Coral placement and population

[Houtz]

I was reading an article in Fish Keeping Magazine today.
The topic of it was coral warfare, and after finishing it I was left fairly convinced that the way we are used to stocking reef tanks is nothing short of coral torture. I wanted to hear, er, read some of your insights on this matter. For example, the author made the point that all corals produce and excrete toxins in varying amounts and with varying lethality to their neighbors. It was stated that the presence of these chemicals triggers metabolic changes in corals which cause them to divert their energy into warfare, thus retarding their growth and negatively impacting their health and resistance to disease. It was also stated that in aquaria levels of these chemicals are perpetually at abnormally high levels compared to conditions in nature, possibly hundreds of times higher.
It would seem then that our reef tanks are something akin to the colosseum of ancient Rome, a slow motion gladiator spectacle of sorts. Do you think my corals and yours are living painful lives of chronic stress, or is this doom and gloom article underestimating the adaptability of our livestock? Would coral specimens be their best, most prolific, largest and most beautiful if kept in species-tanks tailored to their own needs and not having to share space with enemies? What are your thoughts?

 

[lazluvtoo]

Well, ummm...it's something to think about, but I have never heard or read of this. However; at one point I was told that the corals should never touch each other. As far as them emitting harmful toxins, I can believe that because I have suffered many irritations to my finger and hands when I am in there fooling around with them.

Interesting post, though.

 

[tydtran]

I haven't seen this article, but the points as you have summarized them seem illogical. Yes, corals in the wild compete with each other for space and this continues in our aquaria. We minimize this by spacing our corals appropriately. Furthermore, protein skimmers and carbon and water changes are used to remove whatever they happen to secrete into the water. I would like to see the evidence that these chemicals (identity??) are at higher concentrations in a properly maintained aquarium than they are on a reef.

My experience is that corals in well-maintained aquarium show great polyp extension and growth. They can't talk to us about how happy they (lol) but growth and polyp extension seem like good indicators that they are doing well.

 

[tydtran]

Also, of course, we should be careful about mixing hard and soft corals; especially in small systems.