Hide Your Coral: Are you keeping non-reef safe fish in a mixed reef?

[AlyciaMarie]

How ironic is it that some of the most beautiful fish are also some of the most notorious for causing chaos in our home reefs? Some would say owning these beauties is worth the risk of fill in the blank, while others will admire from afar. But some of you guys have been pretty creative about buffering the offensive behavior of non-reef safe fish. Have you taken the plunge with one of these guys?

Are you keeping non-reef safe fish in a mixed reef? Share your tips on how you're trying to keep the peace!

Photo Credit: 1cc386ea8e470a
Memeified: Gumbies R Us

 

[vcnt]

How ironic is it that some of the most beautiful fish are also some of the most notorious for causing chaos in our home reefs? Some would say owning these beauties is worth the risk of fill in the blank, while others will admire from afar. But some of you guys have been pretty creative about buffering the offensive behavior of non-reef safe fish. Have you taken the plunge with one of these guys?

Are you keeping non-reef safe fish in a mixed reef? Share your tips on how you're trying to keep the peace!

Photo Credit: 1cc386ea8e470a
Memeified: Gumbies R Us

I only have clowns now but maybe ill try a porcupine puffer or even a dwarf lion fish

 

[AlyciaMarie]

I'm seeing some votes for "Yes, and it's going well!"... Don't hold out on us, tell us what you're doing to make it work!

 

[landlubber]

My guess is plenty of us are as many fish some straddle the line.
"Reef-Safe" is an ambiguous term as it doesn't exclusively refer to coral eating fish but also animals that are known to pick off inverts.
The Flame Hawkfish and Melanurus Wrasse are both fairly common residents in community tank and in my display will gladly accept and opportunity to have a hermit crab for a midnight lunch.

 

[Dburr1014]

I voted no but...
Lots of fish are considered reef safe but you get outliers.
For instance, tangs. Most every site says reef safe but you hear of stories that some go rouge.

I do have a purple tang, he has not tasted coral has far as I know.

 

[MnFish1]

How ironic is it that some of the most beautiful fish are also some of the most notorious for causing chaos in our home reefs? Some would say owning these beauties is worth the risk of fill in the blank, while others will admire from afar. But some of you guys have been pretty creative about buffering the offensive behavior of non-reef safe fish. Have you taken the plunge with one of these guys?

Are you keeping non-reef safe fish in a mixed reef? Share your tips on how you're trying to keep the peace!

Photo Credit: 1cc386ea8e470a
Memeified: Gumbies R Us

I think there should be some graduations (and some sites, when recommend fish say 'unsafe' or unsafe with caution, etc. Even 'safe' fish can decide to eat coral. I try the fish - if there is a problem - I return it. Granted - thats difficult for online - and I would be much more carefully buying these types of fish online - where a return is going to be a problem

 

[JulesH]

I have an aptasia eating File fish who has actually munched his way through my colonies of aptasia. I have kept a close eye on him and I have not seen him eating anything he shouldn't have. He is a good character and I would be reticent to evict him/her.

Having said that all my Acans, Trachys and Leathers are withdrawn and not looking too good. I am not sure if that is the File fish or something completely different?

 

[Dburr1014]

I have an aptasia eating File fish who has actually munched his way through my colonies of aptasia. I have kept a close eye on him and I have not seen him eating anything he shouldn't have. He is a good character and I would be reticent to evict him/her.

Having said that all my Acans, Trachys and Leathers are withdrawn and not looking too good. I am not sure if that is the File fish or something completely different?

Probably.
Lots of folks reported they take a liking to coral.

 

[Doctorgori]

I had a Idol (rehomed) a
in my mostly sps tank: regal angel, a flame angel, a rock beauty
the flameback is the only one with LPS and clams tho
edited

 

[Mark Goode]

I did, but it didn't work out I'm afraid. Things seemed to be going well to start with, but as my singapore angel grew she developed a taste for LPS corals. I didn't have many, but her continual nibbling eventually killed the few that I had. I now have just a BTA and soft corals (including dozens of green kenya trees). Everything seems happy enough, so I guess I'll just leave it like that.

 

[Reefer Matt]

Oh I so wanna see a dogface puffer in a reef tank. My Puffy chomps on the rocks. I can imagine what he’d do to snails, crabs, and coral. It would be cool to see for a minute though! But I don’t tempt fate. I keep separate tanks for separate things.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

Well, I have 2 peppermints in my 69g that may or may not (so far not) nip at polyps. But those arent fish they are inverts. Also, I have a carpet anemone that is very not reef safe that I will be glad to trade to anyone here for some coral. Btw- I only have it because it came with my tank and the clowns love it.

 

[justdeb1107]

I purchased a used system that came with the fish. At first I was happy with the beautiful Queen and Koran angels. Then I moved some zoas to the tank. Koran nosedived into them immediately, Queen was sneakier and managed to snarffle down about 75 zoas before I realized what was happening. Both sold to a local reefer with a FOWLR 350 gallon tank. Never again.

 

[paragrouper]

I have a coral beauty (reef safe with caution). I’ve had no issues at all. Mind you, I do make sure he’s well fed.

 

[randomfishdude]

I was till a few hours ago when it died. He ate kenya tree but that was it. Which was more of a blessing.

 

[flashsmith]

I've had a raccoon butterfly and a Pakistan butterfly in my reef tank for nearly a year with no issues eating coral. I had a terrible aiptasia problem that I couldn't get under control to the point I was willing to lose some coral to beat it. Zero aiptasia now and they have zero interest in munching coral.

 

[Enad]

Cherub Angel for a few months now - doing fine. He sometimes pecks at my Trachy but it doesn't seem to mind too much, otherwise hasn't touched any corals, not even smaller Zoas.

 

[Tcook]

I've had a raccoon butterfly and a Pakistan butterfly in my reef tank for nearly a year with no issues eating coral. I had a terrible aiptasia problem that I couldn't get under control to the point I was willing to lose some coral to beat it. Zero aiptasia now and they have zero interest in munching coral.

Why did you choose those over a Klein’s?

 

[AstroMelly]

We took the plunge on a scarlet hawk (Cliff) some months back. He was quite small when we added him and he has not grown much yet. So far it’s going well. We have several shrimp in the tank (tiger pistol living with watchman goby, cleaner, coral banded - all large apart from the cleaner) and I have never seen him showing interest. We did add 6 peppermint shrimp around the same time (just after) to try and tackle our aiptasia issues - 3 died near enough overnight and we think there is only one left now but I am more inclined to believe that was due to in-fighting among them rather than the hawk as he would have finished off the last gardener by now if it were him. The pep is often out during the day around feeding time and they both dwell in the same part of the tank so he knows he is in there. Cliff takes pellet and frozen quite happily and I suppose this is the key to success with most reef safe with caution fish.

He is a great little fish and we love him!

We saw a darling baby valentini puffer (very small) at a LFS yesterday for a great price (£27) and I nearly pulled the trigger there and then but we have a beautiful Crocea clam that is doing well and I just don’t want to risk it.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I was till a few hours ago when it died. He ate kenya tree but that was it. Which was more of a blessing.

Sorry about your loss!