What Does “Reef-Safe” Even Mean? by Kenneth WingerterNature is cruel. An ecosystem is, essentially, a bunch of different kinds of organisms trying to eat each other. We might envision this vicious free-for-all as a series of smaller animals getting consumed by progressively larger animals. But it’s not that simple. For instance, even the largest and mightiest of creatures can get taken out by the smallest parasite (at least if there are enough of them). Coral reef environments are especially cut-throat. Here, more than anywhere else, predators are specialized to hunt and devour their prey. For example, a particular crab may be specially adapted to feed on corals or even very specific types of corals. Maybe even a particular species of coral. For sure, no animal is safe on an actual reef. Things are not so different in a reef aquarium. Indeed, it’s pretty likely that at some point one of your pets will eat one of its tankmates. That’s Nature. Hedging bets Reef aquarium livestock is generally pricey, right? They are either hand-caught in the ocean and transported through long supply chains or they are farmed in technologically advanced facilities by trained professionals. So regardless of their source, they simply are too valuable to use as pawns in “reef tank survival of the fittest” games. Thus, smart aquarists pay close attention to interspecies “compatibility” as they stock their systems. One market-ready designation, “reef-safe,” is applied to those species that usually don’t kill much stuff in an aquarium. But since all reef animals kill and get killed by other animals on a natural reef, what does that term actually mean in practice? Depends on who you ask. It’s that “depends on who you ask” part that causes problems for poorly informed hobbyists on occasion. Why? For some, “reef-safe” means (and reasonably so) that a particular animal will not eat the reef itself–that is, will not eat corals. A lionfish would fit this description quite well; a lionfish would never, ever, under any conceivable circumstances eat a single coral polyp. Yet, lionfish are generally regarded as not reef-safe–at least per most hobbyists’ understanding of the meaning of the term. Here, “reef-safe” is taken to mean that an animal is unlikely to harm any desirable tankmates (more about that in a second). As most of us know, a lionfish will happily swallow up any fish or shrimp it can get down its throat. Unnatural selection So then consider a wrasse that doesn’t eat corals nor bother other fish/inverts except for certain flatworms that prey on corals. Since this predator is specifically targeting an undesirable organism, it is still deemed reef-safe. Similarly, we like tangs because they eat undesirable algae; but are they not reef-safe simply because they would eat your highly desirable Dragon’s Breath macro? To make things yet more complicated, in many cases, reef-safeness can be a matter of degree. Sometimes, a popular type of animal will find itself in some shady area of the reef-safe spectrum. Coral beauty angelfish for example are much beloved by reef aquarists despite their habit of occasionally “nipping at” corals. Many of those who covet this species accept the risk of introducing this pretty fish to reef aquaria as “reef-safe with caution.” We all say “caution” out of the sides of our mouths because there’s practically nothing we can do to prevent any bad behavior; we thus won’t know whether or not a particular individual will cause harm until after it’s caused harm! Aside from mere prettiness, some “reef-safe with caution” species have attributes that can outweigh the risk they pose. For example, a tank that is heavily infested with aiptasia anemones will overall benefit tremendously from the addition of an aiptasia-eating filefish–whether or not the file takes an occasional nip at your bubble coral. Reef-safe for whose what Alright, so is there at least some basic, yet authoritative, definition of “reef-safe” to use? Well, if we are to trust Wikipedia, we can all agree to agree that “Reef-safe is a distinction used in the saltwater aquarium hobby to indicate that a fish or invertebrate is safe to add to a reef aquarium. There is no fish that is completely reef safe. Every fish that is commonly listed as reef safe are species that usually do not readily consume small fish or invertebrates. Fish listed as reef safe also do not bother fellow fish unless in some cases, for instance tangs, they do not get along with conspecifics and sometimes fish with similar color or body shape.” Whew! Maybe “reef-safe” is an outdated term that is in desperate need of revision or clarification? Maybe it was a bad term to begin with; perhaps we should have just started out using more descriptive terms like “coral-safe” or “shrimp-safe” from the very beginning? Problem is, it’s too vague from a practical sense to describe reef aquarium animal compatibility in terms of what specifically can (rather than cannot) go together. In the end, aquarists should never rely exclusively on simplistic or generalistic terms to guide them when selecting livestock. Instead, it is best to fully research the compatibility of each prospective species using trustworthy sources. Sorry, nothing comes easy in life–especially when reefing!
Ricks Garage says February 14, 2022 at 4:30 pm I always look forward to reading up cause one person’s appinion is different than what a live stock store will tell you Reply
billy.t.williams12 says February 28, 2022 at 2:26 pm I do enjoy hearing peoples opinions on what go well in a tank. Reply
Dennis Ramirez says March 1, 2022 at 4:34 am I agree lots of opinions in this hobby. There’s different ways to do things sometimes you learn easier way Reply
Robert says February 14, 2022 at 6:49 pm I here so much back and forth of reef safe. What really is”safe” anyways. It’s all in the habit I guess Reply
Tyler says December 19, 2022 at 5:03 pm I have this problem as some things work and sometime it doesn’t Reply
Cory Schmidt says February 14, 2022 at 9:19 pm I feel like we as a hobby need to designate some sort of better codification then ‘reef safe’, ‘reef safe w/ caution’, etc… Some LFSs use a red, yellow, green type color coding which helps but it’s not standardized across stores with any standards… Reply
gerrynator4 says February 14, 2022 at 11:48 pm “Reef-safe” seems to be a weird term. In my experience, my BTA has touched my corals and nothing happened, although they are considered to be reef-safe with caution. Also, some people have problems with emerald crabs but I never had an issue with them. Reply
Beth S says February 15, 2022 at 11:50 am I have had a concern with verified reef safe peppermint shrimp, as well as a reef save cowrie that developed a taste for my xenia. Reply
tbrown3589 says February 16, 2022 at 8:49 pm I guess it’s all up to interpretation anyway since sometimes a particular species may be generally reef safe but an individual within that species may destroy your corals. It’s like a chicken that decides it wants to eat eggs. Reply
Alexandra Gulledge says February 16, 2022 at 11:29 pm Had the main fish person at Petco tell me that all fish were reef safe one time. Reply
Alan Biddle says February 21, 2022 at 5:20 pm I believe in researching all additions to my tank regardless if it is labeled reef safe. Reply
danielstrahan.11 says February 21, 2022 at 8:52 pm I’m always one to push the limits and hedge those bets Reply
ROBERT SEYFARTH says February 22, 2022 at 7:36 am I agree that reef safe in one aquarium does not mean reef safe in all aquariums. Likewise, “peaceful” fish, like wrasses, can turn into demons if they decide they don’t like another fish in your tank. Reply
jason_lifted35 says February 28, 2022 at 10:28 pm So many species that get the “with caution” most of the time the colors, patterns and character of the animal far out weigh the cons. Reply
Raven says March 3, 2022 at 7:34 pm does reef safe even mean reefs good for environment that won’t damage the ecosystems of reefs like over harvest that might effect ocean reefs and reefs that are safe for aquatic animals also reefs that won’t be harmed by other animals pretty informative article Reply
Raven says March 3, 2022 at 7:34 pm does reef safe even mean reefs good for environment that won’t damage the ecosystems of reefs like over harvest that might effect ocean reefs and reefs that are safe for aquatic animals also reefs that won’t be harmed by other animals pretty informative article Reply
chrisddavis79 says March 8, 2022 at 2:58 am No. 1 question to ask when buying fish. Unless you like your tank destroyed every morning. Reply
chrisddavis79 says March 8, 2022 at 2:58 am No. 1 question to ask when buying fish. Unless you like your tank destroyed every morning. Reply
chrisddavis79 says March 15, 2022 at 3:36 am It is sooo important to vet what you put in the tank. Reply
sharkbaitsnyder says March 20, 2022 at 9:15 pm very interesting perspective, and always a good read! Reply
James Walker says March 23, 2022 at 3:22 pm Like with anything else there are exceptions but Reef Safe should be just that. Safe for your reef. Your own corals may encroach on each other and choke off some. So what is true reef safe? Reply
Cody Reed says March 24, 2022 at 4:59 pm Good read, never even knew this was a creature, I’m learning so much with this hobby Reply
b_burnett90 says April 3, 2022 at 6:08 pm Also some are more reef safe in a larger tank, where smaller tank they may not get along with other fish Reply
Joe Smith says April 4, 2022 at 10:47 pm Reef keeping is an adventure and everyone will have unique experiences. Considering what is reef safe will vary with each hobbyist. Reply
Joe Smith says April 4, 2022 at 10:47 pm Reef keeping is an adventure and everyone will have unique experiences. Considering what is reef safe will vary with each hobbyist. Reply
Andrew Pellegrino says April 6, 2022 at 12:02 pm Setting up a reef ecosystem Is one of the most interesting tasks someone can take on Reply
ekersd says April 10, 2022 at 12:14 pm Reef Safe is a worse than useless label. Everything on the reef eats something…what each animal eats — most of the time is the most useful information. Reply
Jonathan Morera says April 12, 2022 at 7:10 am I think “reef safe” is a way to attract the newer reefer. If you’ve been in the hobby, after a while, we learn that some things are safer than others and in what conditions and circumstances, but ultimately we redefine what we consider “reef safe” Reply
blackadonai says April 14, 2022 at 9:19 am I don’t even bother checking if something is listed as reef safe. I just research the animal and decide for myself if it’s diet and behavior will be an issue in my tank or not. So far it’s worked out well for me. So far I’ve only had 1 fish, an orchid psuedochromis, that wanted to chase and nip the fins of the 2 mollies I had. I moved him to my sump for a week and seem to have solved that problem. I’m not positive on that though because the mollies jumped out of the tank about 2 days before my screen tops were delivered. Now the worst thing he does is spit a mouthful of sand at the other fish if they hang around him too long Reply
whittaker217 says April 16, 2022 at 4:56 am I just decide what is best for my tank. I’ve had several live stock that’s consider not reef safe and never had an issue but I do believe it’s because I am heavy feeder with a diverse range of food for my tank. I don’t starve my tank or under feed. I just vacuum my sand more frequently than most. Reply
mariahdavila says April 16, 2022 at 9:04 pm IMO anything is possible. Even as a non reef safe fish there is always the chance you get one that is a model citizen. Reply
mariahdavila says April 16, 2022 at 9:04 pm IMO anything is possible. Even as a non reef safe fish there is always the chance you get one that is a model citizen. Reply
Dallas says April 18, 2022 at 8:24 pm Reef-Safe is a good guide to follow, but I do find that reading up on others experiences is the best guide. Reply
cranescoop says May 29, 2022 at 10:02 pm I asked a very similiar question when I started reefing. Reply
cranescoop says May 29, 2022 at 10:02 pm I asked a very similiar question when I started reefing. Reply
cranescoop says May 29, 2022 at 10:02 pm I asked a very similiar question when I started reefing. Reply
cranescoop says May 29, 2022 at 10:02 pm I asked a very similiar question when I started reefing. Reply
cranescoop says May 29, 2022 at 10:02 pm I asked a very similiar question when I started reefing. Reply
ernie.alvarez0325 says May 30, 2022 at 4:47 pm Very interesting article. But what’s reef safe to some isnt reef safe to others. Good reading. Reply
billandambermags says June 5, 2022 at 3:56 pm Almost everything is actually reef safe with caution Reply
markwdunlap88 says June 6, 2022 at 2:50 pm I love to read through comments! It’s where I learn a lot Reply
Donald says June 13, 2022 at 2:56 pm I gave up on reef safe designation. I just research each fish carefully before deciding on what to put in my tank. So far for the most part it works. Reply
Andrea McCue says June 14, 2022 at 5:46 am “reef-safe” is certainly a loose term at best. I have had reef safe critters that munched on my corals! Mainly the peppermint shrimp – the little devil – loves the torch corals. Reply
dengwilliam96 says June 20, 2022 at 8:51 pm Great piece and analysis of how the marine ecosystem works in our tanks. Reply
Alan J. Tomasetti says July 8, 2022 at 5:02 pm Working on my first tank and trying to make everything invert and coral safe! Reply
Raven Scholtz says July 13, 2022 at 8:52 am It makes it easier in the long run when planning ahead and doing research! 🙂 Reply
Christopher Johnson says October 31, 2022 at 3:11 am If i could do it over i would have 2 tanks instead of one massive one. One tank would be fish only and the other coral only (maybe a pair of clowns Reply
KiltedReefer says November 5, 2022 at 2:47 pm The term reef safe is something you can not take to heart. Each fish, invert, nem and coral all have their funny and sometimes frustrating personalities. Reply
Andrew says December 20, 2022 at 12:49 pm I keep a blue throat trigger in my reef, totally worth the risk for me! Reply
chriscatherman says December 20, 2022 at 1:21 pm I take each thing with a grain of salt… Whats reef safe for one might not be for another… Reply
Marijane Stevens says December 23, 2022 at 8:27 am I would love a flame angel, just have to factor in the risk versus reward… Reply
Eddie Fleetwood says February 6, 2023 at 9:14 am One of the hardest things for me as a beginner is this. One person says not to get fish x due to reef safety while another person says they’ve had no problems with fish x. Reply
Joshua Valladolid says March 14, 2023 at 6:02 am The moral of the story no matter what you put in your tank keep a eye and pay attention to your tank Reply
janelle says July 26, 2023 at 4:43 pm I wish orange spotted filefish were easier to keep. so pretty Reply
Nicholas Aguiar says September 13, 2023 at 5:03 pm i see tons of animals that are listed as unsafe for reefs. i believe it’s a pretty good label to give to some animals because people buy things and lose them because their pet destroyed it all. people should always remember that all types of animals you can buy still have their own behaviors and diets they stick to whether they’re in a tank or not. however, i find it pretty useful to train animals to eat easier foods, like mandarins eating pellets and seahorses eating dead food like some people manage to do. Reply
Travis Callaway says November 23, 2023 at 12:47 pm I see things that say Reef safe all the time that aren’t 100% reef safe Reply
Samantha Obergas says November 24, 2023 at 11:14 am Most things say Reef Safe with caution when there is the possibility that they may not be 100% reef safe. Reply
Amber Breedlove says December 1, 2023 at 7:10 am Thank you so much for providing educational blogs for us also , yall are AWESOME Reply
Matty Hubble says March 21, 2024 at 7:24 pm I’m a little more risky and take chances with my tank. I have corals and fish that aren’t supposed to be reef safe but seem to mind their business. I should mention I am a chronic overfeeder so I have a bunch of little tugboats swimming around my tank haha! Fingers crossed for some free pods!! Reply
Matthew Hubble says March 21, 2024 at 7:28 pm I’m a little more risky and take chances with my tank. I have corals and fish that aren’t supposed to be reef safe but seem to mind their business. I should mention I am a chronic overfeeder so I have a bunch of little tugboats swimming around my tank haha! Fingers crossed for some free pods!! Reply
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