Coral Beauty in a reef tank

[philip mendes]

I am looking to buy a Coral Beauty for my 125g reef tank. I buy all of my fish from Live Aquaria, and they say to be cautious about putting a Coral Beauty in a reef tank because they have a tendency to nip on corals. I have both LPS and SPS tank, as well as two clowns, a yellow tang, 3 pseudochromis', a Foxface Lo, and a Copperbanded Butterfly..... Any suggestions on adding a Coral Beauty to my tank? I've obviously put a lot of time and money into all my corals, and don't want anything to happen to them!!
Thanks guys!

 

[DrSalty]

No guarantee it won't nip at your corals. I would only add one if you are ok with it possibly nipping at your corals. I took the risk with a flame angel in my reef tank and ended up having to fish him out with a fish trap a couple of weeks ago for nipping at corals after a year of good behavior. Not worth the headache if you can avoid it.

 

[philip mendes]

Thanks for the input DrSalty! We also wanted to get an emperor angel, but decided against it for the same reasons. Thought that the coral beauty would be a little more compatible with the coral, but obviously not. And you're right, I definitely don't want the headache of worrying about it nipping at my corals if i'm not home all the time to keep a close eye on it!

 

[Mikefallen13]

I guess it's just dependent on the fish. I have kept several coral beauty's and flame's in my reef tanks with almost no issues except for one of my flames which would nip at my clams but luckily didn't really do any damage. If your really concerned about your corals, I'd stay clear because I have heard many horror stories as well but personally I have had really good success with them in reef tanks.

 

[NYCBOB]

i have both in a reef with clams. no issue whatsoever. obviously no guarantee.

 

[philip mendes]

Thanks for the input guys! I think I may just steer clear for a while. I would love to take the risk because I really wanted a coral beauty, but I think the corals a just too important to take a chance!

 

[SSLVRNBLK]

Stay away not worth the risk.. And getting him out of a reef tank is so hard...

 

[NYCBOB]

In a 125, there isn't much of a risk IMO. They stay small too.

 

[Bax]

I had a CB for nearly seven years in a full reef and now have a flame that had been in a friends reef first for a year and now mine for nearly two and both have been good. I do see oeverall better daytime PE since the CB's passing. I feel the lack (or really less) PE in SPS was due to his constant rock foraging and not intentional snacking on corals.

 

[ptr13]

no issue with flame nor the coral beauty in my reef tank, no clams but I agree every fish behaves differently. But the larger angels, absolutely not except the plankton swallowtails.

 

[Willistein]

I have no issues with my coral beauty with my SPS or LPS. I've never once seen him go after any coral. It's been 2 years.

So, BAX and ptr13 - you guys both have a coral beauty and a flame angel together?

 

[Ninong]

I kept both a flame and a coral beauty without problems but I had a friend whose flame was a disaster for his corals and he removed it. I also have another friend with a flame in his 300-gal tank for the past 12 years.

"With caution" is a pretty accurate way to describe what you can expect from a coral beauty in a reef tank. Most of them are mostly reef-safe.