Reef safe fish?

[Philliesphan]

Hey guys. I know this question has been asked 1 million times. But I have my own version of this question. Which fish are less likely to eat/nip at corals? What are your top 10? I have a chance to get Green Star Polyps and I'd like to add an angel of some kind maybe? 60 gallons. I'd like a fish as a "centerpiece" for the aquarium. Thank you all!

 

[jkcoral]

If you’re wanting an angel fish, I’ve found that well fed coral beauties are good citizens and tend to leave corals alone.

 

[VintageReefer]

Get a lyretail anthia, these do best single, or in groups of 1 male with an odd number of females.

If you keep a female alone it will change to male in time. No interest in coral. Super bold and out in the open all the time. Bright colors.

The red one is the male, orange is the female

You might be able to get away with a male female pair. I have a 48” 75g with the pair and there was a lot of chasing and fin nipping for a few weeks but now they get along fine. A single would be a safe bet, a pair has some risk but could be done

 

[crazyfishmom]

For a 60 gallon either anthias as @VintageReefer said or a flasher wrasse would be great. I have a male lyretail and 6 females as well as an evansi an a squareback female in my 210 and they do great together. The male has taken “responsibility” for all the females, even the non lyretails and they school together. Super fun to watch.

I have 4 dwarf angels: coral beauty, flame, flame back, and keyhole. They all behave around coral. I also have a swallowtail pair and they’re gorgeous in their own accord.

My flag fin angel samples every now and then but doesn’t seem to do enough damage to really hurt.

Believe it or not, the reason I moved all my acans and meat coral to a different tank is a blue hippo tang who decided that scolys were delicious. Hippo tangs are considered reef safe by most.

Have fun with your tank. Get size adequate fish and if they nip then rehome or return to your LFS. I am certainly glad I took a risk with my angels. They’re all colorful and super fun to watch.

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Hey guys. I know this question has been asked 1 million times. But I have my own version of this question. Which fish are less likely to eat/nip at corals? What are your top 10? I have a chance to get Green Star Polyps and I'd like to add an angel of some kind maybe? 60 gallons. I'd like a fish as a "centerpiece" for the aquarium. Thank you all!

Most angels, besides some Pomacanthus and Holacanthus usually leave GSP alone. Flames, coral beauties, multispinis, rusty, potters (if you have a big budget), golden, pygmy (african flameback and atlantic), and the Paracentropyge subgenus like the multibar, the venustus, the Colin's, and the multicolor are all usually pretty good with most corals as well.

Lemonpeel, bicolor, keyhole, nox, eibli, woodheadi, heraldi, and Deborae all tend to nip more in my experience.

I won't speak to those I haven't kept like Centropyge interruptus, flavipectoralis, shepardi, and joculator, or the ultra rare ones like hotumatua, narcosis, and boylei

Meaty LPS like Acans, Scolys, etc are most at risk as far as corals. SPS and noxious softies are less risk.

 

[AC1211]

I had bad luck in my only go around with a coral beauty but I've heard the most good stories with them. Keep it well fed and maybe establish some corals well before you add them so if they take a nip or two it isn't as significant.

I didn't do any of that. I added a probably stressed out coral beauty to my tank. Then my tangs beat it up and he stopped eating for a bit. Then put him in a 60g. Then watched as it developed a habit of picking on most of my LPS.

Then that 60g crashed so all in all I didn't have a good experience.

I would try again though with a coral beauty if I felt like it though. I'd probably do either a coral beauty or take a risk with a flame angel.

Part of the equation is what fish YOU WANT.

Some fish are worth the losses. Some aren't.

 

[Philliesphan]

For a 60 gallon either anthias as @VintageReefer said or a flasher wrasse would be great. I have a male lyretail and 6 females as well as an evansi an a squareback female in my 210 and they do great together. The male has taken “responsibility” for all the females, even the non lyretails and they school together. Super fun to watch.

I have 4 dwarf angels: coral beauty, flame, flame back, and keyhole. They all behave around coral. I also have a swallowtail pair and they’re gorgeous in their own accord.

My flag fin angel samples every now and then but doesn’t seem to do enough damage to really hurt.

Believe it or not, the reason I moved all my acans and meat coral to a different tank is a blue hippo tang who decided that scolys were delicious. Hippo tangs are considered reef safe by most.

Have fun with your tank. Get size adequate fish and if they nip then rehome or return to your LFS. I am certainly glad I took a risk with my angels. They’re all colorful and super fun to watch.

Sounds like awesome info. Thank you so much for your time!

 

[Philliesphan]

If you’re wanting an angel fish, I’ve found that well fed coral beauties are good citizens and tend to leave corals alone.

I've been leaning towards that one! Thank you so much for your help & time!

 

[Philliesphan]

I had bad luck in my only go around with a coral beauty but I've heard the most good stories with them. Keep it well fed and maybe establish some corals well before you add them so if they take a nip or two it isn't as significant.

I didn't do any of that. I added a probably stressed out coral beauty to my tank. Then my tangs beat it up and he stopped eating for a bit. Then put him in a 60g. Then watched as it developed a habit of picking on most of my LPS.

Then that 60g crashed so all in all I didn't have a good experience.

I would try again though with a coral beauty if I felt like it though. I'd probably do either a coral beauty or take a risk with a flame angel.

Part of the equation is what fish YOU WANT.

Some fish are worth the losses. Some aren't.

There's always a risk and reward. And also, depends if the specific fish is gonna "behave" or not. Guess you could always get that ONE lol. But thank you very much for your information and time!

 

[Philliesphan]

Most angels, besides some Pomacanthus and Holacanthus usually leave GSP alone. Flames, coral beauties, multispinis, rusty, potters (if you have a big budget), golden, pygmy (african flameback and atlantic), and the Paracentropyge subgenus like the multibar, the venustus, the Colin's, and the multicolor are all usually pretty good with most corals as well.

Lemonpeel, bicolor, keyhole, nox, eibli, woodheadi, heraldi, and Deborae all tend to nip more in my experience.

I won't speak to those I haven't kept like Centropyge interruptus, flavipectoralis, shepardi, and joculator, or the ultra rare ones like hotumatua, narcosis, and boylei

Meaty LPS like Acans, Scolys, etc are most at risk as far as corals. SPS and noxious softies are less risk.

Awesome very helpful information! Thank you very much!