Coral Beauty vs Zoanthids, LPS

[Rekonn]

Is getting a Coral Beauty in a 90g tank with zoanthids and eventually a frogspawn or trumpet coral a bad idea?

 

[Blazer88]

My Coral Beauty developed an appetite for just about every coral in my tank and nearly killed my open brain before I was able to give her away. Never again for me.

 

[Rekonn]

Anything you could do to discourage the behavior, like keeping it well fed?

 

[ACBlinky]

Not AFAIK - once they get a taste for corals, there's not much you can do. At that point you need to choose, either a FOWLR(or reef with corals they don't like), or trade the fish in.

My CB is very well behaved, but when I decided to keep angels in my 65g it was with the understanding that they might devour the corals; if they do, I'll change it back to a FOWLR and deprive them of their snacks

 

[Rekonn]

You mentioned corals they don't like, are there certain known types, or would you have to find out by trial and error?

Any chance you could train fish? If a got a CB when it was very young and only kept an amemone in the tank, maybe it would learn that corals sting. Then I could get a frogspawn and see if it ignores it. I do have a pair of clownfish that would enjoy an anemone even if the experiment failed.

 

[ACBlinky]

I'm not sure if there are corals they'd specifically dislike, but they're most known for going after fleshy corals. I've seen Centropyge angels go after open brains, fox corals, hammers, frogspawn, and clams. I've never seen one that eats zoas, GSP or mushrooms and I don't think they usually bother SPS.
As for training, I'm not sure that's possible - if they know brains taste good, there's no way you're going to deter them. These guys are smart, bold, and very stubborn.

 

[Bax]

FME

I have had a CB for almost two years now, first it was in a 26 and now in a 75, always with corals. The corals include frog spawn, trumpets, GSP, favia, zoos, of course clams (I have 4), and recently I have added lots of SPS.

The CB grazes off everything and occasionally the clams flinch, but I have never seen it inflict any damage to a coral or clam...but that is just this individual CB.

As I always see in these threads it's a 50/50 chance with each individual.

 

[Rekonn]

Thanks guys, I think I'm going to start with some zoanthids, then eventually get a CB and see how it goes.

 

[AJ69]

Always is a 50/50,have mine with a Flame and a Pigmy no behave problems though they like to nip pick my lps/clams.

 

[Wolverine]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7306234#post7306234 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rekonn
If a got a CB when it was very young and only kept an amemone in the tank, maybe it would learn that corals sting. Then I could get a frogspawn and see if it ignores it.

The problem with this is that by the time you're adding the frogspawn, the fish will have figured out that what you put into the tank is usually food.
The other problem is that sometimes they will leave corals alone for months, or even years, and then one day start sampling, then outright eating, your corals.

Dave

 

[schmoeger6]

Mine was fine for about 6 months, then decided it liked the taste of my Xenia, frogspawn, and Kenya tree. It never bother any Zoo's or SPS's though. Didn't matter how well feed he was either. I finally ave up on him, and traded him off.

 

[sloshesv]

My CB experience was a nightmare. It's too bad, it was a beautiful fish.

 

[kjm132]

As you can see, it all depends. I have a Coral Beauty with all sorts of Soft Corols and LPS and my does not touch them.

 

[Blazer88]

I kept mine very well fed and she still went after the corals. She was a perfect fish for about nine months and then just had at 'em.