Coral for FOWL ???

[eskymick]

I have a 125 gallon AGA that I run as FOWL. I find it boring !!!

In it I have:
1 - Blueface Angel 7"
1 - Asfur Angel 5"
1 - Golden Butterfly 4"
1 - Double Saddle Butterfly 3"

They frolic in pristine water kept at 78 degrees .. no traces of ammonia, nitrite or nitrate. I have 6 - MJ 1200's circulating the water through about 200 pounds of live rock and over a SSB. It is lit with 2 - 3' Coralife 50/50 96w PC fixtures.

Here's my point. I find it very sterile looking without any corals in the tank.

Given the current population, are there any corals that would thrive in that tank? Hard? Soft? Mushrooms? Whatever? Or ... any suggestions on how to "liven" it up? Right now it looks like coral reef fish swimming on the rocky surface of Mars!!

I am willing and able to upgrade the lighting and/or the flow, if necessary.

 

[papagimp]

adding corals kinda does away with the whole FOWLR thing don't ya think? I know some angels and butterflys will taste the occasional coral from time to time, may want to check out compatibilities of those particular fish.

 

[jsdratm]

Yeah, I thought that butterflys and angels weren't reef safe? You might have an expensive problem on your hands if you add coral.

You could always get some of those fake plastic corals!

 

[eskymick]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8328641#post8328641 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jsdratm
You could always get some of those fake plastic corals!

If I could easliy keep them clean, I would. Is there a trick to that?

 

[jsdratm]

I doubt that there is any way to keep algae off of them. If there was a coating or something that worked, I'm sure everyone would be using it for their tank glass.

 

[DSMpunk]

You could try some softies probably. I would stay away from zoanthids and LPS for sure and your tank probably isnt setup for SPS. Maybe some mushrooms GSP or leathers?

I would just put one or two frags in there and see what happens =)

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

I would try leather corals, theyre pretty toxic and most coral-eaters will probably stay away from them. Things to avoid are (probably) zoanthids, mushrooms, and LPS. I say probably because every angelfish and butterflyfish is different. I have a majestic angel in my reef and he's fine, while others have majestic angels which tear apart their reefs.

 

[xtrstangx]

Leathers, mushrooms, maybe GSP.

 

[eskymick]

I did throw some GSP in there a while back. The Blueface ate 'em.

 

[eskymick]

In looking thru past issues of Reefkeeping Magazine, I found an intersting coexistence of coral and fish in the tank of "kevinpo" ... TOTM in November, 2004. He has an adult Blueface in his stony reef.

November 2004 Tank of the Month

 

[DrBegalke]

I thought zoas and mushrooms were also toxic, and fish do not eat them because of this?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoantharia
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/alcyoncompfaqs.htm

 

[eskymick]

Which leathers are "noxious" or "toxic"?

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8329490#post8329490 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by eskymick
Which leathers are "noxious" or "toxic"?

All of them are pretty toxic, but one genus is particularly toxic (forget which one). Maybe sinularia? Sarcophyton? I dont remember...

Zoas are also very toxic, but for some reason seem to be one of the more common items on the menu for butterflys and angels.

 

[SDguy]

Colt corals can be pretty noxious and slimy, might be a good choice. Pretty undemanding too.