Reef Safe With Caution Fish (best and worst)

[iamsimplyj]

Ive got a flame and pygmy angel. havent had any issues yet.

 

[Adrift]

I have done a niger trigger, marine betta, and foxface. Overall only problems was the occasional invert sacrifice to the trigger. Had them for 8 years

 

[DK450reef]

Recently we talked about "reef safe" angelfish but today I want to expand the conversation to all fish that are considered reef safe, but with caution. Thanks to @Gtinnel for the QOTD idea. So let's talk about these fish!

1. Do you keep "Reef Safe with Caution" fish? If so what fish and what's your experience with them been?

2. What would you say are some good fish to take a chance on and some that are a bad bet?

Cuban Hogfish image via @reefs4less

I said yes reef safe with caution. Lots of caution emperors angle if I could only get him to pose for the camera

 

[i cant think]

I've been through 3 of them. Never bothered my corals, but I just cannot keep them alive either. I was going to grab a 4th but I hate seeing them die. Not sure what I'm doing or not doing because all other fish are fine.

maybe try getting a bigger one to start with or one that you know has been in captivity for a while.
It’s strange that you couldn’t keep them because it’s a fairly easy fish - Just avoid the
Spines. I’m on my second and the first one I got was probably 2.5” and got to 3” in maybe 1 year (Died because of an ammonia spike). I got my second at 3”.. 2 years I have owned him and he’s now approaching 5”, I also have a Blue star leopard wrasse in a tank with Monti Digi, R. Yuma and R. Florida, a Hammer coral and she just picks the rock for copepods all day, I absolutely love her (She will go into the big display in a few months-years.. She is ~1” and everything in that tank is at 2” or bigger)

 

[Catch22]

I have kept smaller groupers that have been reef safe with caution with hard corals but beside that nothing else

 

[A Young Reefer]

A One spot fox face , never touched corals knock on wood!

 

[VanDalsenReef]

I have a pair of blue throats, peppermint hog and a mystery wrasse that could care less about any inverts.

 

[N.Sreefer]

I got the fish pictured in revs post the cuban hogfish. It is a crab killer and snail killer but other than that he's peaceful. I think it depends on the fish as an individual combined with hiding spots for tankmates/tank size. I think in a smaller tank he'd likely get territorial with tankmates

 

[Glenner’sreef]

I have a Copperband Butterfly fish that is in that category but I have had no issues at all. I have two large clams and some newer sps colonies and no nipping or picking thankfully.

 

[Poof No Eyebrows]

I have a pair of file fish right now. Once their done with all the aptasia I'll send them off to the fish store.

 

[duesmortem]

I had a citron goby and it ended up bleaching my sps frags I had to take it back to the fish store to save my last acropora frag

 

[Shadowfax]

None, after you get used to that fish it will be difficult to get rid of it. Not only because it could be difficult to caught but also because you start loving your fish one start liking them

 

[Treefer32]

Copperband butterfly fish is my all time favorite in my reef. He's a model citizen, great personality, he's like the puppy dog of the tank. I think he even wants pets... He'll swim up to my fingers anywhere in the tank and inspect what I'm doing. He just enjoys being near me.

Second is my Dragon Wrasse... Definitely NOT reef safe... Mainly because any snails have to be burrowing snails and hide well.. He flips them all over.. Secondly. Any corals not glued down will become part of his burrow decorations. He's strong enough now he can pull my frag rack off the magnets..... Really annoying!

I'm waiting for him to pull my MP40s off their magnets.. eek.

Most of my other fish are all considered reef safe.... Those two are definitely the most questionable though.

 

[carbasaurus]

Sharp nose puffer (aka Toby) in my soft coral tank. Total impulse buy at my LFS. Really beautiful fish and could not resist. Absolutely safe with soft corals. Not sure about motile inverts. A snapping shrimp has a safe cave and has been ok. Most of my hermit crabs hide but at least not finding empty shells. Have not put cleaner shrimp in the tank as they might well be dinner snacks. Snail life includes sand conches (ok) and money cowries (ok)

 

[youcallmenny1]

Genicanthus!

 

[tigerlilys]

Scribbled Rabbitfish (Siganus doliatus) is also known as Two Barred Rabbitfish, Barred Spinefoot. We have homed dozens of these fish in every type of reef tank you could imagine MODEL CITIZENS and they are one of the BEST algae eaters we have ever used.

 

[alexxb7]

I currently have a potters (in my coral tank) and a majestic and eblii (another tank with mushrooms, toadstools, fox coral, xenia, without any issues) I have had majestic 10 years. I have never had an issue with dwarf angels--have kept coral beauty, flame, flameback, cherub and golden. I do feed very well. Have a very shy marine betta for 7 years, but no shrimp are in the tank.
My only issue with melanarus and coris wrasses are flipping and eating snails.
I also have a dot/dash butterfly and blue jaw trigger in the large tank with majestic and no issues there. But no zoas in that tank.

 

[Nick Steele]

I replied other as I currently do not but have plans for a few of them in the future.

 

[Reefer Reboot]

I have a few that some would consider to be "Reef safe with caution", Flame Angel, Copperband, Melanurus wrasse, all of which have caused no problems. Then there is the One Spot Foxface. (From here on out will be referred to as "The Terminator"!) Started out great. Went for years without touching a coral. But then I tried some Firework Polyps and it was like flipping a switch that turned on "The Terminators" coral addiction. Soft corals like Toadstools, Mushrooms, Zoas, GSP are safe but put any SPS in the tank and Terminator goes crazy! It can't be reasoned with, it can't be bargained with. It doesn't feel pity of remorse or fear and it absolutely will not stop. Ever. Until they are all dead no matter what I try.

 

[Karen00]

I do. I keep a Orange Clown Goby, I without a doubt would not recommend it to someone with Acan, Micromussa, or squishy Favia. She loves to nip at the rims of them. My only way of deterring her is to move them around when she really gets a taste for one. 99% she just perches on her SPS corals. Other times she appears to be attempting to get one of those previously stated coral species to host her. That is when she will really start to nip at them. Think of a dog doing circles and nipping at the blanket.

I'm so glad I read this thread! I have a green clown goby (but no corals yet) so it's good to know about the "possibility" that these guys might be trouble. Haha. I love my guy so he'll never go. I just have to choose corals wisely.