The effects of soft corals on hard corals???

[brutuscz]

I have been wanting to start this thread for a while, and hope a few experts can chime in. My reef is 90 gal and has been running for 7+yrs. I used to keep no soft corals at all. My chalices, euphylia and brain corals always grew and did amazingly well. A few years ago I added some small sinularia, zoanthids and pulsing xenia. These three have taken off like weeds. Since they have grown and expanded so well...I have had difficulty keeping chalices, brains and euphylia. I also find that working on my tank causes me to get an itchy red rash on my arm. This never occurred before adding these three species. I also have a 40gal frag tank with no soft corals. I can work on it all day...no rash!! So far, I have removed the sinularia completely...and I have found that I can keep my hammers and frogspawn successfully. I have removed much of the xenia and zoanthids...but, still keep a few. I still get the arm rash...but, not as bad. Also...chalices still will not live very long, and brains corals still do not do great. I saw in Eric Bornemans book that all 3 of these do contain some toxic substances. I am assuming those chemicals are the cause of the arm rashes. But..I am still not sure which is causing the problems with my brains and chalices. The xenia or the zo's?? I have removed all the xenia I could...but, it is like a weed. All started to grow back!! I removed many zo's and now only keep a few favorites. But, I am considering removing them all. I did set up a 40gal xenia, zoanthid and sinularia frag tank. So...I have a place to put them.

So...I have read info in the past about sinularia and euphylia not being a great combo for the euphylia. But...any thoughts on the Zoanthids, xenia and chalice/brain problems? If the chemicals released are enough to give me an arm rash regularly....it stands to reason they could affect other corals in the same tank with limited dilution and no where else to go? I do use carbon, GFO and organic absorption medias. Made no difference. I am interested in any opinions???

 

[Ron Reefman]

I can't be much help, but...

My 180g mixed reef is now 75% sps and 20% lps and 5% softies. And I have real problems keeping zoas in the tank. They do fine in the DSB section of the sump, but move them to the 180g and the fad away slowly over 3 to 6 weeks. I also have a 65g shallow reef and the zoas do great in that system. I have never seen anybody attacking the zoas, but it's possible. Oh, and I have a couple of small colonies of palys that do OK, but I suspect they are different enough from most zoas (paly toxins) to keep any predator away.

BTW, xenia, you didn't know these grow like weeds? There are half a dozen soft corals I would never put in my big tank, and xenia is one of them.

 

[homer1475]

I have hammers, a torch, 2 octospawns, open brain, favia, zoas, Xenia, and paly's. All are growing very well. I think the trick may be whether your running carbon to remove the toxins the softies secrete.

 

[brutuscz]

I have kept xenia in the past. It did well...but, never grew uncontrollably. The advantage is it takes up nutrients and grows on areas that may have grown hair or slime algae. Now...it is literally a weed in my tank. I cut it out...grows right back.

Homer...for how long have you had them together? I did fine with the little sinularia frag...until it got BIG!! Then...euphyllia did terrible. Since I removed it all..they are thriving in my tank again.
I do run carbon, rowaphos and an organic adsorption resin( forgot the name). Still...problems with brains and chalices. Since I have been getting the arm rash from my tank...I have not been able to keep any chalice alive for long. I really think whatever chemical is causing my skin reaction..is also affecting certain corals. Just not sure which one.