Hello crew! I know you get much praise, after reading so many FAQ's that saved me from making disasters, but I must say it again--thank you for having this web site, your help is most appreciated!!!
<thanks kindly!>
I want to start getting some corals and have a question about the
compatibility of some prospects. I know you should not mix different types of corals, ie. hard and soft, as chemical warfare may be detrimental in the long run.
<best to focus on a niche or biotope. You can mix different species from within such group(s)... we are simply trying to minimize unnatural aggression (not eliminate it, which seems to be impossible)>
I tried searching if polyps are compatible with soft corals within the site, for example xenias (peaceful right?) with yellow polyps/star polyps, and
saw that some people kept them but the FAQ did not have direct comments on if this was desirable. So......Are polyps (ie button, yellow, star) soft corals or are
they in their own category--if they are different from softs will they get along with soft corals?
<its not so literal, mate... rather a function of crowding, water flow, water changes/chemical filtration or not, etc. And then, the keeping of natural neighbors (research their history on a reef>
I have a 45 gallon, 2 X 96W PC, 1.024 SG, O ammonia, nitrate, nitrites, dKH 11, pH 8.4, 4.5 inches aragonite, 55 lbs live rock with a mated pair of perculas, a green mandarin (plump!), CBS, a few blue legged hermits and Astraea (no blood baths yet).
<all good>
I do have a small bubble tip anemone who has only moved 1 inch from where I first put him into a crevice to hide his foot and has not moved in 2 months.
<hmmm.. but no guarantee of it not moving later (lights age, water clarity strays, stinging neighbors encroach or get moved near, etc). The anemone is simply not a responsible or "natural" tankmate for sessile corals>
I knew I had to let him settle down first before I even thought of getting corals, but I think I can "safely" say he's pretty happy with his location and will watch him closely upon putting in the corals.
<I hope you are right... but the odds are against you in the long run. Quite likely in the 3-5 yr picture if not far sooner that this anemone will move and perhaps cause a problem or catastrophe>
Again, thanks so much on the "soft/polyp" compatibility question!
Danny
<sticking with soft corals is a safe bet (polyps and soft octocorals). Avoid mixing sps and LPS with them to start with. Best regards, Anthony>
