I think im leaning FOWLER...... Any of you guys still have corals?

[Hustler]

SO i think i get the jist of this whole very little is reef safe and cool bit so I think im going fowler...
I have some neat corals that came on my rock and picked up a few more while i was waiting to see where my tank would go and now seeing the fish that "arent reef safe" i dont think a reef will be in my future....
I dont get excited about zoas with a speck of purple.... to me its like collecting stamps.... I just cant do it...
But the first time i saw an emperor angel.... I was a tad excited to say the least....
So now im wondering... with elbow room to move around and plenty to eat do fowler fish leave some corals alone?
I dont mind the "ugly" ones as its just ornaments to me but i do love things growing in there other than fish.
Also...
If you have large crabs and snails..... do they make it? lol
What kind of luck have you guys had?

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

"Fowlr" fish as you call it are really hit-or-miss when it comes to how reef-safe and which types of corals/inverts are safe with them.

For instance, I know a friend who had great success keeping adult Majestic Angels in both his 125g & 180g full-blown reef tanks.

Another friend added a supposedly "reef-safe" regal into her reef and it started chowing down on her LPS corals immediately.

There is no blanket statement that can be made regarding which fish can go with which corals when you're dealing with large angels and other hit-or-miss fish species but...

Typically, large non-reef-safe wrasses will kill and eat your inverts (snails & crabs). Softies tend to be safe if they're leathers or toadstools, but LPS are like candy to a lot of angels. Clams are also usually expensive snacks for angels and butterflyfish.

[Hustler]

this is what i expected.... Only thing that troubles me is how hard they are to catch if they dont pan out with everyone else LOL.... salt fish are alot craftier than the fresh im used too

[Myka]

Honestly Hustler, I think with a tank as big as yours and you being as new to the (sw) hobby as you are that you would be better off going FOWLR anyway. Filling a 300 gallon tank full of corals costs thousands of dollars and lots of time. If you really want corals too, why not set up a 3-4 ft tank and have a reasonably sized reef? Much more affordable. :D There has been MANY a time when I have considered setting up a 300 gallon(ish) FOWLR, but never have I wanted a reef that big.

[Leah]

I love my corals and my non-reef safe fish too! I have a full reef and the fish that may or may not eat them...maybe I am one of the lucky ones. I would hate to have to choose.

The fish that have to go.... can be harder then heck to catch if need be. Fish trap maybe. Will let you know if I can catch what I am after. :lol:

[MarkoD]

welcome to my world 9 months ago...... i chose reef tank

[Hustler]

I couldnt agree more :)
I am very good at keeping great water.... but dosers..... all new lol
got the bio reactor cookin with the carbon and gfo.... with the top off and everything else its alot to keep track of when your first starting out.... after co2 calcium and kalk its getting to be way too crazy too fast and treating 450 gallons its alot to just dump in there and hope for the best....
I know i can keep em well fed and they have tons of filtration and space so why not try and master the meanies first and tackle the avatar gardens down the road.... when LEDs for an 8 footer come down in price LOL

[The Grizz]

Well I can say being an 8'er club member :lol: I like my corals. Right now it's only 165 gal but going to 300 gal. Building a 272 LED lighting system totally controlled by my Profilux for a fraction of the cost of any factory fixture's & totally re-workable when ever I want. BUT I also like my 116 gal FOWLR & would love to go bigger.

If you are already thinking FOWLR this early in I would say you have already made up your mind. Don't second guess yourself, if you can say without a shadow of a doubt that you prefer the Angels & Triggers over coral, FOWLR it should be.

[evaneatspie555]

And going fowlr if u ever get the erge to switch over u can trade in some fish for coral it's easier to go to reef IMO because it's like starting a clean slate it's never too late I started out with fish only and would recommend it because taking care of the different fish dietary needs is a job in itself let alone feeding a reef and having to spend a whopping amount on lighting and such again that's just my opinion a reef is always down the road

[Hustler]

Im pretty confident with this decision..... :)
I just cant get over how mean fish can be lol...
My niger is supposed to be the tamer of the triggers and still he has a vengence for anything new and is relentless.... Hard to watch even...
Is this how it goes with fowlers? or do I have a bugger that needs to move already?

[reefme]

and how about my Niger?

[MarkoD]

and how about my Niger?

whats with the racism?:razz:

[reefme]

whats with the racism?:razz:

Niger

noun
1.
a republic in NW Africa: formerly part of French West Africa. 9,388,359; 458,976 sq. mi. (1,188,748 sq. km). Capital: Niamey.
2.
a river in W Africa, rising in S Guinea, flowing NE through Mali, and then SE through Nigeria into the Gulf of Guinea. 2600 miles (4185 km) long.

:lol::biggrin::wink:

[MarkoD]

Niger

noun
1.
a republic in NW Africa: formerly part of French West Africa. 9,388,359; 458,976 sq. mi. (1,188,748 sq. km). Capital: Niamey.
2.
a river in W Africa, rising in S Guinea, flowing NE through Mali, and then SE through Nigeria into the Gulf of Guinea. 2600 miles (4185 km) long.

:lol::biggrin::wink:

I doubt you own a country or a river!!

[reefme]

I doubt you own a country or a river!!

And what do you mean racism?:twised:

[Hustler]

He is doing very well now :)
the addition was very noticed though for a a good few scraps...
He holds his own well and ate with the rest of em but Im keeping a close eye on them this weekend

[reefme]

He is doing very well now :)
the addition was very noticed though for a a good few scraps...
He holds his own well and ate with the rest of em but Im keeping a close eye on them this weekend

Hope he found his home.

[MarkoD]

Hope he found his home.

Sounds like youve fed him well

[Hustler]

Buy the ticket.... Take the ride :)

Sounds like youve fed him well

[Myka]

I just cant get over how mean fish can be lol...
My niger is supposed to be the tamer of the triggers and still he has a vengence for anything new and is relentless.... Hard to watch even...
Is this how it goes with fowlers? or do I have a bugger that needs to move already?

Aggressive fish should be added last. Start with the nicest fish, end with the boisterous fish. Triggers should have been one of the last. This helps to reduce aggression.

[Hustler]

Im really trying myka... but every fishes care sheet LIES...lol
they all seem to say safe with other fish and at the bottom a contridiction of some sort and really there is no caresheet with any kind of order to add them...
The nigers were supposed to be the calm ones that go well with other triggers.... and they seem to be the meanest atleast when adding things....
Everyone seems fine now... but i hate adding a perfect fish and watching a brawl go down 2 secs later...
What if i put them in the sump... add the fish then re introduce them the next day?

[Hustler]

It seems to be all about the caves too... as soon as the "new guy" finds a cave theres a fight... then he finds his own and everything is fine??? I have tons of caves but really?