Coral temperament questions.
- Thread starter InfernoST
- Start date
Unless it's fire coral or something that comes with similar handling-warnings, most corals don't cause any kind of reaction in most people. Some of the more aggro corals may cause welts against sensitive skin in sensitive people.
Mostly, however, those levels refer to how much of a problem they're going to be with other corals. For example, GSP and Xenia aren't aggressive. They're invasive, but practically anything else with longish tentacles can burn them back. Favia and Euphyllia corals can be extremely aggressive, with long sweeper-tentacles with powerful stings that'll really screw up less aggressive species. Even Kenya Trees can be extremely aggressive, but they don't have much reach and don't seem to vomit up their mesentaries to attack other corals like some do.
Basically, if you have an invasive, nonaggro coral, it'll be beaten back by more aggressive species. If you have a noninvasive, agressive coral, it'll hold back less aggressive species. If you have an invasive, aggressive coral, you're screwed.
In many cases, certain highly aggressive species of the same genus (all Euphyllia species, for example, and certain groups of acans) can be placed near eachother and won't sting or inhibit eachother. Management of these interactions can be useful to 'corral' certain invasive, but easily suppressed, corals.In some cases, it doesn't matter that a coral is highly aggressive (acans) because they have extremely short reach and well-behaved growth forms. So long as they're not brushing up against something, it's not gonna be a problem. In other cases, you need to run carbon because one or more of your corals are waging chemical warfare against your whole tank. (Many soft corals.)
In short -- those levels are a really, really rough guidline that needs to be supplemented with an understanding of the coral's physical properties, growth habits, and suppressive strategies.
- Location
- Overland Park, KS
+1 on most of what SevTT said, except - some coral stings are really awful for more than just a few folks with really sensitive skin. Corals are actually the source for some of the world's strongest (known) toxins! I have pretty bad allergies, and when I get stung by my corals, it takes weeks to recover. I am not alone.
Sweeper tentacles are long appendages that have nematocysts, spring-loaded stinging cells that can "attack" neighboring corals or even animals (like us!). they are different, however, from feeding tentacles. personally, though, I would steer clear from both and would make sure that you put non-conspecifics far enough from each other that NONE of their tentacles can touch each other.
Also - mushrooms will zap pretty much anything in their way that you would rather they not zap, so while they are sometimes quite inexpensive, they are extremely invasive and terribly aggressive.
After years of reefing, I can say with certainty that in my next tank build, there will be only a few forms of mushroom (those that are INCREDIBLY slow-growing) and NO xenia or anthelia WHATSOEVER. They are AWESOME beginner corals, as they are quite hardy - but they will overgrow everything
That being said, I had a soft-corals only tank for about 8 years and loved it! I just outgrew it.
Sweeper tentacles are long appendages that have nematocysts, spring-loaded stinging cells that can "attack" neighboring corals or even animals (like us!). they are different, however, from feeding tentacles. personally, though, I would steer clear from both and would make sure that you put non-conspecifics far enough from each other that NONE of their tentacles can touch each other.
Also - mushrooms will zap pretty much anything in their way that you would rather they not zap, so while they are sometimes quite inexpensive, they are extremely invasive and terribly aggressive.
After years of reefing, I can say with certainty that in my next tank build, there will be only a few forms of mushroom (those that are INCREDIBLY slow-growing) and NO xenia or anthelia WHATSOEVER. They are AWESOME beginner corals, as they are quite hardy - but they will overgrow everything
That being said, I had a soft-corals only tank for about 8 years and loved it! I just outgrew it.
I really have to say -- I like my Xenia, there's nothing else like pulsing xenia as far as adding motion and interest goes, but you do have to make an effort to contain it. Ideally, I'd have a large enough house and enough money to have a soft-coral and a hard-coral system. Alas, things are not ideal.
just another note on coral stings, My cousin had a cut on his hand and was doing some work in the tank when a sweeper tentacle of a bubble coral stung him in the cut. It was extremely painful and he developed a red band around his wrist that slowly moved up his arm. We took him to hospital but by the time he was admitted the symptoms had started to go away. Pretty scary though.
Thanks Guys for all of your help and information. I didn't realize that corals were such complex animals. I now have a much better understanding of what these personality traits are and can now plan out my tank. I started my tank FOWLR but am bringing it over to the reef side. Thanks again.
Just want to add that you do not have to have sensitive skin, or cuts. Also you can handle a coral for years with no problem, and one day it will get you.lol
My hammer got me after a year or so, it stung my forearm pretty bad.oooooch
And my Neon Green Nepthea killed my silver xenia.;(
My hammer got me after a year or so, it stung my forearm pretty bad.oooooch
And my Neon Green Nepthea killed my silver xenia.;(
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