Coral Spacing?

[afilter]

OK, I admit I am addicted as you can see by my sig I have gone over the edge adding my corals. So much for waiting until after the first of the year.

Anyway, I have been using Sprungs book as a guide for hardiness, lighting, placement and feeding. Problem is it great for identifying corals, but not much of a narative.

Just wondering what is a safe distance for coral placement? So far I do not have anything closer than about 4" from another coral.

What I do not understand is how they are aggressive. I can see how the bubble coral can reach out and sting something with tenacles, but what about the brain and others that do not have visible tenacles and are still rated fairly high for aggressiveness.

No problems so far and the new T-5 lighting seems to be doing the trick as the corals I do have seem to be thriving and I finally have coralline actively growing, just want to avoid any future problems.

Probably done for a while as I am quickly running out of room.

TIA,

 

[melosu58]

I always read up on the coral on Live aquaria. They give all the info you need. Weather it is peaceful or aggressive or whatever you need to know.

 

[afilter]

melosu58,

Thanks, I have also read the live aquaria descriptions, but they do not really define spacing either, just use words like adequate and plenty. Just wondering if 3-4" is adequate?

I understand that mushrooms and polyps will spread if all is going well and need to be given room for gowth.

What I do not know is how far can some of the tenacle corals really reach out? The ones I have observed are only 1-1.5" at most.

 

[DragonForce]

The first step is to make sure none of them are rubbing, All of mine are atleast 3 from eachother, I have not had any problems.

 

[afilter]

rubbing? (Meaning right next to each other?) All of mine are currently at least 4" apart. Just wondering if this is far enough or can it be closer to allow some future additions?

 

[DragonForce]

It should be good enough, just monitor your corals and if they look like they are getting stung them move them. I don't think there is a general golen rule fro spacing, just do whatever works, you will know if they are hurting eachother.

 

[afilter]

Sounds good, have not noticed and current problems. Just trying to avoid any surprises with what I already have.

Thanks

 

[melosu58]

3 to 4 inches should be good. Peaceful corals can be next to each other. Almost touching. Some corals like leathers you dont want them to let you know because they give off a toxin that will reek havoc in your tank. Make sure you know their temprement

 

[Phyl]

In general SPS can be closer together for the most part. Shrooms, zoos, hydnophora and star polyps need plent of growth room because they will kill the stuff that they come in contact wtih.

LPS are tricky because some of them throw long sweepers out when you're not looking I have a torch that is normally the size of my fist but sometimes he throws some crazy sweepers out and they reach an additional 3 or 4 inches. Brains and the such need the space to expand.

Kenya trees and Xenia walk and move around. I've seen Kenya easily kill a cap without breaking a sweat. Some leathers throw off toxins when they feel "threatened" and that's enough to kill some of their neighbors.

If you post about some of your corals it will be easier for us to tell you what types of agression take place.

 

[afilter]

Corals I currently have are all in my sig.

 

[melosu58]

Aaron thats some nice pics in your gallery

 

[Phyl]

Candy cane: Sends sweepers out and will sting nearby neighbors. These can get longer than you think.

Kenya: Satan's spawn. Will kill an SPS on contact.

Shrooms/Green/small Button Polyps: need plenty of room for growth. Will happily take over another coral given the time and calcium.

Green Cup Plate: Probably pretty docile though if it is a leather it comes with its own bucket of toxin

Yellow toadstool: Toxins

Bubble Coral: Throws stingers in addition to the bubbles

Closed brain: These things can surprise you by actually putting out stingers. I was shocked to see that these stingers can be up to 2-3" in length.

 

[afilter]

Phyl,

Thanks for the info. Based on what you described I think I am OK for now. I will be curious to see some of the sweepers. The brain is new, so I have not seen any yet.

melosu58,

Thanks, I will update my gallery with some corals I see I do not have any there yet.

 

[JohnS]

Another thing you may want to do is look around with a flashlight after lights out. Some corals (like the candy cane) send out their sweepers after dark.

 

[Jermz79]

my candy cane's let out their tentacles at night after lights out, but truthfully they are not real long ... only about 1/2"! I asked a similar question a while back and basically was told that the more room you can give the better off your corals will be!!

Good Luck!

Jermz79