Grouper in a reef tank (Another silly question)

[victor_c3]

Giving a little bit of an intro, my wife and I just purchased a new house and we are getting ready to move into it next week. She has agreed to let me set up my dream 300+ gallon tank in the basement so long as I maintain a smaller tank in the livingroom. I'm leaning towards setting up a 4'x2'x2' (120 gallon) tank in the living room

So, since I'm looking at possibly maintaining two aquariums at some point in the future, I'd really like to set up two completely different looking reef systems. One will be an SPS dominated reef and the other will be a soft coral dominated reef.

Yesterday I was debating mixing butterfly fish and soft corals (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1304246). Today I'm thinking about somehow managing a grouper in a reef.

The grouper/reef setup I'm thinking about would definately be in the 300+ gallon tank.

I'm currently eyeballing a Cephalopholis Miniatus http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=149&N=0. According to the link, they can be mixed with other fish so long as the other fish are too large to be eaten. Given that this grouper can grow to be 1'2" in length, what size of a fish would I be safe adding to an aquarium with this guy? Could I get away with a 4" or a 5" fish? Or would the fish need to be bigger than that? Also, how do groupers fare with snails and hermit crabs? What fish do people usually mix with groupers?

I know that there are some anthias that area 4-5"+ in size. Would they be alright with a grouper?

Right now I'm just brainstorming and looking for reasong why I can't set up a tank like this. So please tell it like it is!

Thanks!

Victor

 

[victor_c3]

Sorry, I posted this in the wrong forum. I meant for it to go into the "Reef Discussion" Forum.

Sorry....

 

[Sk8r]

To answer your question, a grouper's mouth can open somewhat larger than his head. Get a good pix of a largemouth bass in action.
The problem with this scenario is that most of the fish that would grow large enough to be excluded as prey are themselves not safe with a reef: notably big angels, etc.

 

[victor_c3]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11699065#post11699065 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sk8r
The problem with this scenario is that most of the fish that would grow large enough to be excluded as prey are themselves not safe with a reef: notably big angels, etc.

That was something else that I thought. Why is that most of the fish that all the really cool looking fish aren't reef friendly??

thanks!

 

[BigH55]

The same reason why all the hot chicks are married or have boyfriends.

 

[wet thumb]

mineatus grouper

mineatus grouper

Mine is about 3" . He was a bully and any other fish I put in his tank was stressed out and stopped eating. I had to remove a 4" tusk and a 5" pakastanian butterfly. I was unable to catch the grouper or he would have gone. I went a different direction and now have him in a 300 gal tank with an 8" puffer and a 7" lion. The grouper hides and can be seen under rocks or darting between rocks. Would not put 4" fish in with him.

 

[twomccormicks]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11701027#post11701027 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BigH55
The same reason why all the hot chicks are married or have boyfriends.

LMAO!

 

[FMarini]

Originally posted by BigH55
The same reason why all the hot chicks are married or have boyfriends.


---truth hurts

Think about it though. If you want a predatory fish in your reef tank then you have to make concessions. Anything that it can fit into its mouth=food, pretty much anything else they leave alone. Hermit crabs will be fine w/ this fish, but any of the smaller anthias, or angels or wrasse=food.

 

[BigH55]

The aggressive tanks are more fun though I like the challenge of not getting bit or stung while I clean it.

 

[willjeff]

Large tangs and the reefsafe triggers would work well with the grouper.