Pairing Centropyge

[wombat1]

Does anyone have experience pairing centropyge angels?? I have a C. argi that I would like to get a mate for.

 

[dizzy]

wombat,

I believe many of the Centropype angels form harems, but are possible to keep in pairs. I remember asking Martin Moe Jr. how he paired up some flame angels. He said he started with 5-6 and kept removing the one that was getting beat up until a pair was left. This will work if you can get them out of the tank before they are injured. Might not work too well in a reef as catching the losers might be a challege. You might just get another one and get lucky too.

Mitch

 

[wombat1]

Any idea if they can change sex?? Or if sex can be determined externally?? Does size matter??

 

[dizzy]

Any idea if they can change sex?? Or if sex can be determined externally?? Does size matter??

wombat,

According to Scott Michael all the Centropyge angels are protogynous hermaphrodites in which the females change to males and live in harem social groups. Sometimes when population densities are low they live in pairs. Males are usually larger than females. Try to get some of a different size than the one you have. Sometimes there are temporary or permanent color differences between the sexes. I don't think this is the case with C. argi.

Good luck,
Mitch Gibbs

 

[Anonymous]

I have two flame angels that seem to get along wonderfully, of course time will tell if they are actually a pair.

I bought two small flames, and was bigger than the other, and placed them in my sump together for observation. My sump is a 150 gallon rubbermaid stock tank with live rock and a DSB, so they had a nice habitat to bond in. For about five minutes there was a little twirling about and displaying, and then it was as if they said, "OK, Your cool." They are best buds now. It is too precious to see them swimming together. I observed them in the sump for a while, each time I expected to see a mangled flame angel corpse floating, but they were still together so I added them to my reef.

Of course the same day I put them in my 155g reef one began to eat my sps corals. :roll: So I had to catch them both and they are now in my fish/softie tank, and they are still friends.

I really hope they spawn for me, they both have the same hidey spot in the live rock, so I am thinking that is a good sign.

If you were to try and pair your C argi, I would remove him, add two small ones, and then add the original one. I think that removing the original one first (for just a few hours or so)would allow the new ones a chance to get their bearings before they have to interact with the original one. Or if you don't want to go to the trouble of catching him, I would at least add the new ones after the tank has gone to sleep for the night.


I have a great book at home that goes into detail the spawning and haremic activity of C argi. It's called "Reef Fish Behaviour of the Caribbean" or something like that. I am at work now so I can't see who the author is, but I'll post it later if you are interested when I get home.

 

[outerbank]

Hopefully Minh will respmd to this thread. He has a pair of C. argi that spawn. He also has at least one flameback angel. I have not seen these fish ever chase the others. I believe the C. argi in his tank have spwned together and with the flameback angel (horny fish).

Scott

 

[Minh Nguyen]

Centopype angels are protogynous hermaphrodites. If you put several toghether, one will become a male and the rest are females. If you put two male together, they will fight for dominace and one will remain male the other become female.
I would add one or more smaller Cherub angels. They will pair up i short order. Don't add a large one because you may add a male. If you have a male and onother male is added, they may kill each other in the confind of your aquarium befor one can revert back to being a female. Brad Ward had 6 flame angels in a 120 g tank. Initially two were males. After the dust settle he has one male and five females.
Minh