allelopathy: inhibition of growth in one species by chemicals produced by another

[Gary Majchrzak]

update

update

Jan. 1 2008

April 12 2008

the Pocillipora is clearly developing sweeper tentacles where it's growing nearer the Montipora. There's also a clear line around the base of the Pocillipora where the Montipora did not venture to encrust. (Both corals grown from small frags glued to rock.)

 

[magdelan]

Uh oh... Your pocilopora has a weapon now!!!

 

[magdelan]

double post....

ECHO...EcHo...echo

 

[talon4x4]

Is that a lobster??

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12312612#post12312612 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by talon4x4
Is that a lobster??

it's a crab...
certain crab species have a symbiotic relationship with certain corals. The camera got a little too close to the crab's coral and it started waving me off.

 

[thriceanangel]

Its a Yellow Spotted Guard crab that hosts exculsively in Pocillopora. I had one, but unknowingly gave it up in a trade...

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

bump for you

 

[magdelan]

Yes, viva la bump!!

I have a poccilopora that is about 4 inches to the left of a large Kenya Tree. Does anybody know if the Kenya Tree leather produces toxins that could irritate the poccilopora? I have noticed over the last couple of days that some of the poccilopora's nematocyst's have been retracted on the closest side to the Kenya Tree. What gives?

 

[AC11337]

I think all my LPS corals release chemicals that hinder my purple shrooms(only softies left) If i don't do a change for a while the shrooms don't open and eventually can die while the LPS are fine. There was the great shroom slaughter of cinco de mayo. I had skipped a WC and almost all the shrooms died but LPS were unaffected. I love how my tank naturally keeps the shrooms from overgrowing everything. Always knew this happened, now i know the name for it.

 

[sbreefer]

I have a general growth issue among all of my sps. I have ricordia, discosoma, rodactis, leathers in there. is this a huge mistake if trying to get robust growth from sps corals? Are there any other taboo soffies or zooantids that should be avoided?

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

I have a general growth issue among all of my sps. I have ricordia, discosoma, rodactis, leathers in there. is this a huge mistake if trying to get robust growth from sps corals? Are there any other taboo soffies or zooantids that should be avoided?

bigger question than you might realize.

I'll try to answer it briefly:

"taboo" corals?
there are certain corals that are known to produce more highly toxic metabolites than other corals. Sinularia spp. "softies" probably rank among the more toxic. (There are many other soft corals that are highly toxic.) Goniopora is highly toxic as well... so it's not just "softies" that can produce harmful metabolites- all types of corals can produce allelopathic compounds.

To favor growth of SPS recreate an environment that favors SPS (ie: clean well oxygenated well circulating water) and run small amounts of GAC while skimming really well. Regular partial water changes are a must, IMO.

In layman's terms, if Discosoma are reproducing rapidly in your aquarium your SPS might do better if you clean up the water and maintain optimal levels of alk, Ca and Mg.

 

[sbreefer]

Gary,

the water is clean and stable with correct Ca Mg and Alk. The discos do multiply, but not too fast. I am considering getting rid of goniopora, yellow palys, discos, roactis, and ricordia and maybe even laethers to try to address growth issue. I use GFO and GAC aggressively. Seems like whenever I change the carbon, I get white new growth tips on my digitata.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

ime

ime

remove a big leather and you might see a huge difference in SPS growth

 

[sbreefer]

what about the other softie stuff i mentioned?

 

[sbreefer]

do you keep zooanthids with your sps?

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

do you keep zooanthids with your sps?

yes.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

what about the other softie stuff i mentioned?

I would remove Sinularia.
The other softie stuff you mentioned isn't as offensive as Sinularia.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

bump

bump

for another look :spin2:

I think all my LPS corals release chemicals that hinder my purple shrooms(only softies left) If i don't do a change for a while the shrooms don't open and eventually can die while the LPS are fine. There was the great shroom slaughter of cinco de mayo. I had skipped a WC and almost all the shrooms died but LPS were unaffected. I love how my tank naturally keeps the shrooms from overgrowing everything. Always knew this happened, now i know the name for it.

quite simply in my experience:
every coral in your aquarium wants to OWN the WHOLE aquarium.

Certain species are more toxic than others.
IME "Kenya Tree" and "Cabbage" coral (Sinularia dura) can create a lethal "soup" that kills new corals of a different species when placed in the same aquarium. They need not touch or even be near one another. The water becomes loaded with metabolites.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

smores

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

bump

bump

this is a grossly overlooked topic and surprisingly many experienced reefkeepers don't even believe it exists!