Stinging corals

[dearis]

G'day there,

I have been reading a lot and hearing a lot of info about coral being to close to each other and sting each other.

I have also been looking though every tank of the month at Reefkeeping.com and most of the corals in the photos are all incredibly close to the point of touching. How is it that they dont get stung?

Regards Darren

 

[Sponge_Bob]

To my knowledge, which is very small I must admit, I do not know that corals sting. I'm pretty sure some do. I do know that anemones do sting. So maybe most corals don't sting and it's only a fraction of the coral population that actually sting orther corals/animals. That would explain the TOTM close placement and success.

The above is not enterely based on facts but rather on deduction and I could be wrong. Please wait until a more experience aquarist confirms or infirms the above... in other words, don't trust my answer on that one! :wink:

NOTE TO SELF : If you don't know the answer, why did you reply, you moron? - Well, I felt like it. - That's no excuse and you know it! - I might be right you know. - Fat chance buckko! - Hey it's 6:30am... give me a break will ya! - Ah, ok.

 

[FragMaster]

Number one rule in reefkeeping: water parameters.
Number two rule in reef keeping: NO IMPULSE BUYING Research the coral before you buy it to make sure you can meet its needs,and to make sure it is compatible with other coral in your system.

Number three rule in reefkeeping: Never listen to Sponge Bob

Those individuals have done their home work before hand.
They know exactly what species get along, and what species need space.
Finding out which corals sting and which do not is only half the battle.
You must also keep growth rates,and growth patterns in mind.
Some corals will grow much faster than others, as well as spread out and shade or smother near by coral as they grow.
All coral requre initial growing space when you fisrt add them to your
Aquascape.

After you have picked out which coral types you would like to keep you must research them.


Examples of questions to ask yourself before buying a given coral:

Grow rates: will they grow over my other coral and smother them as they grow? Will they over shadow my coral and starve them of light as they grow up and out?.

Stinging capabilities: Does this coral produce sweepers? Will it sting another coral if it touches it?.

"Chemical compatibitly": Will they engauge in a silent and invisible chemical warfare if place down current of eachother or to close to one another?.

Lighting requirements: Since this coral requires (x) amount lighting how will this effect other coral in my tank?

Feeding requirements/dosing: Since this particular coral requires (x) amount of ( a given dosed chemical) to remain healthy how will other corals in my tank react to it? Since this coral requires (any given food stuff) can other corals in my system take atvantage of it as well?


The intitial planning stage is the most critical, and the hardest part (IMHO) in reef keeping.
Once you have researced the coral you would like to keep the rest falls into place.

Those folks who have the "bonzai reef" look that your seeing have researched thier coral for compatibility,and all other needs, as well as trim/frag them regularly as needed.

I hope this helps you out a little more.

 

[dearis]

FragMaster,

I thank you so very kindly, you have been a big help. Have decided to search corals and chose which i like, then research them and eliminate the ones that will be incompatible. When I think I have it right I will post it and have opinions passed on and corrections made.

Kind Regards and Thank you

Darren

 

[FragMaster]

No problem.

 

[Omni2226]

Something else you may want to include on your research into corals is using the keyword allelopathy in a google search.

Corals and macroalgae can "sense" each other even when not in the same tank together through chemicals released in the water.

Coral that is already established in your system will sense any newcomers and will release growth inhibitors and other chemicals into the water to drive away the "intruder".

Same type species may tolerate each other better. For example the soft corals may get along fairly well (a subjective term at best) but can sense hard corals and release chemicals to drive the "enemy" away, and vice versa. Some corals pack a lot more punch in their chemo bombs than others.

Much of the harmful effects of this chemo warfare can be dealt with through a good skimmer and regular water changes.

Im no scientest though so my explanation is sketchy at best. Do your own research and reading, starting with allelopathy.

 

[FragMaster]

allelopathy is roughly the scientific terminology for the "chemical warfare"
I just posted on.

 

[Sponge_Bob]

Number three rule in reefkeeping: Never listen to Sponge Bob

Hey... It was a humour post... Oh... and so was yours... nevermind.

Cheers and thank you for the information provided. It will be usefull to me as well. :wink:

 

[FragMaster]

:lol: :lol:

 

[Omni2226]

Fragmaster posted in this thread? Where? Oh nevermind I see it now.