Perhaps an odd question from a new reef sailor

P-Dub · Jun 7, 2019

Hi and WELCOME!
These are 'general rules' and are best to be followed based on your priorities. Having to buy corals to feed your fish is costly and irresponsible IMHO and what will likely happen if you try and break these 'general rules'. There are caveats, however. Sometimes you can get non-reef safe fish trained to only eat flake, pellet, frozen, etc. but this generally requires a time commitment and a fish only set up for a number of years. Then you can place them in your reef. This is still a gamble though. A trained fish may be fine in your reef for any particular period of time then one day happens to take a nibble on a coral or invert and, well, that is the end of that saga. I have done it with a few fish and invariably all "trained" fish will still take some nibbles. Best to keep them well fed with quality food-stuffs and hope they don't acquire a taste for your favorite coral.
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Mastiffsrule · Jun 7, 2019

Welcome. I feel your pain. I wish I could keep a bi-colored parrot and clown trigger, maybe someday if I go back to fish only

Peace River · Jun 7, 2019

Mastiffsrule said:
Welcome. I feel your pain. I wish I could keep a bi-colored parrot and clown trigger, maybe someday if I go back to fish only

That's an easy solution - just get another tank!!!

tripdad · Jun 7, 2019

At some point I think we will purposefully "feed" corals to our fish. Why should we deny them their natural food as we keep them in captivity. Right now it seems absurd but as we get better at growing corals we find some become "weeds". Why not feed them to our fish as food instead of throwing them out when we can't sell or give them all away. Seems taboo but a lot of taboo's become the norm in life. This would allow us to successfully keep some new fish types.

Peace River · Jun 7, 2019

tripdad said:
At some point I think we will purposefully "feed" corals to our fish. Why should we deny them their natural food as we keep them in captivity. Right now it seems absurd but as we get better at growing corals we find some become "weeds". Why not feed them to our fish as food instead of throwing them out when we can't sell or give them all away. Seems taboo but a lot of taboo's become the norm in life. This would allow us to successfully keep some new fish types.

Interesting perspective! I look forward to the day when we have too many corals!