Priority: fish or coral?

[Jase4224]

Do you choose you fish around your corals vice versa?

I have asked a number of questions regarding the possibility of training or methods to keep fish (especially angels) from nipping at corals and the overwhelming response is that it depends mostly on the individual fish and good luck. So I have chosen to focus on fish and grow out the corals that get left alone.

I am interested to know how other people prioritise their livestock.

 

[SPR1968]

I probably give corals the priority as I won’t introduce a fish that isn’t reef safe as it won’t be coming out any time soon once in.

I occasionally will take a chance, if I really ‘need’ to have a fish, but not if it will eat the corals. I wanted an emperor angel fish today at the LFS, but after researching decided it might not be a good idea.

So in my case, as I’ve created a living coral reef, I guess corals are the priority

 

[Bryce M.]

I always look to the fish I want and if that coral will hurt them, not getting that coral

 

[Jmas4]

I prioritize whatever is in the fish tank first. Im not going to give livestock i had for a while away for something new. IMO that's not right. For example, if I have a coral and I add a dwarf angel and it decides to pick at it, the angel goes. It I have an angel first and add a coral and the angel picks on it, the coral has to go.

But I do try to keep reef safe fish in my reef.

 

[glennf]

I prefer corals and add fish to compleet the total picture.

After all oceans have both

 

[Clowning_Around72]

Do you choose you fish around your corals vice versa?

I have asked a number of questions regarding the possibility of training or methods to keep fish (especially angels) from nipping at corals and the overwhelming response is that it depends mostly on the individual fish and good luck. So I have chosen to focus on fish and grow out the corals that get left alone.

I am interested to know how other people prioritise their livestock.

It depends on the goals for the tank. You want sps coral then fish around coral. Softy tank then fish focused. Of course fish only tanks are always an option.

 

[DarthSimon]

I prefer corals and add fish to compleet the total picture.

After all oceans have both

Simply Gorgeous tank!!!

 

[Tamberav]

Coral....plenty of reef safe fish to choose from that I like just as much as none reef safe ones.

 

[ca1ore]

Neither .... and both. I’ve always thought of myself as a fish-first reefer, but only within reason. I avoid corals that are likely to be lunch for ‘with caution’ fish (no fleshy polyped LPS), but I don’t keep fish that are obligate coralivores.

 

[Flameback Pair]

First of all you have to define reef-safe. Does non-reef-safe mean the fish will devour the entire coral? I've read if a fish nips a coral they are only interested in tasting the coral and they almost always decide they don't want to eat it. There are very few fish that eat corals. Very, very few. These same fish that nip corals will nip at anything, kind of like a goat trying to eat a tin can. Once the fish decides it doesn't want to eat the coral, they leave it alone.

 

[rodney]

I care more for my fish but spend more money and time on my coral!

 

[WMR]

I prefer fish. However, if I had a reef tank, my emphasis would be on corals & the other inverts, but I would have reef safe fish in there too.

 

[Jase4224]

I prefer fish. However, if I had a reef tank, my emphasis would be on corals & the other inverts, but I would have reef safe fish in there too.

This was how I was initially, but talking to my wife about livestock it was clear that she was much more excited about the fish and to be honest I got sick of the idea that I couldn’t have the fish I REALLY wanted because they were risky towards the corals I like. So it’s fish I want first and I will have to settle in the corals they won’t damage.

To be honest I’m much more excited about the tank now, I have no doubt I can still achieve a natural looking environment it just won’t be juicy LPS or clams.

 

[Jase4224]

I prefer corals and add fish to compleet the total picture.
After all oceans have both

Nice! Yes if I could build two tanks, the second one would definitely follow your philosophy..

Unfortunately I can only have one tank and my heart is really more in it for the fish, but it wouldn’t be a marine environment without corals :)

 

[Jase4224]

First of all you have to define reef-safe. Does non-reef-safe mean the fish will devour the entire coral? I've read if a fish nips a coral they are only interested in tasting the coral and they almost always decide they don't want to eat it. There are very few fish that eat corals. Very, very few. These same fish that nip corals will nip at anything, kind of like a goat trying to eat a tin can. Once the fish decides it doesn't want to eat the coral, they leave it alone.

Basically when the majority of research you do on any particular fish suggests that the fish in question can potentially damage corals.

I want three centropyge angels and a copperband butterfly, so LPS are not a good option for me even though they are probably my favourite coral. There’s no guaranteed way to mitigate this so I’m choosing the fish over the LPS. Perhaps frags might be ok but I’m certainly not risking a colony taken from the wild because it’s not the right thing to do..

 

[Lukas75]

I create the tank around the coral I want to keep. The fish are then chosen to go with the designs of the tank and the coral I am keeping. So coral comes first above everything else.

 

[Jase4224]

Interesting how the poll shows a 50/50 split between fish and coral yet I don’t recall having ever seen a fish orientated tank featured as ‘tank if the month’ either here or elsewhere... surely there are some worthy ones out there but it’s all about the sticks these days lol

Nothing against acros but a tank full of them is a bit cliche now imo.

 

[BestMomEver]

For so long, the pinnacle of saltwater aquarium husbandry has been to be able to keep and grow corals. We’ve been told that (especially) SPS are hard to handle, requiring additives, special food, and testing. I think our outlook on which is more important (fish or corals) has driven us to measure our fish by virtue of their compatibility with our corals. Especially now when waters are being closed to coral collection and our fish harvesting abilities are better and safer. We have an abundance of really cool fish and an apparent shortage of corals.... at least the ones we want. That’s what has driven the price of corals so high.

Personally, I love fish. The ones I really love are the ones I can’t have. Either they’re to big for my system or they’re not reef safe. o_O At the same time, I could stare at big, crazy SPS dominant reefs for hours. It’s incredible! To answer your question.... both....

 

[salty150]

Fish

 

[Jase4224]

For so long, the pinnacle of saltwater aquarium husbandry has been to be able to keep and grow corals. We’ve been told that (especially) SPS are hard to handle, requiring additives, special food, and testing. I think our outlook on which is more important (fish or corals) has driven us to measure our fish by virtue of their compatibility with our corals. Especially now when waters are being closed to coral collection and our fish harvesting abilities are better and safer. We have an abundance of really cool fish and an apparent shortage of corals.... at least the ones we want. That’s what has driven the price of corals so high.

Personally, I love fish. The ones I really love are the ones I can’t have. Either they’re to big for my system or they’re not reef safe. o_O At the same time, I could stare at big, crazy SPS dominant reefs for hours. It’s incredible! To answer your question.... both....

Well said. It’s true that the price of coral is a bit crazy though understandable. But as far as SPS goes the challenge can be met now without too much difficulty and careful planning. The SPS craze seems like it will never slow. I’m a bit surprised that people are not going back to softies and fish for the sheer enjoyment of it.