Rene Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 The first rule of coral fight club is everyone shares there experiences so we can make better placement decisions . Just like the movie! It's easy to forget that our corals are actual animals until they go ballistic and burn each other's faces off. But that's a thing, so who are the marshmallows and who are the rabid rottweilers of the coral kingdom? Here's my (sad) list of experiences. I can personally vouch for all of these. Last edit 3/2/18: I'm not the only one with pugnacious corals. A number of other members have had corals throw down in their tanks and back alleys and we're kind enough to share. Their experiences have been added to this post and their names are in brackets so they get a shout-out for their badly behaved cnidarians. Favia: I'll add something here when my Favia starts murdering things. Favia > Montipora capricornis (WV Reefer) Favia > Leptastrea (WV Reefer) Galaxea: this will form sweeper tentacles to sting other corals. I've heard they can be up to a foot long and have personally seen 6". Putting them in higher flow will encourage sweeper formation. The ends of the sweepers can also detach and float around the tank to sting other corals which is, like, totally unfair. Galaxea > Leptoseris Galaxea > Lithophyllon Galaxea > Cyphastrea Galaxea > Dendrophyllia Galaxea > Favia (this might be a close match, the suspected Favia I have held up well and took little damage) Galaxea > Manacina Galaxea > Xenia (Xenia died quickly) Galaxea > Rhodactis inchoata (this might be a close match, Rhodactis did not extend as much but did not melt) Acanthastrea: Acan lordhowensis is really Micromussa lordhowensis now. But we don't care, because that's just how we are. Wild and free. Acan echinata > Acan lordhowensis (Clown79) Caulastrea: cute as a button, but apparently not without a murderous streak. Caulastrea > Ricordea sp. (Clown79) Chalice: I suspect I have an Echinophyllia. This can form some kind of fine filmy stinging tentacles near it's edges if it senses other corals nearby. Mine has been able to reach things about 3/4" away. How does it know? Psychic skills? Smell of blood in the water? I don't know. These are fairly bloodthirsty. Chalice > Cyphastrea Chalice sp. "Hollywood Stunner" > Euphyllia "Frogspawn" (Clown79) Chalice > Button Scoly (Cannedfish) Dendrophyllia: so far this thing has been all bark and no bite. It looks like it will sting. A hungry dendro will grab your fingers. But I haven't seen one sting another coral...yet. Apparently, it's only a matter of time, as they did in some zoas at @Cannedfish's house. Dendro. sp. "fathead" = Phyllangia americana (mine are touching and not causing each other any problems) Dendro. sp. "fathead" = Rhodactis (touching, no problems) Dendro sp. "fathead" > Zoanthids (Cannedfish) Euphyllia: I don't keep these, but all species in this genus are well known for being able to produce long sweeper tentacles. Euphyllia "Hammer coral" > Gorgonians (Kimberbee) Euphyllia "Hammer coral" < Mushroom coral (Kimberbee) Montipora: a huge and variable genus. It seems likely that there will be some variation in aggression here. Montipora capricornis > Aussie Acro (WV Reefer) Montipora sp. "Jedi Mind Trick" < Cyphastrea (Cannedfish) Montipora sp. "toxic" > Acropora sp. "WWC Purple Passion" (Cannedfish) Photosynthetic gorgonians: most of these can touch each other, and their bases encrust only a little bit of rock, but it's worth noting that some of these can be toxic to many, many other hard and soft corals if they are declining in the tank, and it happens fast, within hours. I've experienced this with Plexaura homomalla, and a Eunucea. Gorgonians < Euphyllia "Hammer coral" (Kimberbee) Gorgonians = Mushrooms (Kimberbee, Rene has tested it with Atlantic species of Discosoma, Ricordea) Trachyphyllia: Trachy = short tentacled plate (Cannedfish says they like to cuddle) Xenia: arguably too much of a good thing in some tanks. Xenia > Aiptasia (WV Reefer ... and if that doesn't give you pause, I don't know what will.) Xenia < Galaxea There are SO MANY MORE known issues, but I only started by listing what I've experienced. Please share your experiences! If there's enough feedback, I can add it all together to make it easier to find. Thanks to @Cannedfish and @KurtS for inspiring this topic. 6 1 Quote Link to comment
WV Reefer Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Favia > Montipora Capricornis Favia > Leptastrea Xenia > Aiptasia Montipora Capricornis > Aussie Acro I have a three way fight currently playing out: Birdsnest vs Montipora Digitata vs Birdsnest I have a Galaxea with 6 inch sweepers that is ready to fight at the drop of a hat but has no contenders yet. I have a 1/2 inch sized chalice that will be a problem when it grows up. .... nothing but sweepers all night long. 1 1 Quote Link to comment
Rene Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 Thanks for playing! The one that shocks me here is Xenia vs Aiptasia. That's nuts! There has to be some practical application for that, but for the life of me, I can't figure out what it would be.... 1 Quote Link to comment
WV Reefer Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 1 minute ago, Rene said: Thanks for playing! The one that shocks me here is Xenia vs Aiptasia. That's nuts! There has to be some practical application for that, but for the life of me, I can't figure out what it would be.... I was quite surprised myself but I’m still not sure which one is worse to have in the tank. Quote Link to comment
Rene Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 Just now, WV Reefer said: I was quite surprised myself but I’m still not sure which one is worse to have in the tank. So far? Galaxea. Galaxea is the worst. 1 Quote Link to comment
WV Reefer Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 8 minutes ago, Rene said: So far? Galaxea. Galaxea is the worst. I believe it. I can put a new frag in my 75 Gallon on one end of the tank, which is 4ft long, and that Galaxea immediately releases the sweepers at the opposite end of the tank. 1 Quote Link to comment
Rene Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 It's possible I may have made some kind of mistake in putting it in a three gallon tank. When it can make sweepers that are longer than that entire tank. Ask me why the section in the first post on Galaxea is so long. 2 Quote Link to comment
Clown79 Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Recently in my Pico my Acan enchinata completely took out my acan lord. My Hollywood stunner chalice took out my frogspawn when the frogspawn got knocked into it over night. Trumpets stung my ricordea but I caught that before the shroom was destroyed 3 1 Quote Link to comment
Cannedfish Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Awesome thread. Cyphastrea > Montipora (apparently it doesn't have Jedi Mind Tricks... or if it does the cyphastrea should be renamed the Sith Lord (boom...dad joke)) Chalice > Button Scoly Acro > Montipora (really lit that disk up) Dendro > Zoas My short tentacle plate and trachy are apparently friends and rub up on each other with no ill effects. Shhhh....word on the streets is that pectinia will "take-on-all-comers" (but thus far my has behaved) 1 1 Quote Link to comment
Cannedfish Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Anyone experience Acro vs. Cyphastrea? That's on course to happen soon in my box o' water. I'm afraid the acro may lose, so I have been beating back the cyphastrea with tweezers. Note: I do have one acro that sends out its mesenterial filaments almost nightly and will nuke anything around it: algae, coralline algea, small children. Since I got it, it has been placed on the back glass, so it hasn't been near anything, however, this is by far the most aggressive coral in my tank (it must be from Philly), and one of the fastest growing. I would put this jerk one up against the cyphastrea, but other than that frag, I'm thinking that cyphastrea may win. 1 1 Quote Link to comment
Christopher Marks Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Great topic idea @Rene! 1 Quote Link to comment
kimberbee Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Mushroom > hammer > gorgonian = mushroom. WTF. 2 Quote Link to comment
Rene Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 55 minutes ago, kimberbee said: Mushroom > hammer > gorgonian = mushroom. WTF. 5 Quote Link to comment
mitten_reef Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 2 hours ago, Rene said: BTA beats pretty much everything. I have a fun pic to share for this one, clashing in multiple fronts. But the coolest has to be the red monti completely wraps itself around the blue digi. 4 2 Quote Link to comment
Cannedfish Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 36 minutes ago, micoastreefing said: BTA beats pretty much everything. I have a fun pic to share for this one, clashing in multiple fronts. But the coolest has to be the red monti completely wraps itself around the blue digi. Stop having such an awesome tank already! I'm kidding, but your tank is pretty awesome. 1 1 Quote Link to comment
Rene Posted March 3, 2018 Author Share Posted March 3, 2018 Thanks everyone who has replied so far! Your responses have been rolled into the first post to make them easier to find at a glance. 1 Quote Link to comment
Oracus Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 "Chalice sp. "Hollywood Stunner" > Euphyllia "Frogspawn" (Clown79)" Thanks for this, ill be move mine apart tomorrow. Quote Link to comment
Clown79 Posted March 6, 2018 Share Posted March 6, 2018 On 02/03/2018 at 11:02 PM, Oracus said: "Chalice sp. "Hollywood Stunner" > Euphyllia "Frogspawn" (Clown79)" Thanks for this, ill be move mine apart tomorrow. I just moved my Hollywood stunner too after the attack. Lol. They have some long sweepers that are clear. Quote Link to comment
Cannedfish Posted March 6, 2018 Share Posted March 6, 2018 At Fragniappe this weekend, I picked up a stunning rainbow rock flower anemone. While I thought it was beautiful, the Acan Echinata apparently thought it was delicious. Acan Echinata > Rock Flower Anemone > my wallet Also, @Rene awesome job rolling this up to the first post! I can see this being really informative! Maybe a sticky? 5 2 Quote Link to comment
Rene Posted March 6, 2018 Author Share Posted March 6, 2018 I did not know feeder anemones were a thing. Sorry for your loss. Hey, if we get enough data, maybe this could make a useful sticky, especially if we can get a little more info on how corals like to murder each other. Like, I know acan echinatas are bad boys, but it seems like stuff has to pretty much fall into them to get eaten, vs any eyphllia, which will generate sweepers and go looking for a fight. That would be good stuff to know! 3 Quote Link to comment
Clown79 Posted March 8, 2018 Share Posted March 8, 2018 On 06/03/2018 at 1:32 PM, Rene said: I did not know feeder anemones were a thing. Sorry for your loss. Hey, if we get enough data, maybe this could make a useful sticky, especially if we can get a little more info on how corals like to murder each other. Like, I know acan echinatas are bad boys, but it seems like stuff has to pretty much fall into them to get eaten, vs any eyphllia, which will generate sweepers and go looking for a fight. That would be good stuff to know! That's a great idea! Yes, enchinata, wow the damage it does in the span of a few hrs! Quote Link to comment
WV Reefer Posted March 13, 2018 Share Posted March 13, 2018 Cup Coral vs. Leptastrea vs. Favia vs. Montipora The Favia has beat up the Leptastrea and the Monti before. 1 1 Quote Link to comment
CarolinaShoreReef Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 On 3/1/2018 at 11:14 PM, Rene said: It's possible I may have made some kind of mistake in putting it in a three gallon tank. When it can make sweepers that are longer than that entire tank. Ask me why the section in the first post on Galaxea is so long. I’m now so glad I didn’t get these when I saw them? 1 Quote Link to comment
Patrick17 Posted March 22, 2018 Share Posted March 22, 2018 My experience with softies recently: Kenya Tree > Gorgonians > toadstool Toadstool recovered as soon as the gorg was moved away, annoyingly I'm not sure if gorgs will recover. Also BTA > everything it touched however, overflow > BTA 1 Quote Link to comment
Clown79 Posted March 24, 2018 Share Posted March 24, 2018 Today in my Pico, my acan fell on a trumpet head. Bye bye trumpet. 1 Quote Link to comment
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