Coral Beauty problems?

If he keeps nipping at the clam mantle the clam will stop opening and die.

Sorry

Mike

I disagree. You can keep both. The CB Angel is a lover of soft and somewhat slimey algae. Zooxanthellae (pronounced zoo-zan-thelly) algae is contained in the "meat" of the clam; it's mantle. Zooxanthellae algae is part of what gives the clams mantle its beautiful color.

So the clam has in it's mantle and the FD catches on its feathery tentacles what the CB craves - slimey algae.

So how can we provide slimey algae for the CB? Here are several ways:

1. Leave algae on some area of the glass or do less frequent glass cleaning.

2. Feed more algae such as Nori and a frozen algae product like Emerald Entree and/or Angelfish formula.

3. Feed phytoplankton. Phyto will be attracted to many slimey surfaces all over the aquarium, including rock, and glass. The CB will love it.

4. Get more clams and FD's. This spreads the CB nipping behavior among more organisms.

This is a quick list. Perhaps some others here can add to it from their own successes.

I was just at Mark's house yesterday talking to him about this.  I also have a coral beauty, really is a beautiful fish, and he has nipped my crocea a good amount. After talking to Mark and he mentioned making sure there is enough other algae for the angel to eat I thought about how I have noticed when the fish are more well fed they do not nip at other things that much. 

I have had both for about 4 or 5 months now and they (the clam and angel) are both doing great.  The clam is still open all the time and still looks great, other than a few nips out of his mantle.   Don't give up on the angel or the clam yet.

FYI, the "dwarf" or pygmy Angelfishes include the Coral Beauty, Flame, Cherub, and others in the genus Centropyge.