Is Reef Safe and Anemone Safe the Same Thing?

[udsmkh]

When it comes to fish, is "reef safe" exactly the same thing as "anemone safe"?

I have a LTA in my 120 but no plans to add coral. My first love is the anemone but there are many fish I would like to add that are not reef safe but I dont know if they are anemone safe... Would it be safe for the anemone if I added fish such as the Flame Angel which is considered not reef safe? How about something like a long nose butterfly? If there is a difference, is there a list somewhere? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks! :smile:

PS - I would never add a fish to my tank unless I was sure it would not harm my LTA.

 

[IotaElwyn]

Tagging to hear what the pro's responses are

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Great question!! I would imagine that some are and some aren't. I think the shorter list would be attained by asking which fish are NOT anemone safe. I'm following as well.

 

[Mike J.]

Each fish would be have to be considered as to whether they eat anemones. Certainly the angel fish won't eat anemones. The Long Nosed Butterfly would not be safe. Edit: Some Long Nose Butterflyfish will and some won't.

 

[3Twinklets]

I had a Flame Angel in mine that died, (I am assuming of old age), at about 10 years of age. He never disturbed anything, However my fish are very well fed. I have many different kinds of anemones in my reef.

 

[Trex]

It seems that everyone defines reef safe differently.
Some people would consider a peppermint shrimp reef safe, but I have watched them pick at an otherwise healthy S. haddoni anemone.

Since your concern is for your anemone, I wouldn't worry too much about "reef safe". I have seen my flame angel pick at my S. haddoni from time to time, but no real damage. When it was with an M. doreensis, it never touched it.
Overall, I wouldn't worry about a flame angel (( or any of the dwarf angels, large angels on the other hand...))

As for the butterfly, I would be a bit nervous with any of those.
Do you have any clowns? Are they hosted by the anemone?

 

[udsmkh]

I have a tomato clown in QT. I hope the anemone will host him once I add him to the DT. He still has a few more weeks before I move him.

 

[Trex]

While that isn't a natural combo, the clown should still be hosted by it, just might take a bit longer --- compared to a natural combo.