Weekly Discussion: "Reef Safe" what does this mean.
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reef safe to me is anything I can place in my tank that won't do any major harm to my corals. This is when I am thinking about livestock. Now they may nip at coral or algae I may keep but won't do any major harm to the system,
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I agree with VWD but I'd also add that in order to be reef safe, an organism would have to be compatible with the majority of inverts as well. Maybe it's just me, but a reef isn't a reef without shrimp, clams, tube worms/dusters.
For instance, I don't think "reef safe" triggers are really reef safe, because they prevent you from housing shrimp (in most/many cases).
For instance, I don't think "reef safe" triggers are really reef safe, because they prevent you from housing shrimp (in most/many cases).
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Daytona Joe raises a good point, I think the term reef safe is somewhat a misnomer because labeling something reef safe lulls people into thinking it's OK to put in their reef. While some organisms are USUALLY reef safe there are exceptions with in a group. You have to keep in mind that virtually everything on the reef is food at some point, so the trick to keeping a reef is to find organisms that have the least amount of conflict and predation
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I agree...I just talked to a guy a few days ago...put a Niger Trigger in his tank because he was told it was "reef safe"...he was not too happy, because in a matter of days it decimated his snail, crab and shrimp populations.
In the end I think "reef safe" to me, means safe with the inhabitants of the "average" reef ...but as you point out every system is different...for example, my system houses tube anemones...peppermint shrimp would probably be considered "reef safe" by most, but in my tank they will pick a tube anemone apart in short order.
In the end I think "reef safe" to me, means safe with the inhabitants of the "average" reef ...but as you point out every system is different...for example, my system houses tube anemones...peppermint shrimp would probably be considered "reef safe" by most, but in my tank they will pick a tube anemone apart in short order.
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I think Reef Safe is one of the worst classifications used in the industry. It can mean so many different things. I would prefer Coral safe, invert safe, reef fish compatable, sometimes it can even get down to the type of coral. some fish are fine with softies and SPS but will eat LPS.
Reef safe is too misleading IMO
Reef safe is too misleading IMO
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I agree with twitterbait. Although even these classifications can be misleading or confusing to people. Not to mention that it can vary case by case. Take for one example a dwarf angels like the flame. Sometimes they nip corals sometimes they don't and even then they may just like one particular coarl in the tank.
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I agree 100%. I have turbo snails that will bulldoze anything that's not glued down. Reef safe is too vague.I think Reef Safe is one of the worst classifications used in the industry. It can mean so many different things. I would prefer Coral safe, invert safe, reef fish compatable, sometimes it can even get down to the type of coral. some fish are fine with softies and SPS but will eat LPS.
Reef safe is too misleading IMO
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While I was looking at the tank before, I was reminded of something somebody said to me when I first started asking about what kind of inhabitants would co-exist peacefully. My friend, a long time reef keeper, basically said this of a reef aquarium "it's nice for us to look at, but it's a war in there."
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why do we have the phrase "Reef" safe? is this just the aquarium industry trying to make things "easier" on us?
there are certain species of just about every major group of critter that are "reef" safe. you just need to do your research. Niger triggers are not, but blue throats are. H. acuminatusus are not and H. diphreutes are.
G~
there are certain species of just about every major group of critter that are "reef" safe. you just need to do your research. Niger triggers are not, but blue throats are. H. acuminatusus are not and H. diphreutes are.
G~
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Absolutely . It's for the uninformed. " Hey I can buy this !! It's reef safe" ! I have a reef . " Do I " ? It has LR and fish . Yup I do
I'd like to know how many people are looking up your
(H. acuminatusus are not and H. diphreutes are. ) Come on be honest !!
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I KNOW, I KNOW
Heniochus(bannerfish), hehehehe
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i don't think "reef safe" is misleading, i think it is too general of a term. when i see something listed as reef safe, i don't interpret that as a green light to plunk down the money and plop it in my tank, i see it as an invite to research. Put the critter on the Maybe list, which is separate from the Never list.
i also think it requires you to define what makes up your personal reef.
if you want to use nature as a strict model, all our reefs are kinda incomplete. So we define it by the hobbyist standard.... whatever that is
i also think it requires you to define what makes up your personal reef.
if you want to use nature as a strict model, all our reefs are kinda incomplete. So we define it by the hobbyist standard.... whatever that is
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I have watched my nassarius snails run for their lives from hermit crabs who want bigger shells. Now I have plenty of happy crabs but no nassarius snails.
My cleaner shrimp jump into my anemone when its feeding time and swipe it's meal. How long till one of the shrimp become the meal?
Was it "elegance coral" who almost lost a clown fish to an anemone recently?
I haven't experienced this yet, but I hear of chemical warfare b/t corals. Is anything really reef safe?
My cleaner shrimp jump into my anemone when its feeding time and swipe it's meal. How long till one of the shrimp become the meal?
Was it "elegance coral" who almost lost a clown fish to an anemone recently?
I haven't experienced this yet, but I hear of chemical warfare b/t corals. Is anything really reef safe?
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i think reef safe was a term coined for the relationship between fish and cnidarians .
i don't think at the time the concern was for benthic , infauna , bivalves, and echinoderms etc. , those were reserved for the other loose term - natural systems !
both phrases:ac39:
i don't think at the time the concern was for benthic , infauna , bivalves, and echinoderms etc. , those were reserved for the other loose term - natural systems !
both phrases:ac39:
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