"Reef safe with caution" experience?

[ScubaSkeets]

Hi folks!
I'm sure it depends on a number of things, but for the most part, are fish that are "reef safe with caution" more prone to be reef safe or not. What are your experiences with these fish? Is it simply a matter of making sure they are well fed so not to be tempted to nip at the corals?

 

[happyhourhero]

It’s all a roll of the dice. 23 people can say theirs was a model citizen but then yours won’t be.
In my experience, they usually do nip or eat things smaller than them.

 

[Dcal]

well, imo most fish labeled as such generally only target a category or 2 of reef-dwelling organisms ie. soft corals, sps, lps, inverts, nems, worms etc. So, snowflake eels for example are reef safe with caution because of the threat they pose to inverts. If you don't have inverts, then its fully reef safe.

Basically to receive the best advice, what species were you considering

 

[ca1ore]

Fish designated as 'reef safe with caution' are less likely to be reef safe than fish without it.

 

[uhgster1]

Two types, coral eaters and cleanup crew/ invert eaters. Examples, Butterfly fish eat sps polyps and some LPS, triggers eat cleanup crew and chew coral to sharpen their teeth, and wrasses eat smaller fish or cleanup crew. Some angels do the same. It’s a crap shoot, I’ve seen people keep questionable fish but with low value or unappetizing coral. I have a fox face that loves acan lords. It is what it is.