Soft Coral Toxins Fact Thread

[iamdickie]

I wanted to start this thread to get teh facts on the toxins realeased by soft coral (octocorals).

This thread would like to keep facts, and questions from the facts, as well as exp of that the soft corals have done to tanks.

As most know Softies can take thier toll on SPS corals, SO lets try to keep them out of it, as it is a fact that they dont get along.

How do OCtacorals effect other reef inhabitats? (eg, LPS, anemones, inverts, xenias, fish ect ect.

Also are there any standard guidelines of what is too many softies fortanks. Lets all assume that everyone is running carbon for the sake of argument.

 

[blange3]

Great thread idea! I was hoping it had gotten some replies by now as I have been wondering about these questions as well.

This is the kind of post that would fare a little better in a softies forum.

Staffers please note! Thanks!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Nearly all corals have some toxins, and I do not think it is established that soft corals necessarily have more potent ones than hard corals. Aquarists just seem to focus on them more. The actual amount released from individual species are not well known, and even the nature of most toxins is not known.

That said, I have always mixed hard and soft corals OK, as long as they are not touching.

I discuss toxins a tiny bit in this article:

Organic Compounds in the Reef Aquarium
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-10/rhf/index.htm

 

[blange3]

Thanks Randy,

Great article! I notice cycles in my tank of touching neighbors waxing and waning and often wondered how much was related to toxins.

In particular I have a Colt colony next to a colony of Anthelia that have grown together and most days both are fully open and under no stress. Then one or the other seem to shrink back for no apparent reason while the other seems to expand. They'll switch back and forth for a day and then return to normal.

Kind of cool to watch.