Aggressive or not aggressive

[Chubosco]

If you have an aggressive tank that is also reef tank, what would you use in the reef to keep it it clean...tangs??? Crabs and snails will be consumed...right??? Maybe aggressive (betta, trigger, grouper, ect) would be too much trouble. It's just the reef friendly fish hide in the rocks alot and don't swim around. Pretty when they are out, but boring most other times. What do you think?

 

[ChrisRD]

Personally, I've never tried putting stuff like triggers or groupers in a reef. I'll move this into the GRD for you. You're more likely to get feedback from people who've done this over there (I'll leave a copy in the NRF as well)...

HTH

 

[Anonymous]

The main problems I see with that idea is that a lot of the more aggressive fish like to rearrange rockwork, which would NOT be good for any coral on those rocks 8O and the bioload from the bigger fish would make keeping a lot of types of corals difficult. Hard to keep nutrients down with heavy feeding.

 

[WRASSER]

It really depends on what corals or aggressive fish you want. i have three triggers, seven wrasse, three tangs, two darwf angles, three neon golbies, couple blennies. a lot of blue leg hermits, couple snails and a whole lot of green star polyps.

 

[Anonymous]

Chubosco,
You are making the common mistake of equating aggression with swallowing capacity. It doesn't work that way. Some fish are VERY aggressive but are no threat to your snails and such (Lined surgeon for instance) and some fish are not aggressive at all but will eat anything they can fit into their mouths (most groupers).


Jim

 

[WRASSER]

I missede it Jim what do you mean?

 

[Anonymous]

I mean the misconception that if a fish can eat another fish or organism, it's "aggressive". This is misleading and has nothing to do with territorial behavior. Example - if a grouper eats your Royal Gramma, it wasn't being aggressive, it was simply exhibiting feeding behavior. Groupers are rather sedate fish for the most part.


Jim

 

[WRASSER]

I understand. My maroone gold use to push my gold stripe grouper around

 

[Anonymous]

By the way, since it was mentioned, I have a marine betta in the tank and its not a problem at all. The only thing they might hassle are shrimp or (maybe) very small fish.