Would you risk it?

[Miami Reef]

I have soft and lps coral, and I’ve been really looking into some nice fish. I See so many people with coral beauty’s, flame angels, and other fish that are not completely coral safe.

How do you take the risk? I mean, I do have a fox face which doesn’t touch my corals, but still.

 

[Chefwheredyougo]

I had an eibli angel before I got my first corals. Not 5 minutes into them being put in my tank, he went NUTS on my brand new acan. I was considering taking him back to the lfs, but the day I was going to take him, I woke up to find he had gotten stuck trying to pick at something under a rock and my hermits had their way with him. I wish I had gotten him out sooner, but I know now that I won't be getting another angel... for this tank

 

[Viking_Reefing]

I would say that it’s a calculated risk. Read up on that particular fish and if success is the norm I would risk it. I not going to figure that I’m going to get lucky and get that 0,1% fish that won’t touch my coral.

For example: I mostly keep sps and some frogspawn. I won’t keep any dwarf angels since it’s my experience that 90% of the will nip at sps. However, I was not concerned when I added a regal angel since they mainly target zoas/lps and generally leave sps alone.

 

[KrisReef]

Get another tank and plumb it into the coral tank. Killer fish in one, safely isolated corals in the other.
From experience:
The angel that doesn't eat corals today will wake up tomorrow and start nipping and munching until you catch it or most of your corals are gone.
Also:
The most expensive corals taste the best but your favorite coral will always be eaten first.

 

[malacoda]

Ask yourself this...

If you woke up one morning to find your flame angel ate 3 or 4 of your favorite LPS, would you:

A) Be pi**ed and want to get rid of the fish so that you could prevent the same from possibly happening to your other LPS?

Or,

B) Would you prefer to replace those losses ... and any others ... with corals it's much less likely to eat?

If your gut tells you A, then best not to try it as your corals are more important to you than an angel.

If you strongly feel B would be your reaction, then the risk will likely be worth it.

Bottom line: if you go into it hoping to have your cake and eat it too, your setting yourself up for a high likelihood of disappointment and frustration.

But if you go into wanting the fish and knowing you'll very like lose some corals in return, you won't be that upset when it happens because you'll have already made the decision it's worth the sacrifice. And if you just happen to get lucky and not lose any corals, well then it'll just happen to be an extra cherry on top.

 

[Bbfishb81]

With my experience, if you get them small enough, the corals beauties and flames tend no to have developed bad habits (in our opinion bad habits) like eating corals. Bicolor, and eibli on the other hand have always done what ever they felt. Only reallly reef safe ones I know of are bellus, lamarcks, and swallowtail.

 

[Peach02]

Ime if they are well fed they won't touch corals

 

[mattzang]

totally worth the risk. my flame has left most of my stuff alone, save for the occasional nip.

i also avoid getting really tempting corals like acans/zoas/meaty lps. mine has seemed to leave my euphyllia alone. maybe the occasional smooch of an sps but the sps doesn't seem't to mind

 

[smartwater101]

Foxface do not mess with corals. They might pick some algae growing over something, but they absolutely do not harm coral.

Angels... are a massive crapshoot. You can go years with an angel and never have a problem, but one day... you will. And it will be a massive problem. The "occasional nip" will never end. Unless you maintain a strict feeding schedule FOR YEARS they WILL turn on you.

Beautiful fish. But really not worth the risk.

 

[Bbfishb81]

Foxface do not mess with corals. They might pick some algae growing over something, but they absolutely do not harm coral.

Angels... are a massive crapshoot. You can go years with an angel and never have a problem, but one day... you will. And it will be a massive problem. The "occasional nip" will never end. Unless you maintain a strict feeding schedule FOR YEARS they WILL turn on you.

Beautiful fish. But really not worth the risk.

On more then one occasion I've had an issue with fox face. They have eaten corals. I have had both flame and coral beauties and only once did the flame touch anything. I had to starve my tank for a few days and the flame nipped at some zoas, but stopped again once I started to feed again.

 

[smartwater101]

On more then one occasion I've had an issue with fox face. They have eaten corals. I have had both flame and coral beauties and only once did the flame touch anything. I had to starve my tank for a few days and the flame nipped at some zoas, but stopped again once I started to feed again.

Foxface do not eat coral, though

 

[Bbfishb81]

Well I guess I've had a rare case with more then one fox face.

 

[smartwater101]

Well I guess I've had a rare case with more then one fox face.

 

[ClownBaby]

Yah I always risk it but I love fish more than corals. Also from my experience, fish that are prone to eat/nip always go for acans first, they must taste good.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Shop for reef safe reef safe caution. I have a flame in all 3 tanks of mine- no issues. Eibli was a terror. All large angels are a risk . Coral beauty also ok as is pygmy

 

[Bbfishb81]

To each their own. We have all had our own experiences, in sorry that you dont agree, but I have seen it first hand.

 

[DSC reef]

I'd say worth the risk. Any fish can turn in a tank no matter if it's a foxface, etc. I've seen sailfin tangs eat GSP like it was a strip of nori.

 

[Peach02]

I'd say worth the risk. Any fish can turn in a tank no matter if it's a foxface, etc. I've seen sailfin tangs eat GSP like it was a strip of nori.

Where the sailfins fed plenty?

 

[DSC reef]

Where the sailfins fed plenty?

Fed very well. IME If a fish wants to eat a coral it won't matter how much you feed it.

 

[Tyler White]

Im planning on getting a flame angel in my next tank as there really isnt enough horizontal swimming space in my tanks now but when i do im going to try my best to find one that has been aquacultured/tank raised as small as i can get them to limit their exposure to some bad eggs that might teach them CORAL = FOOD YUM YUM