maleficent
Member
Is there a standard definition for "reef safe"? I have seen livestock listed by dealers as being "reef safe" that devour everything from small fish, coralline algae, to inverts. What does "reef safe" mean to you?
Definition for reef safe?
- Thread starter maleficent
- Start date
wamp
Active Member
Reef safe to me means, absolutley, posetively, without a doubt, no ifs, ands or buts, not a chance in he$!, no way, that it will ever harm anything in my tank.
That dosent happen. Everything harms something. I prefer the word reef friendly. Which means. Minimal dammage to anything in my tank. Or, likely-hood very low of causing dammage.
That dosent happen. Everything harms something. I prefer the word reef friendly. Which means. Minimal dammage to anything in my tank. Or, likely-hood very low of causing dammage.
birdy
Active Member
My understanding of reef-safe means they do not eat corals naturally in the wild. I have not known it to mean they do not eat everything else under the sun. I also think that captivity causes animals to eat and do things they might not do in the wild so it can really be an individual thing, one person may have a pygmy angelfish that won't touch corals but someone else may have one who's purpose in life is to eat every coral in sight. I would start by finding out what they eat in the wild then I would ask on this site if anyone has had any problems with them. I think saying reef-safe is too vague, I like to find out exactly what an animals natural food source is.
ed r
Member
You have good answers listed above. I see so many items listed by vendors as reef safe that I know will kill some of the common inhabitants of many reefs. Is it possible to have a reef tank in which they are kept? Certainly. I think you have to read for yourself and be conservative. I recently added a very small Sailfin Tang and was shocked when he killed many of my yellow polyps and devoured my thriving pod population all in six days. I got rid of him and later heard that a few others have had similar problems. Captive fish do not always behave the same in the close confines of an aquarium as they would in nature. Who knows? Good luck.
bang guy
Moderator
I've just been lurking on this post and i have to say this is one of the best questions I've seen in a while.
According to most definitions even a Mantis Shrimp is "reef-safe". I'm very interested in and opinions on this subject.
Personally, I lean toward the "reef Friendly" term vs. "Reef Safe". I think Yellow Tangs are "Reef Friendly" but I've seen many of them eat Red Sea Xenia??? That would mean they are not "Reef Safe".
Great Question!!
Guy
According to most definitions even a Mantis Shrimp is "reef-safe". I'm very interested in and opinions on this subject.
Personally, I lean toward the "reef Friendly" term vs. "Reef Safe". I think Yellow Tangs are "Reef Friendly" but I've seen many of them eat Red Sea Xenia??? That would mean they are not "Reef Safe".
Great Question!!
Guy
broomer5
Active Member
I guess I've always considered the term reef safe to mean that a particular fish or clawed invert will not normally harm corals or live rock typically found in a reef tank.
I've looked at this as a general guidline, but have found that it's not always true.
Funny thing about animals though - it's hard to predict what they will do or when they will do it.
I've looked at this as a general guidline, but have found that it's not always true.
Funny thing about animals though - it's hard to predict what they will do or when they will do it.
wrassecal
Active Member
I'm very wary of anything questionable that I'm told is reef safe. Just being on this board and reading the different experiences of people with everything from blue leg crabs, to fish to medications make me believe that the best we can hope for is what we decide to put in our tank is something we research extensively and then keep a close eye on. Example - I still haven't figured out which of my "reef safe" inhabitants has eaten most of my yellow star polyps!
bang guy
Moderator
Originally posted by Wrassecal
Example - I still haven't figured out which of my "reef safe" inhabitants has eaten most of my yellow star polyps!
Fire Shrimp are not Reef Safe IMO. In the wild their food source is primarily Polyps... I would hazzard a guess that your Yellow Polyps made it feel right at home.
Guy
grayne
Member
This is a very good topic that I often ponder on. I have pretty much come to the conclusion that the so-called "reef safe" designation given to marine wildlife takes so little into consideration that if anyone was to buy something to add to their reef based on this decision they would be making a huge mistake. I have come to realize (once or twice the hard way) that the term "reef safe" does not seem to take into consideration some of the following:
-Relationship w/ other marine life
-Effect on marine friendly algaes (coralline, macro, etc.)
-Fish that will eat "reef safe" inverts
-Inverts that will eat "reef safe" fish
-"Reef Safe" marine life that will destroy DSB's
-"Reef Safe" marine life that will destroy Pod populations
I strongly believe that there has to be a lot of reseach done about anything before it is put into a reef whether it is "reef safe" or not. I now only use the "reef safe" designation as a starting point as to what would be a nice addition, and then I do intensive research on all the variables (most of what I listed above) that would/would not make the new addition sutable for my tank.
-Relationship w/ other marine life
-Effect on marine friendly algaes (coralline, macro, etc.)
-Fish that will eat "reef safe" inverts
-Inverts that will eat "reef safe" fish
-"Reef Safe" marine life that will destroy DSB's
-"Reef Safe" marine life that will destroy Pod populations
I strongly believe that there has to be a lot of reseach done about anything before it is put into a reef whether it is "reef safe" or not. I now only use the "reef safe" designation as a starting point as to what would be a nice addition, and then I do intensive research on all the variables (most of what I listed above) that would/would not make the new addition sutable for my tank.
wrassecal
Active Member
Now see Bang Guy that's just what I mean. I've been told it's my tang, it's my blue leg crabs and now you're telling me it's my fire shrimp, whom I love by the way. Thing is I trust your advise you've been right on so far...now I have to keep my eyes on the fire shrimp. I'd go without the yellow polyps before I'd go without the fire shrimp. But if he turns out to be the not "reef safe/friendly" inhabitant he better not go after anything else!
steamboat1569
Member
I think that everyone will agree, if they have seen an episode of J. Croustou or watched the Discovery Channel, or even been diving, that the term reef safe is a contradiction to itself.
A natural reef is a very aggressive place. The order of the day is "eat or be eaten". Even the tamest creatures can surprise you by their aggressiveness.
Many times we all experience the eat or be eaten term in out reef tanks. I think that ordering anything from anywhere, there is a chance for the cycle of life (death), to play itself out. It has happened to me a couple of times.
A natural reef is a very aggressive place. The order of the day is "eat or be eaten". Even the tamest creatures can surprise you by their aggressiveness.
Many times we all experience the eat or be eaten term in out reef tanks. I think that ordering anything from anywhere, there is a chance for the cycle of life (death), to play itself out. It has happened to me a couple of times.
bang guy
Moderator
Debi - I truly hope I'm wrong. I don't think I am but I can hope
I hope there's a rogue crab hanging out in the polyp rock and he chokes on a polyp and you find him in the morning upside down full of bristle worms LOL
Do you find that your Shrimp is nocturnal and shy? I've heard they are shy when kept singly.
I hope there's a rogue crab hanging out in the polyp rock and he chokes on a polyp and you find him in the morning upside down full of bristle worms LOL
Do you find that your Shrimp is nocturnal and shy? I've heard they are shy when kept singly.
wrassecal
Active Member
No Bang Guy, he shows himself a lot during the day, hangs with the cleaners and cleans the tang more often than they do. There is a pic of him hanging out with everyone on my website. I see this gathering activity a lot under the larger arch, but there is definately something in there eating the yellow polyps. I do tend to agree with everyone else though you never know for sure what is going to be "reef safe/friendly" in any given setup. I know I've put too many rock pickers in mine to keep the reef healthy and pods etc going so (with some help from you ) I keep a 20 gal tank going to keep replinishing a lot of the critters etc. I love my setup but I have to do the extra work to keep it a healthy environment.
) I keep a 20 gal tank going to keep replinishing a lot of the critters etc. I love my setup but I have to do the extra work to keep it a healthy environment.