Reef and fish aquarium

[Fish gazer]

I'd like to hear the opinions of others out there on a subject of building an aquarium as close to nature as possible.....without the size obviously.
For the most part, when you have an aquarium that includes corals there are many beautiful species you are not recommended to have due to their diet of corals in nature. Some of these would include certain angelfish, butterflyfish, etc.
....but what if you wanted these fish but also wanted to give them their natural diet? If you wanted to have a tank filled with beautiful fish of different species (but not aggressive to each other) and beautiful colorful corals. Is there a way to do this without having the fish attack every coral? Perhaps certain types that you would buy just for them to eat (same as you would buy shrimp for their diet). Would the corals survive and heal from nips.
I love my corals! They are by far more interesting than many fish themselves, but at the same time my raccoon and black/white butterflies are beautiful to watch.
What are your ideas?

 

[FlameTetra333]

A longhorn cowfish maybe? I don't have a saltwater, but those cowfish are really cute. I don't think they eat coral, but they DO live in coral reefs. You can barely see their fins, so people who first see it think that they swim by farting in the water. LOL

 

[ryanm19]

ive seen some systems with a few non reef safe fish in them but they are all very very large. when adding a fish into your tank its up to chance whether or not it will pick a lot or not at all (just look at dwarf angels). for the most part though, butterfly fish, large angelfish, and other non reef fish are labled that because for most people they will destroy inverts and corals. as for buying corals to keep them full, i dont think it will work. if the fish is going to nip, then its not going to stop at just those corals you place in your tank for him/her. plus its expensive to keep buying corals just so your fish will nip at them.