A reef tank would be so much easier without these....or would it?

code4 · Jan 6, 2020

Auquanut said:
I talk to my fish. I don't talk to my corals. To some people that may seem odd. That's okay. My corals are beautiful, but my fish are my little buddies.

I talk to mind also. I am more upset if one died than a coral. No losses in over a year. And since I don't have success with coral it would be a pretty empty tank without my friends.

I even tell them to behave!

Admann · Jan 6, 2020

I talk to my fish, but I also talk to my self, what does that say about the fishes character, oh yeah they can't leave. So they are putting up with, me.

Indytraveler83 · Jan 6, 2020

If never run my reef without fish. But...

The reef is the priority. I buy cheaper fish that are extremely unlikely to have compatibility issues, and if they get sick, I'll QT and treat if possible, but I'll never tear apart my tank or treat the DT for a fish.

ca1ore · Jan 6, 2020

My house would be so much cleaner and neater without me and the kids .... would sort of defeat the purpose of having it though. Same for the tank. Have always tended to think of the fish as the ‘people’, corals as the ‘furniture’.

sp1187 · Jan 6, 2020

a reef tank isn't a reef tank with out fish.

vetteguy53081 · Jan 6, 2020

Gotta have both. When we see and view the ocean, it is a combination of colorful corals, sea grasses and sealife which are fish, seahorses and the like.
Fish in a captive setting provide the nutrients for coral, while coral provide the basis for housing, hiding and coverage. I cant imagine having a tank of coral and no visible movement from fish, while I cant imagine having fish only and Not having some coral for color and structure of an ocean floor.

Admann · Jan 6, 2020

Now that I've thought about it. If corals weren,t available, I would build a flats tank with lots of jawfish, seagrass and macroalgae and conchs. Totally opposite of the SPS tank I'm building.

flyboysmb · Jan 6, 2020

I have only a 30 gal display, so I have always been light on fish load. Not enough space, turf wars, etc. I have missed not having a Tang patrol to work on the algae. The other thing is I have always been one to not buy wild caught fish or coral. It's been easy with a 30 gal tank, but I am building a new house with a 180-200 gal tank. Not sure if I'll be able to stick to my guns with a bigger tank!

Terri Caton · Jan 6, 2020

It would be a lot easier without my large bulldozer hermit crabs though!

H3rm1tCr@b · Jan 6, 2020

The organisms like corals and such need nutrients, hense the fish poop. I'd get bored if I couldn't have fish; they are what started the hobby in the first place!

ORReefer · Jan 6, 2020

Trying to keep corals in quarantine without any fish has been a real challenge. Not enough nutrients without fish so I have to supplement. I spend more time managing the quarantine than I do the display.

Oldsalt · Jan 6, 2020

Recent studies are suggesting that corals do much better when fish are nearby. Fish make noises that are actually being shown to recover reefs and attract more fish in the Great Barrier. I feel it would be almost pointless having my mixed aquarium without fish - unless I were just creating frags. In that case, I'd have a separate frag tank.

living_tribunal · Jan 7, 2020

I have a fishless frag tank, growth isn’t nearly as fast as a reef tank with fish.

NEED.MORE.FISH.POOP

living_tribunal · Jan 7, 2020

ORReefer said:
Trying to keep corals in quarantine without any fish has been a real challenge. Not enough nutrients without fish so I have to supplement. I spend more time managing the quarantine than I do the display.

same

Rilo · Jan 7, 2020

It would be easier.

The fish wouldn't be bothering the coral during feedings.

But, it would be boring. The fish is what gives the reef life.

K7BMG · Jan 7, 2020

I checked I don't know, because I don't.
I have always had fish in my reef so I have no idea if it would be better or worse without.

Oh and I will always have fish in my Reef. I mean really who would byte my hand when cleaning around my Rose Bubble tip without my clowns in there?

captainsmitty · Jan 8, 2020

After having my tank sit fallow for 2 months i do prefer it with fish and it does create a little more work with the fish.

Wh00pS32 · Jan 10, 2020

I got into saltwater round about 1999 - 2000.
My first tank contained LPS and some softies, shrimp, snails, crabs etc but no fish.
I kept that tank for 5 years and it was so simple, just threw some food in 3 times a week and did the odd waterchange and i never had any problems with it and corals thrived.
It was never boring as invertebrates can be very interesting and they behave differently with no fish around as they are top of the food chain.
For me the interest has always been the corals and even now all these years later i only keep a few small fish in any system i have.