Coral Beauty in a coral reef tank??

[LiL Mermaid]

Some websites say that coral beauties are perfect for reef tanks while other websites say that they will nip at corals. Which one is true?

Have any of you had a coral beauty in your reef tank who would nip at your corals? Does it have anything to do with the size of the coral beauty? For example, are the bigger ones more likely to nip than the smaller ones?

 

[skippy2]

I have a cb that has not nipped. I know I have read it is hit or miss though.

 

[Crusty Old Shellback]

I've had 34 of them over the years in my reefs and never had a problem with any of them. My last one died at the age of 5 due to I don't know what. My current one came from a friend who had him for over a year in a reef. He's going on about 6 months now with me.

As I always state in these type of threads, it's always hit or miss. I, for one though, beleive that if you keep your fish well fed, they will be less likely to go out foraging for other foods, ie your corals. But you also have to watch your water quality with feeding them.

I feed my tank once a day and they all seem fine. I do however now have a red coris wrasse that is eating up my pod population in the sand so I may start feeding twice a day. Just don't over feed them, only what they will eat in a short amount of time.

Just my 2 cents and experience, take it for what it's worth to you.

 

[mark97r6]

short answer is both are true!

It is completly down to the individual fish, some get away with many different dwarf angels and some people arnt so lucky. They are always a gamble.

I have heard that larger tanks supress the coral nipping, dont know how true that is though

Mark

 

[LiL Mermaid]

Blown63chevy- Since you are suggesting that I should feed my coral beauty often, what do you recommend I feed it that is low in phosphates? I used to feed my fish mysis shrimp and the phosphates went through the roof which resulted in the dreaded hair algae phase I went through...

 

[Blazer88]

Mine loves mysis as well, but will also take most flake foods. I've only had mine for about a week so far and she barely nipped my Kenya tree, but I think she was going for the rock instead. She has ignored everything else in the tank but is always picking at the rocks/glass.

 

[jda]

50/50 proposition with dwarf angels. The bad part is that they can start nipping all of a sudden after years of not nipping. Some of them especially like clams mantles.

 

[Crusty Old Shellback]

I feed a varity of food. I use only frozen cubes as it's easier to do. What I did last time I bought some food was go thru the catalog and buy one of each type of frozen food that was available in cube form. I then opened them all and placed them in a large zip lock bag in the freezer. So when I feed, I just grab a cube and feed it. Purley random as to what they get, blood worms, brine, formula 1, formula 2, plankton, etc.

As for the comment about large tanks, I can bust that myth as mine is only a 45G hex. Not very big but full of corals. You can see pic's of it in my gallery. Also I have various hitchhicker clams and sponges in my tank and I've never seen any of my CB's touch them.All of them have been model citizens.

I see that I made a mistake in my last post, I haven't had 34 CB's, just 4.

 

[Shadow Tempter]

I had a coral beauty and unfortunately it was a nipper. I fed it twice a day but it still nipped at my zoos and sps. Of course this may be just the one I had...just be careful. They are very, very, very hard to catch.

 

[Shawnts106]

I have never had a problem with mine, however the flame angel is another story! lol, he loves Xenias!.... but not to the point where he is killing them!

anyway!... The Corals Beauty that I have when I got it I started it on Brine Shimp, Spirulina Enriched.... Then converted over to Mysis Shrimp and Plankton foods, after that I used Flakes and Nori... which worked...garlic gaurd or kents garlic extreme is good when you first get one ... because of their low immune systems


hope this helps!

 

[ianmoede]

why risk it

 

[Blazer88]

Well, I've had mine for a week now and it has nipped at my Kenya Tree and now my pulsing Xenia. I think I'm going to order a fish trap and ger rid of her. Come up to Seattle and pick her up, lol.

 

[skippy2]

That's really too bad. They are a gorgeous fish.

 

[Shawnts106]

Nipping or EATTING... my flame angel NIPS at everything... Xenia being his favorite, but he has and still does NIP at everything... Bubble Coral tenticles, Umbrella Leather, alveopora tenticles, Hammers, Torches, Cup corals, LR, sponges, worms, Pipe Organ corals, Star polyps... etc...

But he does NO damage to them... just a occational swim and nip... no dammage.. I just think hes just bored and sampleing things...

The Xenias see to be his favorite.. he nips at those alot more than the other corals..... but does no dammage... they still pulse away and are growing like a plauge... LOL, I WISH HE WOULD EAT A FEW !! haha


The Coral Beauty I dont think Ive ever seen her eat or nip for that matter anything... possibly a coral or two.... but again NO DAMAGE!... and shes very welcome in my tank! hahaa



I think all fish in the ocean at one point NIP..... but nipping is fine, just as long as they dont do it constantly and start acctually EATTING the corals!


good luck !

 

[Blazer88]

Hmm, I didn't realize there was a difference between nipping and eating. I'll keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't do any damage to the corals before I give her away. Thanks for the info.

 

[GovtCheese]

I've had 34 of them over the years in my reefs and never had a problem with any of them. My last one died at the age of 5 due to I don't know what.

My apologizes for straying off the topic,
but I am just having difficulty trying to understand whether this equates to success or failure.

No bashing intended,
I am just a curious SW hobbyist

 

[LiL Mermaid]

Wow I didn't know there's a difference between nipping and eating either! I guess a nip here and there isn't as bad as I thought. They don't look like they can do major damage with those cute little mouths anyways!

 

[RichConley]

Hmm, I didn't realize there was a difference between nipping and eating. I'll keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't do any damage to the corals before I give her away. Thanks for the info.

All of the dwarf angels are nippers, and yes, there is a difference between nipping and eating.

My CB will nip at sps, but he also nips at glass, rocks, powerheads, my hand, sand, snails, and pretty much everythign else in the tank. These fish are natural grazers, and they will graze. Its just a problem when they start EATING a coral, and not just nipping around looking for algae.


I think thats why reports are so varied with them, people dont specify whether the fish was nipping things, or eating things. Theyre just like "mine was nipping.....BAD FISH... DONT GET ONE!" when teh fish may not have been causing any damage.

 

[Blazer88]

My CB hasn't nipped at any corals since her tasting of my Xenia and Kenya tree. I'm glad people said there was a difference as I was ready to get rid of her.

 

[bbcorvette]

Typically CB don't pick, but I've heard that they will just start picking for no reason. It's a hit or miss.