Warfare varies. Softies spit into the water (carbon helps remove this). Stonies may have tentacles.
Here's a rundown of what to look for.
1. Among softies, the most serious damage is by palythoas, which can hurt US. [see the warning sticky.]
2. I'd put leathers second. I had one that would go all purple (it was pink) and annoy absolutely everything in the tank. Break out the carbon.
3. I have heard, though never experienced, that the yellow toadstool if it dies can release toxin.
In general, softies, anything without a skeleton, are chemical warfare types, which is fine in an ocean which carries nastiness away. In a tank---it comes back on the giver---and it has a 'flywheel effect' in a tank, ticking off more and more. Always have carbon on hand if you have softies. And read that warning sticky!
1. among lps stonies, there's a rough division between those with sweepers and those without. A sweeper is a tentacle up to 6" in length (I've seen a few I'd say were longer) which is not always in evidence unless at night, or during feeding, or when fighting. You generally reckon the danger as toward the downcurrent side, but I've seen a maze brain reach 6" straight up in a pretty good current.
Sweepers occur with brain, galaxia, bubble coral, etc. [Post others.] They may blossom with short tentacles at night, and then go on to produce one of these others, which are thin, glassy, and much longer than you'd imagine could be hidden.
Hydnophora practically exudes its own guts to attack a neighbor. NEVER put anything next to these guys.
Other lps stony (particularly euphyllias like hammer, frog, torch) has tentacles much the same day and night---but! if you notice one side of them getting longer than the other---that coral is up to no good. Move his neighbor just a shade further away. The good news is the coral may have a growth spurt on that side. But don't let it reach the neighbor.
SPS is not noted for tentacles, but it does jockey for position: it wants light, and it will overgrow its neighbors and I would expect it to exude discouraging chemicals at close range. Winner is the most aggressive grower and the one who gets most light. Montipora is one that's real fast, though delicate and easy to break---and its pieces will grow. Pocillopora also just reproduces at any opportunity, so it succeeds by spreading. For SPS it's a case of light, light, light, and more light. Who gets the light, wins.
Here's a rundown of what to look for.
1. Among softies, the most serious damage is by palythoas, which can hurt US. [see the warning sticky.]
2. I'd put leathers second. I had one that would go all purple (it was pink) and annoy absolutely everything in the tank. Break out the carbon.
3. I have heard, though never experienced, that the yellow toadstool if it dies can release toxin.
In general, softies, anything without a skeleton, are chemical warfare types, which is fine in an ocean which carries nastiness away. In a tank---it comes back on the giver---and it has a 'flywheel effect' in a tank, ticking off more and more. Always have carbon on hand if you have softies. And read that warning sticky!
1. among lps stonies, there's a rough division between those with sweepers and those without. A sweeper is a tentacle up to 6" in length (I've seen a few I'd say were longer) which is not always in evidence unless at night, or during feeding, or when fighting. You generally reckon the danger as toward the downcurrent side, but I've seen a maze brain reach 6" straight up in a pretty good current.
Sweepers occur with brain, galaxia, bubble coral, etc. [Post others.] They may blossom with short tentacles at night, and then go on to produce one of these others, which are thin, glassy, and much longer than you'd imagine could be hidden.
Hydnophora practically exudes its own guts to attack a neighbor. NEVER put anything next to these guys.
Other lps stony (particularly euphyllias like hammer, frog, torch) has tentacles much the same day and night---but! if you notice one side of them getting longer than the other---that coral is up to no good. Move his neighbor just a shade further away. The good news is the coral may have a growth spurt on that side. But don't let it reach the neighbor.
SPS is not noted for tentacles, but it does jockey for position: it wants light, and it will overgrow its neighbors and I would expect it to exude discouraging chemicals at close range. Winner is the most aggressive grower and the one who gets most light. Montipora is one that's real fast, though delicate and easy to break---and its pieces will grow. Pocillopora also just reproduces at any opportunity, so it succeeds by spreading. For SPS it's a case of light, light, light, and more light. Who gets the light, wins.
Last edited:
