Ricordias, Zoas and Green Star Ployps - Oh My!

[jeff@zina.com]

I'm working with an original JBJ 12 gallon Nano and the single PC lighting, but sticking with rics, zoas and GSP is working fine for me. The issue I'm starting to have as my tank fills in is that these are going to shortly run into each other. Are there going to be any issues or wars when these corals meet on the field of live rock?

 

So far no problems with other inhabitants, other than hermits crawling over them looking for leftovers or, on occasion, a fish or larger invert knocking a frag over that hasn't fully attached. No predators at least. And as the garden fills in I'm liking it even more than I thought I would.

 

Thanks for any tipe.

 

Jeff

[keydiver]

My best advice is to keep the GSP isolated. It it the fastest growing of those three, and will just encrust over the zoas, killing them off. Plus, GSP being the least expensive, I wouldn't take chances of it taking over all you zoas and rics. If you prune it regularly, it shouldn't be a problem, GSP grows in mats, you can just slice off the rock and stick somewhere else or do whatever with it. The rics shouldn't grow too fast, they grow much slower than regular shrooms. And the growth rate of the zoas varies. For example, brown zoas grow very very fast, where as "purple hornets", and some of the sought after designer polyps grow much more slowly

 

hope this helps and good luck

[MikeTR]

Hey Jeff... look at my 10g in my sig.. I've got em packed in there.. I for sure know that the ricordias won't have an issue touching the zoas or the GSP... the gsp will grow around the zoas and make it impossible for them to spread, though it wont sting them. For the mushrooms, depending on what kind they are, the GSP either stays away or start growing underneath the foot of the mushroom and you will start to see the mushroom move away or start to detach.

 

how's those gorilla nipples and cloves doin i gave ya btw?

[jeff@zina.com]

how's those gorilla nipples and cloves doin i gave ya btw?

 

They're doing well. My main reason for the question is I'm adding a ric and the perfect place for it is on the same rock as the GSP, which grows fairly quick. My original zoas have taken off and I put the Gorilla Nipples near them to grow a zoa garden. Not worried about zoas together, just the others.

 

Thanks,

 

Jeff