Predator Reefs

[hrdneglcry]

I have recently seen the term "Predator Reef" applied to some aggressive salt water fish. Can somebody tell me what kind of corals, anemones, or live rock that a hobbyist might be able to keep (as far as a reef goes) in a tank that has Predator Reef fish in it?
I realize that "Predator Reef" might be a nice way of saying, "Pretty rocks.", but in the event that some types of live things other than fish and invertebrates can be kept with fish listed as "Predator Reef Only" safe I would like to know the names of those thing best suited for growing in a Predator Reef fish only tank.

[BubbaWPB]

I'm gonna take an educated guess that it depends on the "predator". If you have a fish that mostly eats other fish, it may do fine with corals. I haven't heard of lionfish eating corals, but they do eat other fish. Some other "predators" eat coral with gusto but may be ok with other aggressive fish. Some eat shellfish or crustaceans.

What kind of predators are you thinking of keeping?

[hrdneglcry]

I keep Niger Trigger's, and a Picasso Trigger.

[Ninong]

I have recently seen the term "Predator Reef" applied to some aggressive salt water fish. Can somebody tell me what kind of corals, anemones, or live rock that a hobbyist might be able to keep (as far as a reef goes) in a tank that has Predator Reef fish in it?

I have never heard the expression "Predator Reef" applied to anything. I have heard the expression aggressive fish-only aquariums but never anything with the word predator in it. Obviously you can't keep the prey in the same tank with the predator, so you would have to know which prey each predator might go after and make sure you don't have any in your tank. If the predator is an obligate predator, this means it will starve to death. Many butterflyfish are obligate predators on coral polyps, which is why they don't do well in captivity.

All nudibranchs, for example, are obligate predators, usually specializing in one particular prey -- usually sponges. It's difficult to keep the sponges alive if the nudibranchs are eating them. Same thing goes for angelfish that prey on sponges. In fact, it's hard to keep any prey alive very long in the same tank with their known predators.

[hrdneglcry]

I think that a predator reef means like lots of nice rocks first of all. Lots of holes in the rocks large enough for the fish to swim through. Lots of hiding spots. Then grow purple Coraline algae over the entire rock aquascape. This will work with my Triggers, and it is my plan for the tank. I do not plan on putting any other live rock in the tank. I will also not add invertebrates. Basically my defintion of a predator reef would a very pretty rocky reef where Triggers, Groupers, or Eels would patrol constantly. Does that sound like a good definition? Basically if it were in the Ocean it would be a very tough block in the neighborhood for non-predator species.

[BubbaWPB]

That sounds like a Fish Only With Live Rock (FOWLR) with the fish being aggressive. "Reef" usually implies the presence of invertebrates in addition to the live rock (with or without fish).

So a "Predator Reef" (I'm guessing) would include some invertebrates and aggressive fish. ....again, I'm only guessing.

So live rock is usually no problem with fish, predator or not - assuming that you don't cover most of the bottom with live rock when you have bottom dwelling critter like a sting ray....