Reef safe? How do you define reef safe?

[vetteguy53081]

Often we hear the term reef safe and reef safe caution associated with livestock in the hobby. We then see an individual say " I am getting a reef safe damsel or angel or other.
What exactly is reef safe ?
Wikipedia states: Its a term used in the saltwater aquarium hobby to indicate that a fish or invertebrate is safe to add to a reef aquarium that usually do not readily consume small fish or invertebrates. It says " USUALLY" !
There is no fish that is completely reef safe is there ? This has haunted many of us, acquiring what was regarded as "reef safe" and turned out to be a descendant of the devil himself, and in turn we get a fish that is reef safe caution that turns out to be a model citizen. This will apply to a fish such as 6 line wrasse, royal gramma, emerald crab and even starfish.
Part of the problem is, we inherit specimens from the wild which are used to killing other specimens for survival and will eat coral, shrimp, fish and other acquisitions we already have in our tanks, and we don't know how things will turn out after introduction. Then if we get lucky and all the livestock lives in harmony, along comes a parasite and tries to take our fish out.
A grouper will not touch a single coral , yet classified as "reef safe caution". Reef safe caution with coral, fish or ???
Tangs are reef safe caution because they will devour algae, macroalgae and our prized marine plants. Wrasses potentially will eat our worms, cleaner crew and shrimps.
So . . . Is the term Reef safe outdated, unclear or needs to be clarified?
Some fish regarded as reef safe are damsels, clowns, anthias, certain wrasses, chromis, many tangs, jawfish, blennies and - some rabbits such as foxface and some triggers which we know will eat coral and eat through rock to build their cave.

What is your version of reef safe ?
Do you pay attention to reef safe caution at time of purchase?
Do you have a reef safe fish that has proven otherwise?

My Harlequin tusk is an example of reef safe caution and bothers nothing. My previous one moved some coral to opposite of tank but I found, was to establish a hiding place as his was stolen by my Tangs.
My copperband also is a mode citizen, could not care less about my coral and is classified Reef safe caution.

 

[Lps_lover12]

To me personally reef safe means that the fish will not eat coral. I always check before I buy, I don’t worry too much about the clean up crew, just the coral

 

[OrchidMiss]

To me personally reef safe means that the fish will not eat coral. I always check before I buy, I don’t worry too much about the clean up crew, just the coral

This is how I interpret it, as well.
For me it means they will not eat my coral.
Filefish may be great for aiptasia, but absolutely not reef safe as it devoured one of my favorite corals

 

[exnisstech]

I'm feel the same as OrchidMiss and lps lover. I know what the term means when stated by vendors buy to me it just means they won't eat coral.
@vetteguy53081 do you happen to keep any clams with your CBB? I have one I really want to move over to my 180g but have 2 clams and have not gotten brave enough to try.

 

[OrchidMiss]

I'm feel the same as OrchidMiss and lps lover. I know what the term means when stated by vendors buy to me it just means they won't eat coral.
@vetteguy53081 do you happen to keep any clams with your CBB? I have one I really want to move over to my 180g but have 2 clams and have not gotten brave enough to try.

I'm trying to get a CBB as soon as I redo my 110. He's got a lot of munchies in there.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I'm feel the same as OrchidMiss and lps lover. I know what the term means when stated by vendors buy to me it just means they won't eat coral.
@vetteguy53081 do you happen to keep any clams with your CBB? I have one I really want to move over to my 180g but have 2 clams and have not gotten brave enough to try.

Yes- I had a good size maxima and feared the worse but worked out with the CBB but thought I was moving and sold it to a friend with 2 other clams as I didn’t want to risk a cross country transport with it

 

[Red_Beard]

I think this, along with most everything else, does not alleviate one's personal responsibility for education about the general habits and needs of our specific livestock. To me i always try to think of it as "MY reef safe". The flags "reef safe with caution" to me flags that there could be some tendency with this particular specie that warrants further investigation. Tendencies to eat coral, or if they eat sessile inverts, or if they are a one stop demolition crew etc. i would have to look at what is currently in my tank and what plans i have for the future and do some risk evaluation.

 

[exnisstech]

I'm trying to get a CBB as soon as I redo my 110. He's got a lot of munchies in there.

Yes- I had a good size maxima and feared the worse but worked out with the CBB but thought I was moving and sold it to a friend with 2 other clams as I didn’t want to risk a cross country transport with it

I probably won't risk it. This is the first time I've been successful with clams and if it doesn't work I'd pretty much have to tear the rock out to catch the cbb. I'll leave the fish where it is. It's doing so well I've been hesitant to move it anyway.

 

[Seansea]

Bi color angel. Reef safe with caution. Nibbles at corals. I lowered the caution by feeding nori twice a day. Helps but doesnt stop.

Had a lunar wrasse in my old tank. Didn t eat corals directly but killed anenome by eating food right out of its guts. Knocked over rocks with corals on them. Ate ANY shrimp or crab snail and killed any fish i tried to add. Was a reef terror really.

I think any with caution is basically telling you when you by the fish it can go south on you at some point for various reasons.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Bi color angel. Reef safe with caution. Nibbles at corals. I lowered the caution by feeding nori twice a day. Helps but doesnt stop.

Had a lunar wrasse in my old tank. Didn t eat corals directly but killed anenome by eating food right out of its guts. Knocked over rocks with corals on them. Ate ANY shrimp or crab snail and killed any fish i tried to add. Was a reef terror really.

I think any with caution is basically telling you when you by the fish it can go south on you at some point for various reasons.

Agree. When we drive and go through a construction zone - we see a sign that says " caution" which causes us to think Twice before proceeding. This term applies to fish also

 

[jda]

Better to break it up into at least coral safe and invert safe. I mostly care about corals, but I don't want some wrasse catching my peppermint shrimp and then I have an aiptasia problem again.

I have Huma and Lagoon trigger that are corals safe. I would not put them in a reef.

 

[OrchidMiss]

Better to break it up into at least coral safe and invert safe. I mostly care about corals, but I don't want some wrasse catching my peppermint shrimp and then I have an aiptasia problem again.

I have Huma and Lagoon trigger that are corals safe. I would not put them in a reef.

I have a Niger and Bluethroat in my predator reef as well as Hardwicke, Timor, and red Coris wrasse. None are invert safe, but no one has bothered any coral.
I knew ahead of time that they would decimate my CUC, so I place semi-annual orders with ReefCleaners to replenish.
Any smaller inverts get housed in any of my other 3 docile reefs.

 

[jda]

Bluethroat are planktivores and totally reef safe. Niger is in the middle, but I have one in my tank too. Hawaiian Black and Pinktail have also been completely reef safe for me, but they are not all that reef friendly since they eat SO much - each one can eat an entire sheet of nori by it's self.

I have a cuban hog since i love the color and this thing was designed to capture shrump. The shrimp either have to be large or really cautious since they are so quick and nimble. It has settled down lately and does not chase the peppermints, but I was really worried for a while.

Here is some good reading on truly reef safe triggers and angelfish:

https://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-05/hcs3/index.php

https://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-02/hcs3/index.php

 

[o2manyfish]

For me it's definitely Reef Safe if it doesn't go after the decorations. But I am lenient. I like angels. I also like a lot of corals in my tank.

Some fish will take a nip at a coral and move on - Others will take a bite and decide they need to eat the whole thing.

And alot depends on what is in your tank. I have an Imperator Angel I have been growing up from 1" for almost 3 years. I raised him one of the frag tanks with 500+ acros frags and a bunch of softies - Perfect 'Angel'. In the same frag tank I also have a Black and White Heniochus - That leaves the corals alone.

But when we tried to keep the Imperator in the 750g we learned he didn't like zoas being on rocks. While he didn't eat them he tore them off rocks to get to the sponge underneath. Now a year later there are colorful patches of zoas all over the tank thanks to him. But then I found out while he left euphyllias alone he couldn't resist going after elegance corals. So he was caught and moved outside. And is once again a perfect 'angel' in the frag tank.

I have kept Goldflakes, Flames, Multicolors, Joculators, Interruptus, Golden, Colini, Venustus and Regal Angels. I have had these angels in my tanks over the past 30 years. Usually in pairs or trios.

In 30 years I had to relocate a flame (for clams plucking), a multicolor (for being ugly and clam picking), an imperator (as mentioned above) and this past month a Regal who was slowly, very slowly decimating a field of 60 hammers.

The other angels may pick at something and move on - But they don't damage - and I consider that natural and reef safe.

Then an Achilles is considered Reef Safe. But we recently caught and rehomed an Achilles because he was being a total prick to all the tiny fish in the tank. When an Achilles is head slamming clown gobies, neon gobies, blennies -- All the tiny fish that in my opinion make a reef a reef - Then he is not reef safe.

But there are lots of fish that are 100% reef safe. Damsels may be stereotyped as devil basturds. But if you know which ones to pick they are a great addition to a reef tank. Starkii, Talbots, Rolands, Springeri and Stegassi -- All reef safe.

If you want an Angel - Get a Genicanthus - There are about 10 fish in this genre that are 100% planktivore and swim in open water and won't eat any other fish.

The realm of Anthias is reef safe unless you get into the deeper big ones that will swallow smaller fish.

And one of the most noticed reef safe fish we have in our tanks are Mollies. Yep those silly fish we had in our bedrooms as children (Some of us 5 decades ago). Nobody bothers the mollies. The mollies don't touch any corals. They are excellent at eating hair algae and cleaning algae off of frags, frag racks and corals. And they make more -- most of which become tang and anthias food. But some grow to full maturity and start the cycle again.

Pseudochromis - of the right variety are reef safe.


Assessors - Reef Safe - And pure enjoyment to have a group of in your tank.


There are lots of 100% guaranteed reef safe fish out there - That won't harm the corals, or the livestock in your tank. It just takes some education and talking with experienced hobbyists to narrow down the list of potential fish you want with those that pose minimal risk or no risk at all.

Dave B

 

[Seansea]

And one of the most noticed reef safe fish we have in our tanks are Mollies. Yep those silly fish we had in our bedrooms as children (Some of us 5 decades ago). Nobody bothers the mollies. The mollies don't touch any corals. They are excellent at eating hair algae and cleaning algae off of frags, frag racks and corals. And they make more -- most of which become tang and anthias food. But some grow to full maturity and start the cycle again.

How do your mollies fair in the flow? I have 4 in my qt tank that have been in there for a year. Qt tank is close to being shut fown as ive almost reached my fish limit. I was thinking about putting them in my reef tank but they can barely handle the flow in my qt which is very minimal compared to my display. Also how long do they live?

 

[vetteguy53081]

How do your mollies fair in the flow? I have 4 in my qt tank that have been in there for a year. Qt tank is close to being shut fown as ive almost reached my fish limit. I was thinking about putting them in my reef tank but they can barely handle the flow in my qt which is very minimal compared to my display. Also how long do they live?

They usually go sailing in the flow- good point

 

[ReefGeezer]

I had a Candy Striped Hogfish. Great looking fish. He didn't bother anything until he grew a little. He'd get stuck in my Digita colonies and bust his way out. After I saturated the local market with Digita frags, he went to the LFS. So... Not Reef Safe.

I bought a Tasseled File Fish to eat Aiptasia. Reef Safe they said. Not. He loved Acro polyps way better than Aiptasia. At least he was easy to catch. Ditto for a Kliens Butterfly. However, the Copperband I replaced them with ate Aiptasia and, other than maybe some tube worms and pods in the rock, has been a model citizen. I think he's reef safe but your mileage may vary.

I have always loved Male Melanarus Wrasses. They are said not to be reef safe. I went against better advice and added a great looking specimen. He was fine for a long time. Then he grew up and took a liking to flipping over frags, loose rocks that looked way too big for him to move, snails, and anything else not nailed down. Oh... and he developed a taste for shrimp. So... Yea, Not Reef Safe. He took a bullet for me and jumped out of the tank one night.

I used to keep Urchins in the tank. Unfortunately, a couple of them preferred to wear my new Zoa Colonies for hats. So... not a fish... but Not Reef Safe.

I had a Niger Trigger for quite a while. He didn't bother anything but he kept nipping at my hand and arm when I was doing maintenance. So... Not Reefer Safe. Off the LFS he went.

 

[SCReef'n]

I play a little fast and loose with what’s traditionally called reef safe. Just find what you like and make everything else fit. I like angels and butterfly’s so no fleshy lps.

 

[Rugops]

The term 'reef-safe' needs clarification.

For example, my Coral Beauty does not eat or destroy coral which makes her reef-safe although she would nibble.

Nibbling is not a reason to not consider a species not 'reef-safe'.

 

[1112-425XL]

Its all about the corals. I had an Eibli (Red Strpe Angel) Reef Safe with Caution. It nibbled on Zoas, Acros, Goniopora, and Stylophora till they were completely closed up. Once I removed him they all came back. So for me nibbling is a good reason to consider a fish not reef safe.
I don't worry about cuc, if a fish is reef safe with caution because it might eat snails, crabs, shrimp and other inverts I'm ok with that.