Puffer and Trigger fish with coral

[x_burt]

ive had a fair few puffers and Triggers over the years. I've had porcupines in a reef with blue throats and Nigers.

I've also had my fair share of coral eaten by other puffers and turned tanks into fish only.

I'm building a new display and from day 1 decided it was about the fish and would be fish only. But this coral has me thinking!

I have never tried to tailor a "fish only" tank with certain corals and algaes. A fish only reef tank!

I know the difficulties but who doesn't like a challenge, what I want to hear is people's actual experience with their predators and corals. What worked and what didn't?

 

[dakoop]

I currently have a clown trigger and he is a gentleman. I had a blue spot offer that was also a model citizen until I moved and at the new house he ate all my zoa

 

[x_burt]

I currently have a clown trigger and he is a gentleman. I had a blue spot offer that was also a model citizen until I moved and at the new house he ate all my zoa[/QUOTE

What corals do you have? Mixed reef?

 

[dakoop]

Mixed reef with a little bit of everything

 

[Bbaz123456]

I have always kept "fish only" fish, in my reef. Usually with good success. Right now in my reef I have the stingray in my avatar, 2- 30+" eppie sharks, a couple pound sweetlips, and an even bigger panther grouper(you know they're big when you start measuring in pounds). I believe all of those are safely considered "not reef safe" fish, but they do not bother corals. Besides involuntarily destroying SPS colonies by bumping into them.
I kept a porcupine for many years until I sadly lost him. He was a model citizen, but I swore them off after the heartbreak of tube feeding him for months at the end of his life. Until last week when I rehomed another that a local reefer had to get rid of. He is such a cutie, but going to be problems!! I have him in a frag tank now and yesterday I caught him swimming around with a chalice in his mouth. He brought it over to me, chomped on it and spit it out in 10 pieces! Also killed a 3" dayglo favia that he flipped onto an acan.
He's going in with the big boys today!

 

[Bbaz123456]

Of course, you will not find any of the typical cleaner inverts in my reef....shrimp, crabs, starfish, snails, etc

 

[Bbaz123456]

Wow!! I love your 1000 gallon Puffer display, idea!!! I am going to have to put some time aside later to read through the thread, but for now, I will point out my biggest problem with the reef idea....Coralline algae! If you do not plan on having a company maintaining your tank, spare no expense on the BEST magnetic cleaners that you can find. That is my #1 issue with a large acrylic reef. I hate coralline and if you slack for just a few days, it starts to take over and then scratches your acrylic. Then next time it will embed into those scratches and become even harder to get off and scratch more.

 

[x_burt]

Wow!! I love your 1000 gallon Puffer display, idea!!! I am going to have to put some time aside later to read through the thread, but for now, I will point out my biggest problem with the reef idea....Coralline algae! If you do not plan on having a company maintaining your tank, spare no expense on the BEST magnetic cleaners that you can find. That is my #1 issue with a large acrylic reef. I hate coralline and if you slack for just a few days, it starts to take over and then scratches your acrylic. Then next time it will embed into those scratches and become even harder to get off and scratch more.

What magnet cleaner do you recommend?

 

[x_burt]

I have always kept "fish only" fish, in my reef. Usually with good success. Right now in my reef I have the stingray in my avatar, 2- 30+" eppie sharks, a couple pound sweetlips, and an even bigger panther grouper(you know they're big when you start measuring in pounds). I believe all of those are safely considered "not reef safe" fish, but they do not bother corals. Besides involuntarily destroying SPS colonies by bumping into them.
I kept a porcupine for many years until I sadly lost him. He was a model citizen, but I swore them off after the heartbreak of tube feeding him for months at the end of his life. Until last week when I rehomed another that a local reefer had to get rid of. He is such a cutie, but going to be problems!! I have him in a frag tank now and yesterday I caught him swimming around with a chalice in his mouth. He brought it over to me, chomped on it and spit it out in 10 pieces! Also killed a 3" dayglo favia that he flipped onto an acan.
He's going in with the big boys today!

I have to see some photos. I've always wanted a ray but in afraid the triggers will trouble it

 

[Bbaz123456]

What magnet cleaner do you recommend?

I can not recommend one from first hand use. That's why I'm venting my frustrations on you. I have an issue of trying to diy everything and have built several super strong cleaners. They work good, I just allow too much time in between cleanings. I hear mighty magnets are great. I have almost purchased a few times but always end up convincing myself that I can build a better one. One of these days I will buy one.

 

[Bbaz123456]

I have to see some photos. I've always wanted a ray but in afraid the triggers will trouble it

Yes, triggers make me nervous. She is awesome, more like a dog than a fish. The blue spot ribbontail rays are very difficult to get to feed in captivity but there are lots of others that are better suited for captivity. Unfortunately the ribbontails are readily available here in the us and very few of them survive. For me, they have been very hardy after getting them to eat. But be prepared to spend hours upon hours on getting them eating. I lost my male after 5 years and she's almost 7 years now.

 

[Bbaz123456]

 

[x_burt]

Beautiful rays, nice to hear someone have some success with them. If it wasn't for the puffers and triggers I would have given it a go

 

[Fish person faith]

I’m getting a clown trigger and wondering what fish I can have with it I hear so many different things but I really want a puffer to I’m getting all baby’s so they grow up togather and was wondering what puffers can I have with it if I can have any

 

[Fish person faith]

I’m getting a clown trigger and wondering what fish I can have with it I hear so many different things but I really want a puffer to I’m getting all baby’s so they grow up togather and was wondering what puffers can I have with it if I can have any

 

[Tallison]

So you keep corals with your rays? I've read that they are not reef safe and was never sure why