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Coral Livestock Interaction and Care Requirements

on Mar 08 in coral tagged acans, Acropora, anemones, coral livestock, coralimorphians, duncans, false corals, large polyp stony corals, leathres, Montipora, mushroom corals, palys, reef aquarium, small polyp stony corals, soft corals, Xenia, zoas by Aaron

I have heard a coral reef referred to as a “wall of mouths”… I like to say that coral lives to kill… and these statements are pretty accurate. Knowing that your coral livestock is expensive and some is relatively rare and difficult to acquire, you should take the time to make sure your corals are picked and placed within your reef aquarium correctly.

This means keeping them far enough apart, so they do no harm to each other, while still keeping them in the right part of the reef. With the right lights and nutrient export you can keep some corals from most or all of these groups.

Here are some guidelines that will help you choose your coral livestock and know what kind of system you will need…

Corals You Can Grow and How They Interact

Soft Corals: Zoas and Palys

Leathers and Xenia… this group is the most diverse and tends to be the easiest to keep, and least dangerous to its neighbors. Completely made up of flesh like tissue, soft coral are attached to the reef by a "foot". Some softies can damage other corals, but are usually the loser of a battle with a stony coral (of either type, SPS or LPS)

Soft corals lighting requirements are low to med, but can be acclimated to almost any marine lighting. These corals can be found all over the reef, from the low light areas to the sun burn zone. Usually filter type feeders some softies can be fed small bits of food.

Large Polyp Stony Corals–(LPS)

Acans and Duncans, frog spawn and brains…  LPS are the most aggressive type of true coral you can keep. Most consume nutrients via feeding tentacles filtering nutrients from the flow around it. On most, the tentacles form a circle around the mouth, and they can have long "sweeper tentacles" that on some corals can be 10"+.

These tentacles have powerful stinging cells that can release toxins and attach the tentacle to the prey item, which may be a neighboring coral. These stinging cells and toxins can continue damaging the sting victim well after separation.

If the prey is deemed appropriate for consumption, the LPS can eviscerate strands of digestive organs that contain enzymes to digest the prey externally and move the nutrients to the mouth. They can be acclimated to almost any marine lighting, usually low to mid reef placement, LPS can occasionally be found on top of the reef, and can eat quite large food items.

Small Polyp Stony Corals–(SPS)

Acropora and Montipora… branches and discs at the top of the reef, SPS are difficult to keep, and the fastest growing stony corals are in this group. Lighting and water quality requirements make this type of coral suitable only for the serious aquarist who has experience with, and knowledge of reef chemistry.

Primarily filter feeders, the tiny flower like polyps that cover the surface of most of these corals can retract into the skeletal structure. You will need a metal halide light, T5, or LED lighting, at high wattage to maintain SPS, also good nutrient export is needed.

These corals can be fed very small foods, such as rotifers, but some if not most will feed almost totally on phyto planktons, or other micro particles.

Coralimorphians-False corals

Anemones and mushroom corals… these animals are very diverse and potentially aggressive. Somewhat like soft corals, coralimorphs are all very soft tissue with a "foot" that attaches them to the reef, however unlike soft corals they can move depending on water conditions, lighting, or neighboring species, and anemones are notorious for finding power head and overflow intakes.

Some mushrooms and anemones can be relatively easy to keep, and some, not so easy at all, ricordeas and carpet anemones can be particularly sensitive. While some species are easy to care for and others not, they all have powerfull stinging cells that can damage or kill most other corals.

All anemones and some mushrooms will accept some meaty foods, and most can be acclimated to almost any marine lighting, but some anemones will need something better than power compacts. These animals can be acclimated to nutrient heavy waters, border line toxic water (NOT ENDORSED BY ME), and they may even thrive in those conditions as well.

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