How fast is 'fast growing'?

[msentell]

I am a complete newbie at corals, but I have recently added the following to my 55 tank:
Zoanthus Sp
Discosoma
Briarium

I am told that these all grow rather quickly, but I don't have any reference point to know what that means. The Discosoma (mushrooms) are each about 2 inches in diameter when fully open. Will they get bigger?

How fast does Zoanthus spread under good conditions? THere are maybe 40 polups in my grouping now...

I am asking so that I know how much space to leave for each specimin to grow...

Thanks

 

[esmithiii]

All those corals, after they get accustomed to your tank and if conditions are right, will spread and cover however much space you give them. I have zooanthids that grow almost a 1/4 inch per week! Much will depend on your lighting and water conditions, though. In my case, mushrooms (discosoma) grow rather slowly due to the intense light.

All the species that you have are considered by some to be pests in that they are hard to control and can choke out other corals (much like weeds in a vegetable garden.) I personally have four or five species of zooanthids and as many discosoma species, and have had to control the growth using kalk-paste (see this thread: Hints, tips, advice on using kalkpaste to control unwanteds?)

Your mushrooms may get bigger depending on the variety (hairy ones can get up to 18" in diameter) and most I have seen get about double your size. What they will do is reproduce and spread onto any rock that they touch. Many of mine seem to move over time (yes, they can slowly move their "foot") and as they move they leave a trail of babies in their wake. I have a ricordea (frilly mushroom) that moved like 6 inches in as many months.

Briarium is a coral that I am unable to keep, although most say it grows like a weed. Under proper conditions, some varieties could take over the entire 55 gal tank in a matter of a couple years.

Anyway, I hope this helps.

 

[Joey French]

esmithiii,
You know , if you have to control your "weedy" creatures, why don't you take out some of them that can be fragged, and send them to me? I love teeny bits of stuff in my nano that grow into larger colonies and so far have been stocking it with nothing but frags under an inch or so. I would be glad to take tiny pieces off your hands and will pay for shipping or whatever you want for them. My goal with this tank is to grow everything from frags as very small pieces, but also have a lot of diversity, so even a few polyps would be appreciated. As it turns out, I am having problems locating very small pieces and single shrooms at my lfs, so I have been getting teeny frags from friend's tank and others. Let me know if I can take something off your hands! Thanks, Joey
[email protected]

 

[esmithiii]

Joey,

I wish I had known that a month ago. I was in the area and would have brought you some frags. I haven't shipped anything to anyone yet, but maybe now is the time to start trading. My issue is that I don't know the best way to do it. Drop me an e-mail if you have any good ideas on the best way to ship and maybe we can trade.

Ernie

 

[oimate84]

Dont worry just yet about corals overgrowing your tank...you have a long ways to go until you get to that stage of reefaholism...lol, but those are good starter corals to begin with and stick around to this board and ask questions for any problems you may have and do some searches on this board to find advice for lights/sand beds/filtration/etc...Anyways WELCOME to the hobby!!

 

[King Jason]

Watch out for that damn Xenia!!!! It has taken over my tank! It's worse then aptasia!

 

[arnjer]

Yeah take a trip to Memphis and bring me anything you want to rid yourself of.

Jerry

[email protected]

 

[One_Divided]

Apparently the max growth rate for sps corals in the wild is an inch per month.. I've heard this from a few good sources. I have a couple corals in my tank that grow around that rate.. most are more like 1/4-1/2 per month, but my a. milipora's are about an inch per month.