Wolf in fish clothing: What “reef safe” fish did you find not to be reef safe after all?

[cmor1701d]

I had a coral beauty in my 125 for 4 years before it decided to go rogue and start munching coral.
My tangs (hippo, sailfin & yellow) and rabbit (foxface lo) never touched any coral in that mixed reef. But they always had nori available in several spots.

 

[tcarstens4]

Copper banded butterfly that has a taste for rock flower anemones, and gorgonians, a desjardin sailfin tang with a victim list of: welso x2 lobophyllia, and acans

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Mine isn't a fish. I've had issues with multiple supposedly "reef safe" shrimp though.

 

[nuxx]

Other way around.

I found the Bandit and Masked Angels to be 100% model citizens with coral around.

The Masked was captive bred and small, so wasn't too worried.

The Bandit was medium sized and diver caught, so was pretty worried.

Both never nipped at anything.

 

[Jesterrace]

Blue Hippo Tang would probably be the biggest Reef Safe offender. Most of the others on this list are known for being hit and miss with corals. Some are also good with certain types of corals and not so good with others. I have a CB Dwarf Angel that doesn't do well with Acans and Trachyphillia, but does great with everything else. So I just don't keep those types of Corals anymore and I don't have an issue.

 

[vicefire17]

No stars. Only other things in the tank are two PinCushin urchins and snails. This is today. Whoever it is, is taking big bites. View attachment 2977483

I had a pincushion eat a whole colony of acans. It was the devil

 

[AKL1950]

I had a pincushion eat a whole colony of acans. It was the devil

I’m pretty sure I’ve figured it out. It’s “all” of the tangs doing it. They are not going after the Zoa’s. They are going after the algae that is between and under the Zoa pylops. Everywhere there is a few pylops missing, there is a nice pad of bright green algae. That’s what they want and the Zoas are in the way. I’m taking each little Zoa colony and giving them a hydrogen peroxide bath. There are a few on big rocks, but I think I can manage them. Once I get them all cleaned up, I bet the tangs leave them alone.