*Random thoughts * is having predators in the reef beneficial

[LOTUS50GOD]

I have a 5" cortez stingray, as well as a large sohol tang in my reef. The ray is eating well and has been in there for 8 months. The sohol is 9" to his streamers and been in the tank for over 3 years. I have many other fish in my 260 reef that know the pecking order so to speak. My tank gets fed multiple times a day and there are NO signs of aggression (all tankmates are perfect; no knicks etc....

Now for my thoughts

I have kept many small fish (jawfish, clown & catalina gobies, etc)that do not get eaten by these large predators. The smaller fish know how to avoid the tang and ray when they swim by.... IMO this is more like a natural reef. Now granted my fish are domesticated and know to eat the prepared food that I feed.


.. Do you think that fish lose their instinct to hide when they are taken out of the ocean and placed in enviroments that do not have predators? For example a goby will no longer hide and stay out longer.....

do you think that predators make the fish less prone to 'abnormal' behavior due to the reproduction of their natural environment.

[mcegelsk]

I think that your thought process is sound. What I think a lot of people do unfortunately is not provide the escape or area for the low fish on the totem pole to live like it would in the wild. They fail probably by overall tank size or environment (rock-work). Interesting thought definitely! ~Matt

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

i don't understand why you would want the smaller guys to have to hide? maybe more natural, but....

[sean48183]

They will never fail to hide when people come near the tank and in my personal opinion I don't want them to hide all the time. I don't want to pay $30 for a fish that hides all the time. I would say there's nothing wrong with what your doing but those little guys may become an expensive snack some day. best of Luck.

[Chad-Man]

I doubt fish lose their knowledge of self-preservation just because they become captive in our aquarium systems. And as long as your predators are well fed by yourself they will probably leave your other fish alone, but go a week or longer without feeding them and see what happens to the fish lower on the food chain! Although with 300lbs of LR you give them a good chance to avoid predation.

[LOTUS50GOD]

The funny thing is I watch my catalina gobies.... sit on their rock and wont move till the ray actually swims within 2" of the gobies....Same thing goes with the my yellow watchman.... They stay out all the time.... till either the ray or the sohol comes within inches.... When other fish like the flame angel swim by... they just go on like business is usual.... Kinda like a crossing the street when you see a bully. LOL

[LOTUS50GOD]

ttt

[LOTUS50GOD]

ttt

[LOTUS50GOD]

ttt

[MIKE NY]

Although I like your idea of a more natural reef, I think it will only be a matter of time before they become a meal.

[fuzz1974]

I would think that the sohol and the ray would pick up on the idea that when you feed your tank everyone comes out in the open to feed...... So if they wanted to pick someone off that would be the time to do it. I would switch up what side I feed on, just to make sure they don't eat at the same side of the tank. Sounds like it works for you though, you have had both in the tank for awhile with no problem.

Fuzz

[Agu]

If you house predator and prey together eventually they'll do what comes naturally. Being well fed in a captive environment may delay the inevitable but it doesn't change their natural inclinations.

jmo,