A reef tank would be so much easier without these....or would it?

[revhtree Verified Admin]

A reef tank would be so much easier without FISH.....or would it?

Have you ever thought about not having fish in your reef tank? Would it even be considered a reef tank without fish? Wouldn't it be much easier not having to worry about fish disease, overfeeding, coral nipping, fish aggression, feeding while your away and more? So let's talk about this today!

1. Have you ever thought about going "fishless" in your reef tank?

2. Do you think it's a good idea or bad idea and why?


Beautiful reef tank and fish of @Brad Syphus

 

[watdachuck]

It had never crossed my mind since I love the fish as much as the corals.

I also view it as a symbiotic relationship where the fish are controlling potential pests, while at the same time feeding the corals with their wonderfully beneficial excrement. :)

 

[Silent]

I have had many reef and frag tanks without fish or 1-2 fish. I did it because it was easier back then to control nutrient levels without feeding fish.

 

[Jase4224]

Corals need to eat so having fish to feed also feeds the corals with the added bonus the fish eat everything the corals miss. More than enough fish that don’t touch corals to choose from (if you want to be boring ;) ).

You also need some nitrates and phosphates and the easiest way to achieve this is having fish. You could dose, but feeding fish gives you a whole nutrient and bacterial cycle that achieves stability.

 

[Dragon52]

You can't call it a REEF TANK with out fish, they go together like apple pie & ice cream.

 

[albano]

I think that if corals were ‘banned’, I’d still have a fish tank... but if fish were ‘banned’, I’d get bored with the tank and close it down!

 

[theMeat]

Depends on what type fish

 

[symon_say]

A reef needs fish .

 

[ccombs]

I love having fish in my tank that have a job. Blenny for some algae, goby to keep the sand clean, etc...

My favorite part of the tank is watching the fish 'work' like they would in nature.

 

[Richyreefer]

I keep it to just a few fish that "have a purpose". Tangs and mandarin goby. I travel a lot and have had to make this compromise.

 

[atoll]

If easier and it's a BIG IF then without fish a reef tank would be incomplete just as no corals would make a reef tank incomplete. Are there fish on the reef? The answer is obvious of course.

 

[FastAG]

I don't actually have a reef tank yet (still doing the research) but 90% of why I'm doing this is to attempt to recreate an actual reef in a glass box. And the thought of doing it without fish (or crustaceans for that matter) just doesn't make any sense to me.

There's nothing really wrong with a fish-less reef tank. They are both artificial creations after all. Just not what I think of when I think of a reef tank.

EDIT: I think the answer would be "true" if the goal was to kinda randomly dump a variety of fish in the tank. Done correctly (by which I mean from a ecosystem perspective) then it's definitely not true.

 

[Matt1997]

I’ve seen people grow their coral for few years before adding any fish but I personally would spend significantly less time in front of the tank if there were no fish.

 

[ReefGeezer]

I don't think it would change the tasks required to maintain the system very much. More organic input i.e. food, amino acid, and etc. would be needed to support the corals. That input would necessitate most of the maintenance required for a system with fish in it.

 

[champyeti]

I can see a pico or jar without fish but a TANK? Not worth it! Fish are half the fun, watching their own unique personalities.

Never had a problem with coral nipping because I research what I add to my tank before I buy and avoid anything known for nipping. Nutrients? Eh, I think it's a more natural ecosystem for corals to get their nutrients in part from fish waste.

I got a divided feeder with 14 individual compartments for my holiday traveling. I put the exact amount I wanted to be fed into each compartment and left... if anything the tank looked better for being ignored when I got back! The big drum feeders are a hassle but this feeder worked perfectly imo, no stress at all.

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

A reef tank would be so much easier without FISH.....or would it?

Have you ever thought about not having fish in your reef tank? Would it even be considered a reef tank without fish? Wouldn't it be much easier not having to worry about fish disease, overfeeding, coral nipping, fish aggression, feeding while your away and more? So let's talk about this today!

1. Have you ever thought about going "fishless" in your reef tank?

2. Do you think it's a good idea or bad idea and why?


Beautiful reef tank and fish of @Brad Syphus

I'm fishless, but planing to add soon

 

[CoralReefer2110]

I just can't imagine my main display without fish. To others points, yes I can see a frag tank/pico/jar/etc... kept without fish but not a DT.

It to me (and humbly speaking) is what differentiates a static piece of art from a dynamic one. I know some corals display movement and all are alive but just generically speaking. The very nature of having fish in the reef is a changing picture constantly.

I find it hard to 'watch' my corals for any real amount of time. Yes I inspect them, yes I admire them but as for just staring and enjoying there is nothing like watching a beautiful fish in motion.....

 

[AZMSGT]

No point in having a reef without fish. It would be so boring to look at. The never ending squabbles among the fish give movement to the world we create.

If all a person wants to do is stare at a empty reef, just get a poster, frame it and hang it on the wall.

 

[Steven Pro]

When you are fish-less, you see a lot more mysid, amphipods, etc.

 

[rfgonzo]

I't would be pointless in my eyes, and would just shut down all my tanks if I had no fish.