Reef safe for large tanks only?

[MrMarth]

Hey Everyone,
I felt this would be a better location than the Reef Fishes forum, but it can be moved if needed.

What reef-safe fish (or inverts) do you think are only feasible for very large reef tanks? I'm thinking in the order of 1,000-10,000 gallons. I'm only going to limit it to animals that have been successfully kept somewhere and are actually attainable.

I'm mostly curious what people's thoughts are but I'm also looking for ideas for a 3,000 gallon public aquarium tank that I take care of. Please realize I won't be able to act on most suggestions I am given. (I can still dream though!)

Thanks!

 

[MrMarth]

Alternative question - What would you want to see in a large public aquarium reef exhibit?

 

[Dmorty217]

A tank full of rare Angels and butterflies

 

[boogie01]

Achilles tang

 

[AirForceAquariu]

I would love to see a true reef tank. A lot of the bigger aquariums have the large central cylindrical tanks (Baltimore aka national aquarium, Boston etc..) but they often mix in open water fish. I would love to see a tank that mimics a real reef rather than trying to mimic the whole ocean!

 

[MrMarth]

For reference, this is what I'm working with. I will actually be getting some Achilles in the future.

Me working in the tank, for scale

 

[Dmorty217]

Looks like your job really sucks!

 

[South City]

If I had a large enough tank, I'd get a school of look down fish. They are an amazing metallic silver, school together, and are constantly moving.

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[MrMarth]

The job itself is awesome. The pay, not so much.

Lookdowns are a lot cuter when they're smaller. They're a staple fish for every aquarium I've worked at. They usually lose their streamers and run into objects when they get older.

 

[Dmorty217]

The job itself is awesome. The pay, not so much.

Lookdowns are a lot cuter when they're smaller. They're a staple fish for every aquarium I've worked at. They usually lose their streamers and run into objects when they get older.

Hard to have a job you love with great pay... Typically that means you started your own buisness!

 

[scubadan206]

Moorish Idols if you can keep them alive and not eating your corals....
After that, get several paired up butterfly fish and reefsafe angels.
After that, a LARGE school of anthia's.
If possible, find some benthic animals that are native to Lembe Island region.
A large tank like this will be awesome with a greater diversity of life than normally seen in home aquariums. Peter [Nineball]in Canada had a huge diversity in his reef before the tank broke. Shoot him and MR. Wilson a few PM's and see what was on their bucket list.
Paired up crosshatch triggers too.. Try to mimic groups of animals as they would appear in the ocean. Pairs, schools, solitary, and such.
Daniel. :reading:

 

[d-man]

Wrasses, tangs, wrasses, anthias, wrasses...oh and some wrasses

Find a type of wrasse u like and make an amazing harem. Or like some of us, many different types.
A shoal of convict tangs always is kind of cool, but tough to get

 

[dave.m]

A mated pair of navarchus angels, a shoal of yellow anampses wrasses, lots of half n halfs. How big is your wallet?

Dave.M

 

[NEReef]

I would love to see a true reef tank. A lot of the bigger aquariums have the large central cylindrical tanks (Baltimore aka national aquarium, Boston etc..) but they often mix in open water fish. I would love to see a tank that mimics a real reef rather than trying to mimic the whole ocean!

The National Aquarium in Baltimore and the Boston Aquarium look very similar because they were designed by the same guy.

 

[MrMarth]

Moorish Idols if you can keep them alive and not eating your corals....

After that, get several paired up butterfly fish and reefsafe angels.

After that, a LARGE school of anthia's.

If possible, find some benthic animals that are native to Lembe Island region.

A large tank like this will be awesome with a greater diversity of life than normally seen in home aquariums. Peter [Nineball]in Canada had a huge diversity in his reef before the tank broke. Shoot him and MR. Wilson a few PM's and see what was on their bucket list.

Paired up crosshatch triggers too.. Try to mimic groups of animals as they would appear in the ocean. Pairs, schools, solitary, and such.

Daniel. :reading:

Moorish Idols would be interesting. What were you thinking for reef safe butterflies and angels?

I hope to add a large school of anthias in the future, though most seem to have a hard time getting through quarantine.

I've read Peter's entire thread. I hadn't thought of getting in touch, I may try that.

I'd like to add more benthic animals too. Give a better picture of the ecosystem.

 

[MrMarth]

Wrasses, tangs, wrasses, anthias, wrasses...oh and some wrasses

Find a type of wrasse u like and make an amazing harem. Or like some of us, many different types.
A shoal of convict tangs always is kind of cool, but tough to get

I'm looking into getting a variety of Halichoeres wrasses. I actually already have a small shoal (5) of convict tangs.

 

[MrMarth]

A mated pair of navarchus angels, a shoal of yellow anampses wrasses, lots of half n halfs. How big is your wallet?

Dave.M

Since it's not my wallet, everything has to get approval. There was an occasion where 12 black tangs were accidentally ordered though and nobody got fired. Haha. Are navarchus angels reef-safe?

 

[SammyL]

So what do you actually do for a living?

And to answer your question, a mated pair of gold flakes.

 

[Jasanden]

Pyramid butterfly's are reef safe and look great in numbers . since you asked about butterfly's..

Google Peter Saxbys reef aquarium. I think he has a really nice selection in his large tank. Angels are always hit or mis but in a tank that size i wouldn't think you would notice any damage. That's not to say that some of the larger angels wouldn't have a field day. But a harem of Red Sea Regals ,a harem of Potters , and a harem of Venestus angels would pop and Be more or less model citizens . So many possibilities

 

[dave.m]

Are navarchus angels reef-safe?

Define "reef". Different large angels are known to have preferred foods when they reach adult size. For instance, the imperator will decimate soft corals and sponges but leave hard corals alone. Navarchus will leave hard and soft corals alone but go for tunicates and worms.

Of course, there are always individual fish who have not read the aquarium books and will go against the norm.

One member here has a tank full of large angels and butterflyfish that you are never supposed to be able to keep with corals (obligate coralivores) but he does. He credits this to having a very large tank and keeping the fish stuffed all the time.

Dave.M