.>

Queen angel update/HLLE cure/Caulerpa Culture
dear bob,
back in November I e-mailed you about the HLLE problem I was having with my queen angel. you were kind enough to respond right away with some suggestions that I add a macro algae culture and freshen the live rock.
<yes, I recall>
well since that post I wanted to let you know that my angel has improved dramatically! the lesions that once ravaged here face, eyes, and lateral line are now limited to her "cheek" area. it seems that she has a ravenous taste for the Caulerpa and I provide it to her 3 times a week. thank you so much for your suggestions.
<Ah, great to hear of your success>
the fresh algae is costing me close to $10.00 a week in addition to all the other frozen goodies, fish eat better than I do! As such I've tried numerous ways to grow it myself but with no luck. several times I tried placing a fresh harvest in a floating acrylic breeder in the display tank but the algae deteriorated in 4 days. my 75 gallon tank is lit with 2 Coralife 10,000k fluor. and 2 actinic lights.
I have also tried cultivating the algae in my 100 g reef system equipped with power compact lighting. however, a $25.00 "bush" attached to a piece of live rock turned my tank green and then died in as many days. now as a
last ditch effort I have placed some freshly harvested cup, blade, and grape specimens in a 20 g undergravel filter set up. 12 hour light with Coralife reef sun and a generic incandescent plant bulb. there are 3 small
fish in the tank to fertilize - so far it seems that the algae is also dying in this tank too. what could be wrong?
<A few things... I would go back to/with the compact fluorescent lighting, use just some live rock for attachment, and boost both alkalinity and biomineral content (mainly calcium)... keep these above 4 meq/l and 400ppm respectively>
I am seriously considering installing an ecosystem refugium from Leng Sy's website however if I'm unable to grow the algae what is the point? your thoughts?
Gisela
<The miracle mud systems are also very good/worthwhile. Bob Fenner, who would also look around, ask your local marine hobby club, perhaps the stores if they know someone who has the opposite problem... that is, too much Caulerpa... not uncommon.>

Fish questions
Bob
I was wondering-- how long does it take for a Queen Angel to reach maturity?
I'm thinking of purchasing one, but I'm not going to have a tank large enough for an adult until the end of this summer. I was wanting to hold it in a medium sized tank until then. Possible? I will appreciate your reply.
John Pryor
>>
By maturity as sexually reproductive stage? About a year. To maximum length? 2,3,4... have seen them at sixteen or so overall inches (about twice the length of sexual maturity)
Time frame is a possibility... starting with a small specimen (under four inches) and growing it up in the present system (not crowded, a good forty gallons to itself) till the larger tank in Summer.
Bob Fenner

Queen Angels
I am very interested in obtaining a Queen Angel for my 90 gal fish only aquarium that has been running 4 1/2 months. I use a trickle filter set up with bio wheel and 10 gal sump, a Pro. skimmer and a More Zone 30 Ozonizer. I 
have 1 Flame Angel 3 inches, Three Spot Angel 4 inches, and 2 Golden Head Sleepers 2 1/2 inches approx., 2 cleaner shrimp & 30-40 lbs of live rock. 
First of all, would I be overloading my tank by adding a 3-4 inch Queen Angel 
(I'm thinking long term)? 
<I think the Queen would be a poor choice, not so much from a crowding standpoint, but behaviorally... with the other two angels... The Queen would get big... much bigger than the others in months... and bully them relentlessly>
Secondly, I have noticed in 3 different local shops in Torrance, Ca that all of the Queen Angels that have been coming in 
have been coming down with what looks like lymphocytes. The fish are all well colored, active and alert. Is this a trend with imported Queens that is currently common?
<Yes, I think so too>
One of the store owners, who I deem very reputable, says that he has noticed a decline in the quality of the Queens over the last year. In fact, he says that he is having more luck with Emperor Angels. Is this true and am I rushing things by looking to add this fish? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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<You're not rushing yet... I would look for other non-angel livestock for your 90,
Bob Fenner>

Queen angel advice
I have a 55 gallon FO tank with two Emperor bio wheel filters, a SeaClone skimmer, and a U.V. sterilizer. The tank has been established for approximately 4 months. The current inhabitants include: 1 yellow tang, 1
Naso tang, a small Huma Huma trigger, and 4 small damsels. We visited our
local fish store today and spotted a beautiful small Queen Angel. The main
question is do you see any compatibility problems with this fish and any
that are currently in the tank (especially the Huma Huma)? Since the queen
is a bit more expensive than what we've gotten so far, I'd hate to run into a problem.
Also, the tank has a lot of green algae covering the sand ... is this a problem that we should try to remove by sifting or "raking" or is it nothing to worry about.
The water quality seems to be fine... PH 8.2. Nitrates 30 ppm, Nitrites 0,
Specific Gravity is at 1.020 to 1.021.
Thanks for your help!! Scott McIlvaine
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Hmm, I'd give you very good odds of adding the Queen Angel... the Trigger and it will likely strike a balance... and soon... The only real cautionary remark I feel a need to make is the ultimate size of both these fishes will dictate getting a larger system... probably within a year.
Bob Fenner, who would "just" rake the algae, remove some with water changes for now.

Queen Angel
HI Bob-
I have a 125 FO with about 23lb of live rock, 25 wt UV and a cheap Aquarium systems skimmer which I will upgrade w/something some time next year. I Just bought a used W/D with a hang on overflow and a quite one pump I will be setting it up sometime soon.
I currently have a 5" Black finned trigger, 3 1/2 Assasi and 5" Naso. I am thinking of adding a Juvenile Queen Angel and I am wondering about there requirements. Would you recommend this fish considering my setup. 
My concern is in regards to feeding. Will this fish need sponge as part of its diet for long term health? The only other Angel I had was a flame in my 55 for about 8 months he became uninterested in the food I was feeding him, I believe it was Angel Formula, and died.
With your experience what concerns if any would you have with keeping this fish in good health.
Thanks as always for your input into this wonderful hobby.
Regards, Tom
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And thank you for participating in these "discussions". I really like the Atlantic Queen Angel (Holacanthus ciliaris). Most specimens make hardy, relatively undemanding show centerpieces for large marine set-ups. As you state, in the wild, they do eat quite a bit of sponge material... in captivity though, most Queens readily adapt to consuming most all foods. A couple of provisos though: I would offer some greenery in the food daily (good for your other fishes too), and of course, keep the diet varied... Some other wild material, like sponges, will be scrounged from your live rock. And do keep saving for the bigger, better skimmer!
Bob Fenner