nano fish/inverts that ARE NOT reef safe

anti

Member
What smaller fish and inverts are out there that are not reef safe, or at least "with caution"?
 

tangs rule

Active Member
Not reef safe:
The green brittle star (ophiarachana incrassata) : https://www.saltwaterfish.com/Green-Brittle-Starfish_p_385.html
Most starfish with raised bumps will predate on corals.
Mantis/pistol shrimps. Camelback shrimps (Rhynchocinetes sp.)
Banded coral shrimp (stenopus sp.) & yellow coral shrimp - eats snails - the good type snails & may feed on hermits crabs too.
Most hawk fishes will eat cleaner&ornamental shrimps & some crabs.
Sally lightfoot crab - will prey on corals & anemones when grown up.
That's what comes to mind at the moment.
The smaller the tank - the MORE research needs to be done before mixing things together cause there's less room for creatures to hide from predators.......and corals play biological warefare to begin with anyway - so much research must be done prior to throwing "what looks good" in a tank less than 30 gallons. And the smaller the tank - the more fatal it can become for species used to living in area the size of your neighborhood. . .
 

flower

Well-Known Member

I just have to ask...why do you want a critter not be "reef safe"? If yo do not have coral you are free to pick whatever you want as long as they get along with each other.
 

anti

Member
Only because i have several reefs, and i want to put the ones in the coral free tank that I cant put in my reefs!
 

tangs rule

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blackjacktang http:///forum/thread/383685/nano-fish-inverts-that-are-not-reef-safe#post_3357820
i kept a coral banded shrimp in my 24g reef aquapod

Yours was a good one then - the one I had many years ago was eating my hermit crabs - at least 1/2 of them. . .I kept finding hermits with their tails eaten off each morning.....then 1 nite a couple hours after lights out - I got a flashlight and shined it in the tank - I CAUGHT him ripping a hermit out of his shell
! ! ! ! The light spooked the coral banded shrimp and he dropped the hermit - who then ran like heck! !
I returned the CBS to the store - no more tail half missing hermits!
 

tangs rule

Active Member
Maybe my banded shrimp saw me eating shrimp tails and thought he'd try it with crabs! ! That CBS I had sure was good at pulling hermits out of their shells! - he ate more than a dozen before I caught him - but he only did it at nite......during the day he was just a little angle....turn out the lights and it was a nightmare for the hermits.
 

blackjacktang

Active Member
lol next thing you know your going to move and ull have to move the rock and behind the rock you see a grill, a kitchen, a resturant, and "how to cook your owners CUC in 20 minutes" cook book, and ingerdiants everywere.
 

katsafados

Active Member
Pistol shrimps are reef safe? I have a tiger pistol shrimp in my reef tank and it does nothing but eat copepods and clean my sand!
 

anti

Member
I am most interested in small fish and shrimp etc. I have some great ideas for starfish. i know i have to have missed something in my searching! What amazing thing am I forgetting!!?
 

tangs rule

Active Member
Most safe inverts - short list
scarlet cleaner & peppermint shrimp/anemone shrimp
emerald crab; blue/red/scarlet leg hermit crabs - if tank not overstocked with them. one or 2 each only if tank under 20 gallons
Turban/trochus/nerite/astraea snails
Most starfish not reef safe - espically the pretty ones with bumps - only a few species of brittle stars are reef safe - if it looks kinda boring it's probable safe...If it's pretty or smooth legged - it's probably not reef safe..
Most dottybacks/grammas/damsels(though they get territorial)/gobies & dart fishes - generally these are all small fishes that are reef safe, but there are some exceptions.
 

anti

Member
Ok perhaps I should ask a better question..
Besides starfish, what do you think is the coolest looking, or otherwise awesome, non-reef safe nano inhabitant?
 

btldreef

Moderator
How large of a nano is it? Most filefish are not reef safe. I have a Orange Spotted Filefish that eats frozen in my 14G, now that's a cool fish. Many hawkfish aren't reef safe due to their taste for ornamental shrimp.
Some pipefish and seahorses, while although not "non reef safe" are rarely seen in a reef setting.
 

anti

Member
Filefish is a great idea! Thanks!
Ii have some coral i can feed him at first..
Its a 30G
Keep the ideas coming!
 

btldreef

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by anti http:///forum/thread/383685/nano-fish-inverts-that-are-not-reef-safe#post_3359335
Filefish is a great idea! Thanks!
Ii have some coral i can feed him at first..
Its a 30G
Keep the ideas coming!
They are very, very hard to convert. Some won't even eat coral in captivity, my suggestion would be to do A LOT of research before even considering this fish, but they are very cool.
In a 30G, why not do a dwarf lion or angler of some sort?
 
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