Question about Corals Hurting Fish

[Nataliek2270]

Weird Question:

I was thinking about getting some duncan corals and putting it on the substrate in my tank, but I also would like a fish like rainford's goby or randall's goby that sand-sifts and spends most of its time hovering over the substrate. Would LPS's like Duncans and Elegance Corals and Hammers sting the other fish I want (like gobies?) I can't seem to find the answer anywhere. I figure that if a duncan coral can sting a cap coral or zoas, it can sting my fish too, right?

Thanks :spin2:

 

[poolkeeper1]

Fish know better than to go In corals that will sting them! Let me Educate you about Elegance Corals, The most experianced reffers In the world cannot keep these alive for any length of time and they are best left In the Ocean. Too many people with good Intentions killing them. And the LFS that sell them know this very well. Bad Bad Bad JMHO...

 

[Nataliek2270]

Good to know! Thanks Bill! I like duncans just as much as elegance, I just want to make sure the LPSs dont get an expensive snack of a new goby. I know that anemones will eat fish and was hesitant about spending good money for a fish killer

 

[andywe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15546729#post15546729 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Nataliek2270
Good to know! Thanks Bill! I like duncans just as much as elegance, I just want to make sure the LPSs dont get an expensive snack of a new goby. I know that anemones will eat fish and was hesitant about spending good money for a fish killer

Ekegance are not for begginers, or evne intermediates. I ahve an elegance and do well with it. Not sure I really subscribe to Bill's point of voew very well, as I do keep one successfully. Indie Elegance are the ones msot likely to die in the best of cirucumstances...I have an Aussie which are a bit better in captivity. Either way, nothing for a new tank or a new reefer.

 

[poolkeeper1]

After all the years I've been reefing I've never seen many live to an old age In captivity. The Aussie ones may live longer but I would not bet money on It, Only time will tell. Most well known experts will say to leave them In the Ocean where they thrive, not just stay alive. And the LFS that sell them IMO should not.
I have tried several In the past so I speak from experiance.
Bill

 

[Pickupman66]

agreed on the elegance. never had luck and just decided to go other ways with them..

now as for hte hammers and other LPS, I have NEVER had an issue with them and gobies or fish. I have a Very large (cantelope) sized frogspawn and have never had any issues with it and any small fishes. I have a newly added royal grama and lubbock wrasse. both take shelter beneath the heads and I know my tangs have brushed against it. Anemonees are much more of a threat to a fish than your corals.

now, get the frogspawn against another coral, and it is WW3! Corals sting coral to dominate space on the reef so they survive. if you have no space, you cannot grow. Get you some LPS and enjoy them. the frogspawn and hammer in my tank are some of my favs. they are side by side and intertwine regularly without issue. but when they get too close to anything else.. BZZZZZ and its dead.

Edit: ive been reefkeeping for almost 15 years. had an elegance once and just after I setup my current tank 8 years ago. never again.. not worth the loss.

 

[andywe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15546887#post15546887 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by poolkeeper1
After all the years I've been reefing I've never seen many live to an old age In captivity. The Aussie ones may live longer but I would not bet money on It, Only time will tell. Most well known experts will say to leave them In the Ocean where they thrive, not just stay alive. And the LFS that sell them IMO should not.
I have tried several In the past so I speak from experiance.
Bill

Thats the beauty of this hobby Bill....different people/tanks seem to have different experiences. My goniopora should be gone by now according to what people say..so should my Chili Pepper....I do not expect all corals to live a lifetime..as most don't...but I do my best to provide good conditions for them.

You have awesome SPS..mine haven't thrived (although the ULNS is greatly improving them)...go figure!

 

[Nataliek2270]

A lot of retailers and references out there say that Elegance is a "beginners coral" but I have heard otherwise from forums and from people's personal experience (and you all's advice as well) and will definitely leave that coral for the ocean. Duncans on the otherhand are supposed to be a good coral for me being new to LPS and reefing. I couldn't subject (even a coral) to harm if I knew I could prevent it. Thanks everyone for the advice, I know your word is ten fold for worth than people selling these corals. If I can help it, I want to not kill anything! Now I go back to watching Singing in the Rain

 

[andywe]

I would also urge you to consider what entails care for your first corals as well. Duncans need to be fed (or should be). If this is something you do not want to do, or want to research more, then frogspawn is an excellent choice as pickuopman suggested.

Duncans eat some fish meat, shrimp, ect to do best. Frogspawn you jsut add some Phyto and they are happy. Whatever you decide, go slow and build up

 

[Nataliek2270]

very good advice, thanks andywe!

 

[Mikeyjer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15547446#post15547446 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by andywe
I would also urge you to consider what entails care for your first corals as well. Duncans need to be fed (or should be). If this is something you do not want to do, or want to research more, then frogspawn is an excellent choice as pickuopman suggested.

Duncans eat some fish meat, shrimp, ect to do best. Frogspawn you jsut add some Phyto and they are happy. Whatever you decide, go slow and build up

Duncans does not have to be fed!!! I own one and I've never fed it! It's growing just fine! It's got 5 baby heads all the way around the single polyp I bought. Same with Frogspawn! Mine is growing like crazy. As long as you provide them with proper lighting, they will thrive, that's what they mainly feed on is lights! Sure they may get food here and there when you feed your fish, but to feed them, I've never done it. But if you want to feed it, you can! Get some cyclopeeze and some finely chopped food to feed since they don't like big chunks from my experience. The rest of the stuffs, others have covered already so I don't have to go on about it.
Sometimes fish get stung from corals where you see a small black spot on a fish, but it goes away. They will build up tolerance towards the coral and it won't happen again!

 

[HowardCath]

I got 2 Aussie Duncans at the swap this year. One died within a couple of weeks. The other, which looked the same, has grown very well and is one of my favorites in appearance. I have not had any fish problems with them, including my fuse gobie and my yellow diamond gobie.

See my pics through this link below:

http://picasaweb.google.com/howardcath/200981AussieDuncan#

 

[Mikeyjer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15548075#post15548075 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by HowardCath
I got 2 Aussie Duncans at the swap this year. One died within a couple of weeks. The other, which looked the same, has grown very well and is one of my favorites in appearance. I have not had any fish problems with them, including my fuse gobie and my yellow diamond gobie.

See my pics through this link below:

http://picasaweb.google.com/howardcath/200981AussieDuncan#

It looks very nice!!!! I'm waiting for mine to grow like that. I started with just one polyp and it's finally growing more polyps.

 

[poolkeeper1]

Mikey, If you feed It It will grow even better, I just sold one with over 30 heads that had two when I bought It. I fed It once a week, Food Is the difference between Just staying alive and thriving.
Andy, Yes you may keep yours alive and I hope you do! But the general consensus on these corals Is to leave them In the ocean, Where they do best. I had one live for almost a year, Then for no reason It just declined and died very quickly. And the same for the Gonipora most people cannot keep them long term. But you could be the first, And let everybody know what you did different to have this success. Years ago we could not keep SPS alive now It thrives for lots of people so who knows!

 

[Mikeyjer]

Bill,

I know they thrive when you feed, but it is not necessary to do so! Andy made it sound like it was necessary to do so! Like I've said part to my post, I used to feed! My Candy Cane grew like crazy when I used to feed it mysis shrimp on a weekly basis. But I don't feed it now and it is still growing just fine. It's up to the individual to feed or not to feed.

 

[acecool]

My experience with elegance coral has been very good and had a very healthy specimen for over 7 years before it split and decided to sell it. I love it but it was too big and anyway was time for a change but I do miss it.

 

[poolkeeper1]

That Is amazing I have never heard of one living that long In captivity, Kudos to you for having that kind of success! What do you think you did that others have failed to do to keep It alive that long?
Bill

 

[acecool]

Nothing, just lucky that it was a healthy specimen to begin with and maybe the 6" DSB fresh out of Florida Ocean might have played a role. You can see it in my gallery when it was just a 5 years old "baby"