proximimity of corals

Azorean

New member
I've been interested in reef aquariums for years. However, something I find perplexing is that many of coral species cannot be close to one another since they are toxic to each other. Well, some of the beautiful tank I see pictures off look like they are almost stacked up one another. So, What gives? Can you let them touch or is it stricktly s soft/hard coral issue.

Thanks:
Christopher Neill
 
There are some corals in my reef that do no apparent harm to another that they might touch. On the other hand, there are many that do and it's clearly not a good idea to have them touch. Just the other day in my reef, a leather coral let down one of its "branches," allowing it to touch an Acanthastrea echinata and within one hour, the leather coral's "branch" that touched it just began what looked like melting. On the other hand, many coral of the same family but different colors, grow together in nature and do no harm to one another when they touch.
 
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I've wondered about this a lot myself. Is there some sort of compatibility reference that someone has wrote about regarding corals, or is it pretty much just luck of placement that hobbiests have been able to place the corals and then have them spread on their own?:confused:
 
I have a thread called "coral chess" that describes what you have to go through when everybody grows a micron...certain lps can touch, certain others are innocuous, while acros generally shouldn't touch stylophora, etc. Not touching is a good idea. The other answer is 'frag off' branches that encroach, superglue them to bases, and sell them either online or trade them to your lfs for stuff.
 
Mmmm! More stuff is always good no matter how you get it!:D Thanks Sk8tr, I will look for that thread!
 
About your question and those that keep corals "packed in". This produces some really nice "tank of the months" but I'll bet if you asked these guys, they would tell you that they practice exquisit husbandry, plan their flow as best they can and even then have their fair share of warfare.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8144415#post8144415 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MCary
About your question and those that keep corals "packed in". This produces some really nice "tank of the months" but I'll bet if you asked these guys, they would tell you that they practice exquisit husbandry, plan their flow as best they can and even then have their fair share of warfare.
This isn't the easiest hobby in the world by far (maybe that's why it's so rewarding) but I gree that's the response I'd get from the majority of reefkeepers. Thanks
 
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