Coral-only tanks, anyone?

[Plancton]

For my 32 gal project I'm thinking about making it a coral-only and perhaps never add fish. The reason is that I don't want to get attached to the fish.

 

Any successful coral-only stories? Would there be any inconvenient for the corals? I'm thinking about simply feeding coral food few times per month, keeping a fuge with Chaeto and doing water changes, if so, probably I will skip the skimmer.

[Wmich2008]

I have a 21gallon and was thinking of doing this exact same thing with the exception of adding a few inverts, or at least doing all corals first and then add a fish or two down the road. 

[Christopher Marks]

It can absolutely be done! Many find it to be quite a bit easier to maintain as well. Keeping and feeding fish can lead to needing a lot more nutrient export, and thus more water changes and maintenance.

 

@gena recently removed all the fish and other inverts from her nano reef to help reduce the maintenance required, here's a link to her journal when the transition started:

 

[ffoott]

I have a 12g coral only (as in no fish but some inverts). 

 

Fish are an extra worry for sure, but can add to the enjoyment of the tank as well...comes down to choice. 

[Clown79]

I've had coral only tanks. Corals will need to be fed weekly without fish, it's the best way to keep nutrients high enough to have the corals happy.

 

 I like fish and eventually added them because the tanks seem too empty to me without my fish

[HarryPotter]

I have three small fish in a 70g, does that count? 😂

[Red_Blenny]

It's possible to do fish only tank; it just gets boring to look at after awhile unless you get corals with movement, like euphyllia, toadstools, xenia, cloves, etc.

 

I kinda enjoy going fishless though mainly it's because I don't want to deal with the QT/medication process.

[dvs1986]

I ran my tank with a single blenny for about a year. It was nice, but also kind of boring after a while. To each his own. 

[benjho]

easy but i only know how for a small tank. never had a big tank so

[seabass]

8 hours ago, Plancton said:

Any successful coral-only stories?

You should check out the recent pico contest.  Most of these reefs had no fish.

 

5 hours ago, HarryPotter said:

I have three small fish in a 70g, does that count? 😂

I'm with you.  My 100 gallon tank currently just has a pair of ocellaris clownfish (that must be over 10 years old now) and a blenny.  It's not much to look at, but I feel that it's finally maturing.  I finally stopped dipping my rocks in peroxide and decided to let things age more naturally.  Funny, this tank doesn't have any coral in it either.  Now that I've gotten rid of the dinos, pest algae, diatoms, and other ugliness (for, IDK, maybe a year now), I've finally added a couple of BTAs.  Soon it'll become a real reef tank.

 

My 40 gallon has no fish, and my contest pico has no fish either.

 

4 hours ago, dvs1986 said:

I ran my tank with a single blenny for about a year. It was nice, but also kind of boring after a while. To each his own. 

I really feel that there are advantages not having fish in a tank until your tank really matures (and that can take awhile when using dry rock).  I've been slowly adding more biodiversity as my tanks mature (sure cleanup crews, but also pods and micro brittle sea stars).  I find that macro algae is a good way to introduce biodiversity too.  Plus it's a good nutrient consumer.  That method really isn't for everybody, as most people add fish shortly after the cycle has become established.  However, it can still be satisfying.

 

8 hours ago, Plancton said:

The reason is that I don't want to get attached to the fish.

I can understand that.  Euthanizing fish is agonizing for me.  Most recently I had to euthanize my angelfish which got lockjaw. Heatbreaking.   I don't love my fish like I would a dog, but you still do get attached to them; and having to put them down can be hard.

[Tired]

You definitely want to feed more often, once a week if not more. It's very much possible, though.

[Matteo]

Reef tank without fish!? I think cool for a Pico but awe man fish had some much life and personality to a reef! 

 

That's just my .02 🙂

 

Obviously if you filled this thing full with a shit ton of collector coral than that'd be neet. Idk do you boo!