Flame Angel help

So I couldn't resist any longer, I got a Flame Angel. Seemed to eat fine the first couple days. But has stop for about the last four. He (she?) picks at the rocks all day and occasionally nibbles at some food but most the time spits it out. I'm trying everything. I'm reading that this can be fairly normal and that they eventually come around. I don't have much algae so I hope he comes around soon.

PLUS he started nipping at my orange and brown Digi frags. And they were just starting to take off with my new MHs. A small area at the base was going white so I moved them to the sump. At least he choose the cheaper ones. I haven't seen him nip at anything else.

So to get to the point. (And I'm not sure there is an answer except for wait and see) Am I doomed to figure out how to get him out? Or do they sometimes just like one coral and leave the rest alone? If I can get him to eat frozen food (or anything else I'm trying - or you guys suggest) does that help to deter coral nipping?

I guess I'm hoping others experiences will give me hope, otherwise I'll be posting a coral nipping Flame Angel real soon.   If I can even get him out.

The Flame Angel is a dwarf angelfish.
Picking algae from rocks is where they get most of their food in the wild.
Add some small starts of macroalgae, try some Nori, try Emerald Entree frozen food(it's the best frozen food for all fish, including herbivores, because it has lots of algae).
You could also leave the lights on all night and overfeed to allow the tank to grow more soft algae on the rock and glass, that's what dwarf angelfish really like the most.

If in the end you feel that you must remove the fish, it's actually quite easy to catch fish from a reef aquarium. I just caught my large Rabbitfish to move it from a full reef tank that the fish cleared of macroalgae to a tank that has a good growth of macroalgae. This Rabbitfish is a pig for algae. I love it. Algae is a must for a healthy reef aquarium.
It took about 15 seconds to catch.

We have the answers to all your reefkeeping questions.


Edited by Mark Peterson - March 13 2009 at 3:00pm

I thought I was going to have to get rid of mine as well when I first got her. She was harassing a clam. It did stop after a week or two. Eats just about anything I throw in now. It will pick at a coral now and then but it doesn't seem to do any damage. Me thinks it's just picking at some algae I can't see? Anyway, happy with mine. I hope it gets better for you. Maybe just give it a little time.