Reef Safe With Caution Fish (best and worst)

[McPuff]

I have to admit I've never had issue with a foxface. The one I've got now has been in my system for almost 9 years. Also have a blueface angel that will certainly pick at soft corals and like LPS (never tested) but doesn't touch SPS. The humu and assassi triggers don't touch any corals but we all know what they prefer.

 

[afrokobe]

I wanted a bicolor blenny, but after reading about them nipping Im glad I went with a tailspot blenny. I haven't seen him nipping at anything yet

 

[2_much_junk_in_the_sump]

Aptaisia eating file fish. Had one, ate all the visible aptaisia then started nipping Acans... Lost an entire colony unfortunately. Still have a few aptaisia popping and considered Peppermint shrimp, but they are in the same boat from my experience.

Not to get too off topic, but nudis work great IME. It seems to be a yearly battle though... buy nudis, 6 months later all visible aptaisia gone, 3 months later all nudis die, 3 months later aptaisia pop up again, buy nudis again, repeat. I guess you have to think of it like a yearly subscription, but they don't mess with corals so that is huge.

 

[dwfain]

I have 2 reef tanks and have One-spot Foxface in both as well as a Melanurus Wrasse in both with no issues. I also have a Bi-color Blenny in one with no issues. I do periodically stick a leaf of organic Romaine lettuce in there and they will devour it along with the Tangs.

 

[Salted]

My cbb made fast work of my pink hawaiian feather duster, which I really liked, yet didn't touch the few aptasia in the tank. Will not get rid of it regardless. Love my cbb. Once I got it eating my home made frozen it eats like a pig. When I set up my 180 I want a second.

 

[eric.tech]

Half of my fish are “with caution”. Valentini puffer, Ebili dwarf angel, Caribbean hawk fish, and a golden dwarf moray! The one I have the most trouble with is my dwarf angel picking at acans and my rock flowers. Other than that, no issues with fish picking on corals. But shrimp beware, I’ve seen my hawk fish take out a very large cleaner shrimp with ease. Came home to him looking quite plump and the poor shrimp’s antenna hanging out of his mouth. My harlequin shrimp lives safely in my sump.

 

[jassermd]

I must be the outlier when it comes to a foxface... Had a magnificent for a month or so, but he decided that trachys were his favorite snack and ate my 2 nicest (interpret expensive) large trachys. Let's just say he ate more than he was worth, so back to the LFS he went.
I currently have a coral beauty, which has been a model citizen!

 

[jassermd]

Half of my fish are “with caution”. Valentini puffer, Ebili dwarf angel, Caribbean hawk fish, and a golden dwarf moray! The one I have the most trouble with is my dwarf angel picking at acans and my rock flowers. Other than that, no issues with fish picking on corals. But shrimp beware, I’ve seen my hawk fish take out a very large cleaner shrimp with ease. Came home to him looking quite plump and the poor shrimp’s antenna hanging out of his mouth. My harlequin shrimp lives safely in my sump.

My yellow hawkfish did the same with the 3 so called "peppermint shrimp" I had. Made a quick meal of them and I couldn't have been any happier.

 

[Rocketfish]

That is what I ended up doing!

Not to get too off topic, but nudis work great IME. It seems to be a yearly battle though... buy nudis, 6 months later all visible aptaisia gone, 3 months later all nudis die, 3 months later aptaisia pop up again, buy nudis again, repeat. I guess you have to think of it like a yearly subscription, but they don't mess with corals so that is huge.

 

[dsims369]

Yes! I've got a spiny box puffer, humu trigger, and coral beauty and haven't had any issues with my corals! Can't say the same for the clean up crew though

I've also tried a boxfish, blue spot puffer, and a filefish but they didn't work out, too much nipping on the corals.

 

[RedReefer]

A very long time ago, I added a pygmy angel fish. Well behaved at first. Then ate my acans, and bubble corals. Never again! Agree with the others, there's too many reef safe fish for me to ever deal with that again!

 

[jdiefenbaugh]

When I did retail, I always told people to pick the one species they wanted above all else, and build the tank around that.
Some fish I have kept in reefs, and a lot more I never I never photographed.

 

[725196]

It all depends on the reason the "With Caution" is listed with the fish... Really, what does that even mean? A lot of fish have been labeled "Reef safe with caution" because they were labeled that years ago in books that have outdated information.

(Note: I highly recommend riding the old books and magazines, there is tons for great information in them that still holds up or can help us learn even today.)

I have a coral beauty. I have keep one is every reef tank I have ever had. They are "with caution" because they will nip and/or eat coral polyps. I have never had an issue because I feed my fish well, therefore they won't do that.

Too often in this hobby, we the hobbyist, repeat what we have heard without ever bothering to see if it is true on any level. This makes information difficult to know if it is accurate. Some fish that are considered "reef safe" can be a big problem. I had a yellow tang years ago I had to get rid of. It ate coral polyps like a snack. I witnessed it over and over. When it was replaced the new YT never touched a coral. The books say they are reef safe, but some fish don't read the books. Like people some are nice and some are jerks...then some are much worse...

So, do I think the term "reef safe with caution" should be used? ... Yes. IF!!!! the caution is spelled out clearly!

 

[Ftrain576]

My filefish worked wonders in my main mixed reef tank until all aptaisia were seeming gone. Then he developed an appetite for Zoas and acans. Put my fish trap in, and he was out in 2 minutes and into my LPS tank for a month. Started to notice more aptaisia back in the main tank, so I put him back in. Now he totally ignores the aptaisia and goes straight for the zoas. He also seems a little wiser now, and stays clear of the fish trap. I might have to cut back on feeding the tank and load up the trap. We’ll see.

 

[bsagea]

Have an earmuff in one tank and a melanarus in the other. Except for snails, they're very good. The earmuff though will not let me keep a clam on the sandbed. Doesn't touch them if they're on the rock...go figure!

 

[vetteguy53081]

1. Do you keep "Reef Safe with Caution" fish? If so what fish and what's your experience with them been?

Yes and have Flame angel, coral beauty angel and potters angel

2. What would you say are some good fish to take a chance on and some that are a bad bet?

Good: Potters and Flame

Bad: Foxface (scribbled and gold flake), banner butterfly, Majestic angel and moorish idol)

 

[Reefin Aint Easy]

I have a copperband butterfly, melanarus wrasse and a bicolor foxface and haven't had any issues. I keep them all well fed and happy and it seems to be working!

 

[deahttub]

Have a longnose butterfly with no issues for years and a regal. Regal ate every zoa, but nothing else. Had both for several years

 

[tigre44]

I have a lemon peel. Flame and African flame back in a 50 gal tk with mixed corals. The lemon peel went for my tachyphillia but nothing else and the others are model citizens

 

[legendhua]

I have a Bi-color Blenny, and I haven’t found him eating corals, but he often uses coral as his display stand.
P7200318 雙色蝦虎雙色DG by legendhua, 於 Flickr

P8210008 雙色蝦虎 雙色DG by legendhua, 於 Flickr


This bubblegum continues to grow rapidly
P9200025 雙色DG by legendhua, 於 Flickr