Are these Fish SPS - Reef Safe?

[tvoydan]

Caught my Yellow Clonw Goby nipping at some of my SPS corals. Is this fish reef safe? I'm thinking not. Got me thinking on some of my other fish.

What's your experience with these fish?

Yellow Clown Goby
Coral Beauty
Pygmy Angel (Cherub)
Neon Dottyback

I notice all these fish spend most of the day inspecting rock work and the base of the corals.

 

[Rob.D]

Caught my Yellow Clonw Goby nipping at some of my SPS corals. Is this fish reef safe? I'm thinking not. Got me thinking on some of my other fish.

What's your experience with these fish?

Yellow Clown Goby
Coral Beauty
Pygmy Angel (Cherub)
Neon Dottyback

I notice all these fish spend most of the day inspecting rock work and the base of the corals.

The neon Dottyback is the only one totally SPS safe, all others in your list are known nippers.

 

[bct15]

Stay away from the Pygmy Angels, they all tend to nip at SPS. Large angles are more safe around sps than pygmies, but large angels will eat everything else.

Dottyback can be mean but won't mess with your coral.

Clown goby will host your sps, and will nip from time to time.

 

[jservedio]

Clown goby will host your sps, and will nip from time to time.

Clown gobies will host absolutely anything! I've yet to have one nip SPS, but they definitely do tend to irritate things if they get a little too excited with their new home. Mine bounces from coral to coral to coral and will even "host" the algae on the glass if it gets too bad.

 

[tvoydan]

I clearly see my clown goby nipping at the SPS. I hoped he was going after pests (a good thing). But if he's actually eating the SPS, well that's not good.

I see my angels (and tangs) pecking at the base of the SPS, but it looks like they are going after any algae growing on the rocks. I never see them actually eating the SPS.