tropicfish
New member
Can someone please tell me if this is toxic to the tank in particular the meteor shower frag and also will it sting nearby corals. I don't have much information about this coral
is Cyphastrea sp toxic
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tropicfish
New member
I've been reading and know that some corals can damage other corals and even damage fish. I am just getting into getting different corals and trying to make sure that I don't get anything that would damage my other corals. I might be worrying about it too much I just don't want to get the wrong corals. Thats why I'm asking people on here because I know everyone has been in this longer then I have and probably have these corals in their tanks. Most corals are in one of my books but the ones I've asked about I cannot find information on.
NicoleC
New member
I see; I applaud your research!
Ultimately, any two corals are going to damage each other. They are trying to compete for finite resources, and their methods of competition are more tolerable for others in a vast ocean than a box of water.
Allopathy is often referred to in the hobby as chemical warfare; basically that corals produce noxious chemicals to retard the growth of other corals, and sometimes even kill them. The more different corals in a tank that are producing these chemicals, the more the OTHER corals will produce them, and so on and on in a vicious cycle. Some corals, like many of the so-called "leather" corals, compete exclusively with allopathy and their presence anywhere in a tank can damage more sensitive corals.
Additionally, the use of sweeper tentacles and nemocysts aids in competing for space, and these can often inflict serious damage.
Very few hobbyists are content to maintain a single coral or even a single species, although you do sometimes see fantastic examples of all-zoanthid or all-mushroom tanks, and I used to keep a tank that was almost entirely made up of Euphyllia sp. corals like hammers and frogspawns and torches of various colors. (Euphyllia is an extremely aggressive coral species that will often kill anything it touches... except itself and often other Euphyllia corals are safe.)
Limiting the number of species you choose to maintain will help mitigate allepathy problems. Other forms of mitigation are running a high quality carbon and frequent and regular water changes. Proper spacing will help prevent direct attack when two corals touch.
Without mitigation, you will see decreased growth, loss of color and sometimes outright death of weaker specimens.
So in summary, there are no "bad' corals you should avoid. Instead, choose a focus for your tank and primarily select specimens from among a group of similar corals. You will have happier corals overall and see better success in the long run. Since these corals will also share husbandry requirements, you will get additional benefits.
As for fish, few corals will attack fish. A fish might get stung if it brushes up against one, but deaths are very rare. Anemones, however, are a different story!
Ultimately, any two corals are going to damage each other. They are trying to compete for finite resources, and their methods of competition are more tolerable for others in a vast ocean than a box of water.
Allopathy is often referred to in the hobby as chemical warfare; basically that corals produce noxious chemicals to retard the growth of other corals, and sometimes even kill them. The more different corals in a tank that are producing these chemicals, the more the OTHER corals will produce them, and so on and on in a vicious cycle. Some corals, like many of the so-called "leather" corals, compete exclusively with allopathy and their presence anywhere in a tank can damage more sensitive corals.
Additionally, the use of sweeper tentacles and nemocysts aids in competing for space, and these can often inflict serious damage.
Very few hobbyists are content to maintain a single coral or even a single species, although you do sometimes see fantastic examples of all-zoanthid or all-mushroom tanks, and I used to keep a tank that was almost entirely made up of Euphyllia sp. corals like hammers and frogspawns and torches of various colors. (Euphyllia is an extremely aggressive coral species that will often kill anything it touches... except itself and often other Euphyllia corals are safe.)
Limiting the number of species you choose to maintain will help mitigate allepathy problems. Other forms of mitigation are running a high quality carbon and frequent and regular water changes. Proper spacing will help prevent direct attack when two corals touch.
Without mitigation, you will see decreased growth, loss of color and sometimes outright death of weaker specimens.
So in summary, there are no "bad' corals you should avoid. Instead, choose a focus for your tank and primarily select specimens from among a group of similar corals. You will have happier corals overall and see better success in the long run. Since these corals will also share husbandry requirements, you will get additional benefits.
As for fish, few corals will attack fish. A fish might get stung if it brushes up against one, but deaths are very rare. Anemones, however, are a different story!
Philip Root
Premium Member
Allopathy may not be as bad as we may think. I have seen some research that they may actualy make some corals grow faster. There is several farms that are doing polycultuer using allopathy and other coral defences to speed up coral growth.
Tomoko Schum
New member
I read the same thing in this article.
Be vigilant about pruning if you try the crowding method, though. My montipora digitada grew really well, sandwiched between two acroporas. Eventually it spread by encrusting the area between the other corals and itself, climbed up the branches of the two neighboring acroporas and started choking them.
Tomoko
Be vigilant about pruning if you try the crowding method, though. My montipora digitada grew really well, sandwiched between two acroporas. Eventually it spread by encrusting the area between the other corals and itself, climbed up the branches of the two neighboring acroporas and started choking them.
Tomoko
