[Ltspd]

Are these reef safe?

[SomeHairyOldGuy]

Nope. They sure look awsome though.
SHOG

[Ltspd]

Agreed, but isnt that always the case.

[JRoweNole]

I used to have a Lantern Bass (Serranus "I can't remember"). He did eat 2 cleaner shrimp, but allowed one cleaner shrimp to survive and even clean the inside of his mouth! Except for shrimp, I think this fish is reef safe (never bothered any of my clean-up crew or corals). HOWEVER, I did end up taking him out of my tank and gave him back to my LFS because he became ruler of the tank, terrorizing any new fish addition to my tank.

[ranaman]

I would disagree, they are not SHRIMP SAFE, but they aren't going to pick on corals etc. I had a long time ago a Lantern Bass (Serranus baldwini) and it consumed a cleaner shrimp that was as big as itself.(about 2") The harlequin bass has a maximum size around 4" so it would be like adding a hawkfish or marine betta about the same size.

[JRoweNole]

ranaman:

I didn't claim my Lantern Bass was "shrimp safe". In fact, I stated he ate two of my shrimp.

Thanks.

[ranaman]

FYI I wrote that post and saw yours come up when the post was added. One thing the shrimp was attacked just after molting. He left the shrimp alone untill then. Just wondering if you had similar behavior.

[JRoweNole]

ranaman:

My Lantern Bass/shrimp situation was strange - I had two shrimp in my tank at the same time, the fish ate one of them (didn't actually see him do it), I added another shrimp, the fish ate the new addition and left the orginal shrimp alone allowing this shrimp to clean him all the time even inside his mouth!

I really liked this fish because I thought he was a reef safe grouper like fish. The fish proved me wrong.

Hope you have a great 4th.