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Hey there fellow reefers! I just wanted to make a thread about keeping Reef Safe With Caution (RSWC) fish in full blown reef settings.
Now, this is a thing I rarely see spoken about because we all think sticking to reef safe fish will be the easiest and safest thing. I also used to think this until I finally risked RSWC fish in my previous reef tank. Now, I am someone who can be cautious with fish but also takes huge risks with them at the same time. I’m aware many of the ways I reef in this hobby can be controversial. I also know that many of my fish in my size tank is controversial. So before I actually get into this please know, this may not work or even be the way for you however this is for those who want to do a reef tank with several reef safe with caution fish/inverts and are interested in how I have been successful for several years.
So, I guess we first need to know, what is seen as Reef Safe With Caution? Well, here’s what I seem to find people believing the most. It’s a fish that may be a risk to most of the animals in a reef. Now, I think that is a rather blunt statement. Here’s what I personally think RSWC means.
A fish or invertebrate that may pose a risk to certain coral and/or invertebrates, most of the time these are likely to be sessile inverts (Such as Sponges) but other times can be any invert (Such as Stenopus shrimp).
So, now we’ve gone over what I believe RSWC means, let’s go over what fish I have in my own reef and the basics of my reef (Dimensions, Age, Fish and Inverts).
So, for those who don’t know, I have 2 tanks and my main display is in my living room. This is the tank that has my Reef Safe With Caution fish in. My reef is a 3 year old 4’x2’x18” reef, I will often round it up to 2’ just to make it into feet without an awkward decimal on the end. Now, this reef has 7 Reef Safe With Caution fish in and in total it has 12 fish. Enjoy the FTS.
So what are the 12 fish I own?
Amphiprion occelaris x A. percula (Black Photon Clownfish)
Chelmon rostratum (Copperband Butterfly)*
Siganus magnificus (Magnificent Foxface)*
Ctenochaetus binotatus (TwinSpot Bristletooth Tang)*
Cryptocentrus cinctus (Yellow Watchman Goby)
Pygoplites diacanthus (Regal Angel)*
Escenius lineatus (Linear Blenny)*
Halichoeres iridis (Radiant Wrasse)*
Halichoeres chloropterus (Jade Wrasse)*
Cirrhilabrus naokoae (Naoko’s Fairy Wrasse)
Cirrhilabrus lubbocki (Sapphire Lubbock’s Fairy Wrasse)
Cirrhilabrus lubbocki (Lubbock’s Fairy Wrasse)
So, we’ve gone through the fish list. Now, my inverts are relatively simple so here you go.
Percnon gibbesi (Sally Light Foot Crab)*
Lysmata amboinensis (Skunk Cleaner Shrimp)
Stenopus scuttelatus (Golden Dwarf Boxer Shrimp)
Alpheus bellulus (Tiger Pistol Shrimp)
2x Lytechinus variegates (Pincushion Urchins)
Finally we’re done with the lists. In some of them you may see a * after their names. These are the ones we’re talking about, the RSWC animals and how I get around them. The other thing is how many of these aside from the Crab and Angel, all of those are 2-3 years old at this point so I have had a lot of ‘experimenting’ occur (and am currently doing it).
So, how can you have your own successful RSWC reef tank?
I guess if you’re looking at this and wanting to have a reef like mine the first thing we need to figure out is how is your fish/invert in this title? Is the fish you like known to eat corals such as a Copperband Butterfly or is it more of a risk towards Invertebrates like a Radiant Wrasse is. There is a third reason you may have something labelled as RSWC but we’ll get to that later.
So, I assume you’ve now figured out whether your fish is likely to eat coral or if it’s likely to eat Inverts. We’ll start with how to get around a coral muncher and then later go into how to get around an Invert eater (if you’re more interested in this side then skip the next paragraph).
So, you’ve found yourself liking and wanting a fish that is known for eating corals. Well, the easiest way to avoid this is what everyone would say;
FOWLR tanks. Yes these can look nice but other times you may think of it as an eyesore and want to add coral?
I would personally start with cheaper things. Avoiding Zoanthids and Palythoa is a good start as these are often on the menu for many angels, butterflies and other RSWC fish. I know the zoanthids I add often vanish without a trace, slowly going from 5-6 polyps and every day going down a polyp until just the frag plug remains. I would also avoid Fleshy LPS such as Scoly’s and Trachy’s as these are also often on the menu. So, what coral do I recommend starting with? Mushrooms! Yes they can be an eyesore but if you get the right one, a rock or two is stunning. My main focal rock I get questioned about the most is actually a rock of bubbled up Ricordea yuma. If you’re not into mushroom corals then the next coral I would try to find are Duncan’s. I absolutely love mine and very few fish prey on them. But, what if you want more Softies? Well, Leathers are more often than not avoided by RSWC fish, and this is due to their taste. I guess you may not all like the shedding though as it can upset other corals. So, Euphyllia and Fymbriaphyllia species are often ignored, this is from my experience due to being able to sting. Now, you may be more experienced and not like many LPS or Softies which is totally fine! Here’s what I recommend to you; SPS. Specifically I would start out by trying cheaper Acros, I have a colony of Acropora tortuosa in my tank (seen in the FTS on the back wall). I also recommend trying some Stylophora and Montipora (My second tank is actually a grow out for many of the corals I will try in my 4’ tank). Here’s just a few photos of coral types I have mentioned
Now, you’ve found a fish that may eat inverts but you still want it, what do you do? Just like I said above, a FOWLR is what many recommend but you probably haven’t come here just for that answer so here’s what I do. First, I make sure the invert I want has a way to protect itself, whether that’s using an anemone, has a large role for other fish or if it has claws. If the invert ticks off those boxes, I then check its max size and make sure it cannot fit into the fish’s mouth. If it ticks off all of these boxes, I will then pull the trigger and try it. Often times it works, the other way you can do it is through adding the invert first so it’s established before the fish goes into the tank. I have done both before and after and it worked. But, what if the invert doesn’t tick off those boxes? In this case, I would get the invert in first. If the invert can hide in an anemone such as Anemone Shrimp can, I recommend getting a pairing anemone to give them protection. So, now we’ve gone through the check boxes what do I recommend for inverts? First off, every tank needs a Skunk Cleaner Shrimp, they’re a marine staple! These guys have a role that often causes the fish to ignore them, they also get to a large max size (mine is Atleast 3.5 inches) and can’t fit into many mouths of fish we keep in the hobby. Another I recommend is a Stenopus species, these are relatively small shrimp however their claws are something most fish won’t mess with. My Golden Dwarf Boxer Shrimp went in after my Halichoeres established however he was left alone due to his claws and he could threaten them away. Other ones I would try and grab include Alpheus shrimp and a pairing goby. The Goby will offer the shrimp protection whilst the shrimp creates the burrow. Now, a non-shrimp invert I would go for is a Sally Lightfoot Crabs. These guys can be risky in their own way however if you don’t have incredibly small fish then you should be alright. Here’s a few photos of inverts I recommended looking into
So, I assume if you haven’t figured out what type of ‘RSWC’ your fish is, it may be because I haven’t said it yet. Yes there is a third ‘type’ and that is because it eats smaller fish. Now, the only way to really avoid this is through avoiding small fish. When I say small I’m talking about fish that are 3” or less. This is excluding tall fish and aimed towards the thinner fish. The fish that are often predated on are the small Gobies and Blennies. Often, small elongated fish are predated on more than small but tall fish. Fish to avoid are most gobies outside of Cryptocentrus and most of the small blennies and larger blennies in Salarias or Escenius are more likely to be safe. There is still a risk with those however it isn’t as high. The other way you can avoid risking your current livestock is planning for tall bodied fish such as Butterflies or Clowns. Most of the Wrasses will also work however some genera can still be at risk. The best way I can say that will work is getting the fish you like small (juvenile) and letting it grow out with its tankmates. Just remember that instincts can still kick in though.
Well, that concludes this! I hope you enjoyed reading about how to keep RSWC fish in a reef tank and you now know that just because a fish is RSWC it doesn’t mean you can’t have it in a reef, you can always work around it!
That’s all from me
Now, this is a thing I rarely see spoken about because we all think sticking to reef safe fish will be the easiest and safest thing. I also used to think this until I finally risked RSWC fish in my previous reef tank. Now, I am someone who can be cautious with fish but also takes huge risks with them at the same time. I’m aware many of the ways I reef in this hobby can be controversial. I also know that many of my fish in my size tank is controversial. So before I actually get into this please know, this may not work or even be the way for you however this is for those who want to do a reef tank with several reef safe with caution fish/inverts and are interested in how I have been successful for several years.
So, I guess we first need to know, what is seen as Reef Safe With Caution? Well, here’s what I seem to find people believing the most. It’s a fish that may be a risk to most of the animals in a reef. Now, I think that is a rather blunt statement. Here’s what I personally think RSWC means.
A fish or invertebrate that may pose a risk to certain coral and/or invertebrates, most of the time these are likely to be sessile inverts (Such as Sponges) but other times can be any invert (Such as Stenopus shrimp).
So, now we’ve gone over what I believe RSWC means, let’s go over what fish I have in my own reef and the basics of my reef (Dimensions, Age, Fish and Inverts).
So, for those who don’t know, I have 2 tanks and my main display is in my living room. This is the tank that has my Reef Safe With Caution fish in. My reef is a 3 year old 4’x2’x18” reef, I will often round it up to 2’ just to make it into feet without an awkward decimal on the end. Now, this reef has 7 Reef Safe With Caution fish in and in total it has 12 fish. Enjoy the FTS.
So what are the 12 fish I own?
Amphiprion occelaris x A. percula (Black Photon Clownfish)
Chelmon rostratum (Copperband Butterfly)*
Siganus magnificus (Magnificent Foxface)*
Ctenochaetus binotatus (TwinSpot Bristletooth Tang)*
Cryptocentrus cinctus (Yellow Watchman Goby)
Pygoplites diacanthus (Regal Angel)*
Escenius lineatus (Linear Blenny)*
Halichoeres iridis (Radiant Wrasse)*
Halichoeres chloropterus (Jade Wrasse)*
Cirrhilabrus naokoae (Naoko’s Fairy Wrasse)
Cirrhilabrus lubbocki (Sapphire Lubbock’s Fairy Wrasse)
Cirrhilabrus lubbocki (Lubbock’s Fairy Wrasse)
So, we’ve gone through the fish list. Now, my inverts are relatively simple so here you go.
Percnon gibbesi (Sally Light Foot Crab)*
Lysmata amboinensis (Skunk Cleaner Shrimp)
Stenopus scuttelatus (Golden Dwarf Boxer Shrimp)
Alpheus bellulus (Tiger Pistol Shrimp)
2x Lytechinus variegates (Pincushion Urchins)
Finally we’re done with the lists. In some of them you may see a * after their names. These are the ones we’re talking about, the RSWC animals and how I get around them. The other thing is how many of these aside from the Crab and Angel, all of those are 2-3 years old at this point so I have had a lot of ‘experimenting’ occur (and am currently doing it).
So, how can you have your own successful RSWC reef tank?
I guess if you’re looking at this and wanting to have a reef like mine the first thing we need to figure out is how is your fish/invert in this title? Is the fish you like known to eat corals such as a Copperband Butterfly or is it more of a risk towards Invertebrates like a Radiant Wrasse is. There is a third reason you may have something labelled as RSWC but we’ll get to that later.
So, I assume you’ve now figured out whether your fish is likely to eat coral or if it’s likely to eat Inverts. We’ll start with how to get around a coral muncher and then later go into how to get around an Invert eater (if you’re more interested in this side then skip the next paragraph).
So, you’ve found yourself liking and wanting a fish that is known for eating corals. Well, the easiest way to avoid this is what everyone would say;
FOWLR tanks. Yes these can look nice but other times you may think of it as an eyesore and want to add coral?
I would personally start with cheaper things. Avoiding Zoanthids and Palythoa is a good start as these are often on the menu for many angels, butterflies and other RSWC fish. I know the zoanthids I add often vanish without a trace, slowly going from 5-6 polyps and every day going down a polyp until just the frag plug remains. I would also avoid Fleshy LPS such as Scoly’s and Trachy’s as these are also often on the menu. So, what coral do I recommend starting with? Mushrooms! Yes they can be an eyesore but if you get the right one, a rock or two is stunning. My main focal rock I get questioned about the most is actually a rock of bubbled up Ricordea yuma. If you’re not into mushroom corals then the next coral I would try to find are Duncan’s. I absolutely love mine and very few fish prey on them. But, what if you want more Softies? Well, Leathers are more often than not avoided by RSWC fish, and this is due to their taste. I guess you may not all like the shedding though as it can upset other corals. So, Euphyllia and Fymbriaphyllia species are often ignored, this is from my experience due to being able to sting. Now, you may be more experienced and not like many LPS or Softies which is totally fine! Here’s what I recommend to you; SPS. Specifically I would start out by trying cheaper Acros, I have a colony of Acropora tortuosa in my tank (seen in the FTS on the back wall). I also recommend trying some Stylophora and Montipora (My second tank is actually a grow out for many of the corals I will try in my 4’ tank). Here’s just a few photos of coral types I have mentioned
Now, you’ve found a fish that may eat inverts but you still want it, what do you do? Just like I said above, a FOWLR is what many recommend but you probably haven’t come here just for that answer so here’s what I do. First, I make sure the invert I want has a way to protect itself, whether that’s using an anemone, has a large role for other fish or if it has claws. If the invert ticks off those boxes, I then check its max size and make sure it cannot fit into the fish’s mouth. If it ticks off all of these boxes, I will then pull the trigger and try it. Often times it works, the other way you can do it is through adding the invert first so it’s established before the fish goes into the tank. I have done both before and after and it worked. But, what if the invert doesn’t tick off those boxes? In this case, I would get the invert in first. If the invert can hide in an anemone such as Anemone Shrimp can, I recommend getting a pairing anemone to give them protection. So, now we’ve gone through the check boxes what do I recommend for inverts? First off, every tank needs a Skunk Cleaner Shrimp, they’re a marine staple! These guys have a role that often causes the fish to ignore them, they also get to a large max size (mine is Atleast 3.5 inches) and can’t fit into many mouths of fish we keep in the hobby. Another I recommend is a Stenopus species, these are relatively small shrimp however their claws are something most fish won’t mess with. My Golden Dwarf Boxer Shrimp went in after my Halichoeres established however he was left alone due to his claws and he could threaten them away. Other ones I would try and grab include Alpheus shrimp and a pairing goby. The Goby will offer the shrimp protection whilst the shrimp creates the burrow. Now, a non-shrimp invert I would go for is a Sally Lightfoot Crabs. These guys can be risky in their own way however if you don’t have incredibly small fish then you should be alright. Here’s a few photos of inverts I recommended looking into
So, I assume if you haven’t figured out what type of ‘RSWC’ your fish is, it may be because I haven’t said it yet. Yes there is a third ‘type’ and that is because it eats smaller fish. Now, the only way to really avoid this is through avoiding small fish. When I say small I’m talking about fish that are 3” or less. This is excluding tall fish and aimed towards the thinner fish. The fish that are often predated on are the small Gobies and Blennies. Often, small elongated fish are predated on more than small but tall fish. Fish to avoid are most gobies outside of Cryptocentrus and most of the small blennies and larger blennies in Salarias or Escenius are more likely to be safe. There is still a risk with those however it isn’t as high. The other way you can avoid risking your current livestock is planning for tall bodied fish such as Butterflies or Clowns. Most of the Wrasses will also work however some genera can still be at risk. The best way I can say that will work is getting the fish you like small (juvenile) and letting it grow out with its tankmates. Just remember that instincts can still kick in though.
Well, that concludes this! I hope you enjoyed reading about how to keep RSWC fish in a reef tank and you now know that just because a fish is RSWC it doesn’t mean you can’t have it in a reef, you can always work around it!
That’s all from me
