Prolific soft corals with non reef safe fish?

[wunderlong88]

I wondered about having a tank with nothing but soft corals that spread quickly and are invasive and the possibility of having one or two non reef safe fish among the fish to help control the spread of the corals plus make it possible to keep fish would otherwise not keep? Has anyone tried this? Just something I got to thinking about when watching videos on GreenStar polyps and mushrooms and leathers and other softies that can be invasive and have to be controlled some way

 

[Biokabe]

I see what you're going for, but I don't think it would work in a confined space.

The problem is that fish generally don't have a concept of holding back. If there's something that they like to eat, they will eat it until it's not available any longer. On the other hand, if there are other food sources present that they prefer over something, then they just won't bother eating what you want them to eat.

So if you introduce soft coral predators, and they really enjoy eating corals, then they'll just eat any softies that are available until there aren't any available any longer. On the other hand, if they prefer your regular food, then they just won't eat your soft corals and you'll be right back to having to manually control them.

 

[Subsea]

Get specific as to what nonreef safe fish you are addressing.

If you expect fish to prune Xenia & GSP as their food source, I think you are in for a disappointment.

 

[wunderlong88]

Oh ok. It was just a thought. Ty