Macroalgae + Corals? 8/1/04
Hi, First I want to thank you all for organizing such a great site to provide and promote good 
aquarium husbandry system.
<thanks kindly... please do tell others about us>
I have a question regarding of reef aquarium set-up: It is a good idea to have a tank setup up with 
macroalgae grown (harvested in a regular basis and prevented them from going sexual) and some corals?
<macroalgae can serve a very useful purpose as a vehicle for nutrient export as well as substrate for cultivating 
natural plankton>
What would your opinion be if I set up a 40g aquarium with 6" sand bed + several sp. of macro algae + life rocks + 
some soft corals without a sump.
<macroalgae are very competitive... please stick with one species ideally. Mixing them is a bad idea in the long run IMO>
For circulation, I would use a  DIY SCWD closed loop system (estimated to run at about 700gph) in additional 
to a protein skimmer.
<excellent>
Will this kind of system (macroalgae + softies in a same tank) likely to fail?
<not really... the more we/you mix... the more you simply have to be diligent about water quality: 
weekly water changes, daily changes of small amounts of carbon, aggressive protein skimming, 
and you'll be fine for years>
Honestly, I do not know why actually most aquarist grow macroalgae in the sump but not in the tank itself.
<macros are noxious and compete with corals for space & light and with chemicals>
Thank you. Leo
<kindly, Anthony>

Elegance
Hi!
<Hello. Graham at your service.>  
I have a problem.
<Okay.>
My elegance, purple tipped, was doing wonderfully until one of my fish started nipping at him.  I removed the fish but the elegance has stayed sucked in in the middle where I saw the fish nip at him.  Now other fish, a yellow tang, has begun to pass by and nip at him.  I fear he will not recover.  I moved him a little higher on the rock as many of my fish do not go there as much.  Is there anything I can do to help him heal?  
<If the fish are bothering the elegance, either the coral or fish has to go. Unfortunately, once fish get the taste for the flesh of corals (Especially large polyped scleractinians, such as your elegance), they don't seem to give it up very easily. I can recommend, however, to feed the fish often, preferably small amounts throughout the day. This may stop the fishes urge to feed on the coral. Another point is that Yellow Tangs do not often nip at corals. Is the tang nipping at the fleshy area of the coral, or the skeleton? Secondly, how long does the coral stay "sucked in" after the fish nip at it? How long have you had the coral? Elegance corals are not very hardy, and many have a poor survival rate in captivity if not kept under certain water conditions. Generally, they prefer strong light and high nutrient levels, especially since the majority of elegance corals are being collected from shallow nutrient rich areas.>
He's near the top of my 75 gallon tank.  Please help - I do not want to lose him.
<I look forward to hearing a response from you. Elegance corals are indeed very beautiful. Take Care, Graham.>

Coral warfare
G'day Mate!
<< Hi there. >>
In my tank I have a hammer coral which is in the top of the photo. It seems to be reaching out to touch the coral at the bottom (of the photo), but it hasn't reached yet.
Are these 2 about to go into battle and sting each other? Or will they be OK? << I'd say they will "fight" a little.  Personally I wouldn't be too worried about it.  If in fact they grow that close to each other, it is easy to just move one a way.  That is what I would do, just to be safe. >>
I cannot find in my Marine Atlas books (1, 2 & 3) the name for the coral in the bottom of the photo. Could you please ID it for me and give me any info about keeping this coral. << Difficult to tell, but it looks to me like an Elegance Coral.  I would keep it on the sand, with lots of light. Other than that, no special care instructions.  They are typically not recommended, but some have great success with them. >>
Thanks mate
Chris
<<  Adam Blundell  >>

Coral Compatibility / Selection 5/30/04
Hello WWM Crew.  I'm in the process of setting up a 90-gallon reef tank, and I have a couple of questions about coral selection.  I've never kept corals before, though I've had fish-only marine tanks in the past.  I've done an extraordinary amount of reading over the past couple months in preparation for the tank, but I'm still grappling with the questions of what corals to include in my tank.
<How to stock is a challenging question even for seasoned reefers!  Kudos for planning ahead and educating yourself!>
My tank specs are as follows:  90 gallon tank (48 x 24 x 18); lighting is 2 x 250 w metal halide (10,000 K) and 2 x 96 w pc fluorescent; 36 gallon sump under the tank with a small built-in refugium (will probably use as a DSB refugium with Gracilaria); protein skimmer (haven't picked the model yet); calcium doser; waver makers, etc.  The substrate in the tank will be a sprinkling of fine sand (less than 1/2").
<If you are going to use such a fine layer of sand, I would suggest something with a 2-3mm grain size.  Sugar fine sand will blow around quite a bit leaving bare spots, and no grain size will provide much biological function at such a shallow depth.>
Like many people, I really love the look of reef tanks that mix soft, SPS and LPS corals.  However, I've done enough research to know that this is often problematic, and I don't want to take on more than I can handle as a beginner.  In general, I find soft corals to be the most interesting (and maybe the safest choice for a beginner).  However, my FAVORITE coral is Montipora -- the variety that forms plates or scrolls.  I understand that it's fairly hardy for an SPS coral, and I'm wondering if it would be a mistake to try to combine several frags of Montipora with soft corals in a new tank.
<Montiporas are generally fairly tolerant of soft corals.  They also should be widely available as fragments from other hobbyists making experimentation a bit more acceptable (ethically and financially!).>
I've done some research to try to determine which soft corals might be the least aggressive, but I'm not coming up with much.
<This is a very difficult thing to quantify.  Corals will produce different amounts of aggressive chemicals under different conditions.  Also, the interactions can be very specific, and you may find that certain individual corals will not do well with the other corals in your tank, although they may do very well in another tank.>
I understand that clove polyps and star polyps don't contain many stinging cells, but I'm not sure if that means they wouldn't emit chemicals that would be harmful to the Montipora.
<Again, this is hard to predict, but clove and star polyps can and will simply grow right over other living corals!>
(btw, I plan to use carbon in the sump and replace it monthly, which hopefully will reduce some of the chemicals).
<Very good idea!>
My main question is, what soft or LPS corals do you think be the safest (or engage in the least amount of warfare) with the Montipora?
<I would be much more concerned about the well being of LPS (especially Euphyllias) in the presence of soft corals than I would be of Montipora.  LPS are generally very sensitive to softies, but aren't very chemically aggressive themselves, relying on very powerful stings to defend themselves.>
Some of the ones on my list that I'm considering besides the polyps are Ricordea mushrooms <med-highly aggressive>, leather coral<Among the most chemically aggressive>, hammer coral and open brain <Hammer and Trachyphyllia are very sensitive to softies>.  Thanks for any advice you can provide me.
<Glad to help, and please don't miss the imbedded comments in the last paragraph!  Adam>

Chemical Warfare?
Help please!!!
<OK, fire away.  Ryan here>
I have a 150 gallon reef filled with shrimp, stars, crabs and corals.  The fish load is not high but I do have some activity with tangs and gobies. I have had no problems in the past with the reef other than the occasional brown algae from to much light, and other nutrients. <OK> 
Lately my brains and other LPS have been on the decline. They have been very healthy for some time and suddenly all of them have crashed at once. All of the softies are very happy and seem undisturbed by whatever the problem is. The only thing I have noticed in the tank that is odd is blue mushrooms shrinking a bit. I have changed water, checked for water problems, checked temperature, and any other thing I can think of. 
<this isn't real helpful- Actual test results are needed here>
I have now moved all of the LPS to another tank and they have immediately made a dramatic comeback. Whenever I move one back to the other tank, the same result occurs. Please help me help my LPS! <Are you skimming?  If not, I would imagine the LPS (Although you haven't mentioned any specific animal) are at the receiving end of a little chemical warfare.  Please re-write with some helpful details and we'll see what we can do.  Sorry I couldn't do more, Ryan>
Brian    

Chemical Warfare pt. 2
Thank you for your response. <No problems! Glad to be of assistance> The specific animals affected have been a
large green Lobophyllia, a large green brain (not sure of specific type), candy cane corals, two plate corals, elegance corals, and a red and green neon brain. As far as the specifics on the water, I will get that for you ASAP. I am not running a protein skimmer. I will put one on immediately. <I would encourage you to do weekly water changes of %15 total volume, and put a decent skimmer like an Aqua-C Remora or a Double Bak-Pak on there. You're headed in the right direction. Also, if you aren't running activated carbon at this point, it will help get things pristine again. Good luck! Ryan>
Brian 

Having A Cow(fish)?
Hi Bob,
<Scott F. in for Bob today>
Thank you for the help so far, WWM has been very helpful.  I was
interested in buying a cowfish and a royal Dottyback.  The cowfish is just a little (for now) yellow guy with black dots, and of course you know the Royal Dottyback.  Are these guys safe with False Percula Clowns, Banded Coral Shrimp, Green Brittle Star, and Algae Blenny.
<I'm not too concerned about everyone else, but I do worry about the cowfish, and it's potential to poison the tank if agitated excessively. Ounce for ounce, Dottybacks can be some of the toughest fish around! With lots of good rockwork, and plenty of space, it could work, but I'd pass on the Cowfish, and relegate this guy to a more "mellow" tank.>
I have read that the cowfish is omnivorous and I do have a fair bit of green algae and black algae (trying to get rid of, just got another powerhead to increase water movement as WWM stated).
<Yep, they do eat some vegetable matter>
I have also read that the royal Dottyback is very territorial will this be a problem with the other tank mates??  
<As above. Mainly concerned with the Cowfish>
I am wanting to do a partial reef partial fish tank are these 2 reef safe, I know the Cowfish nips at some corals, anemones.
<The Cowfish is problematic, but the Dottyback is a fine reef fish>
I also had a question about the power head I just bought. Are all powerheads submersible?
<Well, there are a number of manufacturers who make external powerheads, such as Tunze, Gemini, Hi Tech, etc.>
I bought the Pro 4 by Hagen, which pumps 240-425 GPH, it has a water line located on the side.  Am I able to submerse it as it states it is a submersible??
<I believe that this all Hagen powerheads are totally submersible, but I'd consult Hagen first, as I am not familiar with this particular model. They should be able to give you exact information on it>
Finally, I read that you should have a GPH flow of 5X -10X the tank size.  Now are these Imperial or metric GPHs.  Just curious not to worried as they are FAIRLY similar. Thank you very much,
Todd Hawman
<Interesting question! As an American, I say "X" times per tank volume in US gallons, but the theory is the same in metric, too. Shoot for 10 times tank volume, and I think you'll be okay. Good luck! Regards, Scott F>

Half Moon Angel with Cnidarians?
Hello,
Are there any corals and anemones I can put in my tank that my half moon angel wont eat! I saw a saltwater show tank at (the Sony store) witch had a 5 inch half moon angel and Mushrooms on the live rock together. All of my fish are reef safe in my tank but my angle. I did now this when I got him and I have NO regrets. thank you so much....
<Small, flat corals will be your best chance- such as mushrooms.  Mushrooms also have
amazing regenerative properties, so a bite here and there may not prove lethal.  Bottom line is keep these corals cheap!  They may be breakfast.  Ryan>

Coral additions 2/12/04
I have a quick question, can these corals Alcyonium, Euphyllia, Sarcophyton, Heliofungia, Pachyclavularia, Plerogyra, Catalaphyllia, Trachyphyllia, be kept safely in the same tank as long as they didn't touch?
<Sure, as long as the tank is big enough.  Keep in mind that Heliofungia and Catalaphyllia are notorious for poor survival, and just to pick nits, Pachyclavularia is now included in the genus Briareum.>
I understand Clavularia is resilient to stings and dose not sting other corals. I was planning on placing these corals in-between corals that could seriously harm each other. Is this a good idea?
<I would be suspicious of Clavularia as a strong chemical competitor.  As you stated, it doesn't have a strong sting, so it has to protect itself somehow.  I would suggest simply leaving adequate physical space.>
I'm planning on doing 25% water changes every week to dilute chemical warfare. In the main tank I don't want the sand dissolving under the coral could you recommend a sugar fine sand that doesn't dissolve. Also, would 250 watt or 175 watt halide be better.  Thank you
<25% a week is commendable, but a lot.  Any aragonite sand will dissolve.  Silica sand will not, but it's use is controversial, and I don't recommend it.  All of the corals you listed will tolerate fairly low light.  VHO would be adequate if the tank is 24" or less deep.  I would not go more than 175w halides unless the tank will be 30" or more deep.  Good luck!  Adam>

Coral Aggression/Isogeny 2/6/04
I've got a question about aggressiveness between Sarcophytons and Capnellas. Are they going to be aggressive towards each other? I have some that are growing quite close now, but don't want to disturb them unless I have to.
<at present, its impossible to quantify how much and to what extent aggression will be apparent between various corals. It is a complex dynamic influenced (beyond the noxious potency of a given colony) by water quality (water changes, use of carbon and ozone, etc) and other factors (water flow, proximity and sensation of unnatural or competitive neighbors, etc). But suffice it to say that no corals should be allowed to touch each other and you will be safe. For many, they will even execute aggression against others of their own species! [Isogenous corals that will only tolerate clones of the same colony]. Its a reliable rule of thumb to maintain a minimum of 10" (25 cm) between corals at all times with good water quality. Most aquarists unfortunately don't plan for this and have problems with crowding even in the short term (1-3 years). Anthony>

Corals and Anemones? (Almost) never together 2/5/04
Dear WWM crew,
<howdy!>
Thanks in advance for the help.  I am running a corner tank (custom made) approx. 50 gals.  I am running 3 CFs, one 10,000K daylight 50-50 and two actinic 50-50's all 65W for a total of 195W.  I am running a Fluval 303 with biological and chemical media attached to a UV sterilized processing between 50-75 gal/hr.  I recently added a refugium ( a 10 gallon aq. capacity is about 7.5 gal and a sump about 3.5 gal.  I'm using an overflow box to get the water from the tank to the sump and it free flows from the sump to the refug. and a quiet one 3000 pumping at about 400 gph.  The refug is about 2 weeks old, Q1.
How long and when should the refug be lit?  
<depends entirely on the needs of what is growing inside (just like light over displays). Anything you read about 24hr illumination applies only to Caulerpa, which you need to understand well if you are going to use... many merits and dangers with the genus. Chaetomorpha or Gracilaria are better/safer macroalgae IMO to be lit on a simple 12hr photoperiod (reverse of display if you like to help with pH stability>
I had some problems with Cyanobacteria so I backed the lighting off of the main tank.  I am running the two actinic from 10am - 6 pm and the daylight from 11am to 7 pm.
<Cyano is not about lighting my friend... it is entirely about nutrients. That is what feds/fuels Cyano... and its caused by many things: quality of source/tap water, overfeeding/overstocking, poor skimming (less than 3-5 dark cups minimum weekly), and most commonly - a lack of adequate water flow (10-20X) which allows detritus to settle and feed nuisance algae>
The main question I have is this.  I did some drilling on my stand to run the hoses for the refugium and I lost my yellow tang.  I thought he had died from stress, but my Condy anemone is getting huge.  Could he have eaten a silver dollar sized tang.  
<yes... possibly>
His base is about the size of the palm of my hand and he stretches from about 10-12".  He seems to be getting to big for the tank.  Will he eat other fish?  
<they can indeed. And please take note to read further about the perils of mixing anemones with corals. It should almost never be done in my opinion (beyond being an unnatural mix with most sp.>
I recently (1 month ago) bought a sebae anemone, white w/purple tips.  
<Oh, no... mixing anemone species is arguably even worse. Arghhh. These anemones simply are not commonly found mixed in/on a reef with corals... and even when they are, the condition of confinees in an aquarium with motile stinging cnidarians (anemones0 with sessile ones (corals) is a recipe for disaster in the long run. Please reconsider>
I know this isn't good but he seems to be doing OK and my maroon has taken to him.  He is between golf and baseball size.  He has taken up residence under a ramosa shell I have in the tank.  He wasn't eating very well but I have read some of your articles and will change my feeding regime.  
<OK>
I have a Goniopora coral, the Condy, a sebae, and Xenia in the same tank.  Can/Will they get along?  
<The fact that your young tank also has a Goniopora in it tells me that you are getting staggeringly bad advice on buying decisions... or you are not taking good advice from your LFS, my friend. I say this to help you... there are several red flags going up here that earmark your tank for an all too common disaster in the near future. Fish/coral losses at very minimum>
The Condy is slowing growing and is getting pretty close to the Goniopora.  Will he sting in and kill it.  
<Yes, possibly. It is one of the problems with mixing anemones with corals as mentioned above>
He has already harmed the Xenia?  How far apart should they be and any info you can provide will be nice.  
<10" is the minimum distance to keep between most corals to start with>
I just found your website today and spent about 4 hours here.  My wife is ready to kill me. Thanks, Dave
<read on my friend... and buy flowers <G>. Anthony>

What corals to keep with a bird wrasse - 1/29/04
Hello crew,  I have a 230 gallon FOWLR system which I am interested in converting into more of a reef set-up.  What I mean by this is that I would like to keep shrimp, hermit crabs and snails (to clean algae), feather dusters, and easier corals such as colt corals and the like. <Go for it> My problem is I currently have 3 percula clowns, 1 yellow tang, 2 blue devil damsels, 1 majestic angel, 1 emperor angel, 1 green bird wrasse and 1 clown trigger.  I know I would have to get rid of the clown trigger to keep some of the above, how about the green bird wrasse? <Should be fine. We have them at the Monterey Bay aquarium in our Clam and Soft Coral tank. They might snack on your hermits, shrimps, and snails. So might need to look into getting a hand fish. They are great a rasping algae from glass, sand, or acrylic (your hand cleaning the tank with an algae scraper, just in case you didn't get that futile attempt at humor.>  Would the snails and hermit crabs clean the algae? <They would if they weren't in the Bird Wrasse's digestive tract. Heheheh! Be sure to keep up the water quality and scrape away, my friend!> Any other corals you might suggest? <Green star polyps (Pachyclavularia violacea) or some clove polyps (Clavularia or Anthelia) Green or Yellow tree coral (Nephthea sp.) These are similar to what we maintain in our tank with our clowns, bird wrasse and damsels and tangs. Also keep an eye on the Angels, though as they may nip at the soft corals. If they do then you may have to make a decision; add noxious soft corals or get rid of the Angels. Paul>.   Thanks

The corals don't like the Blenny
Hi,
<Hi Lisa!>
I got a rock with a few orange/purple Ricordea and another with green  star polyps about 1 1/2 weeks ago. They were doing great until I got a  Sailfin blenny. He climbs all over the rocks and occasionally the  corals. He knocked the Ricordea rock over 2 times!
<Hee Hee!  Very normal Blenny behavior.  They don't seem to care much what they "climb" over or perch on, and in fact, mine will forcibly throw objects off of his favorite perch!>
The first time he  just tapped it and they seemed fine, 2nd time it was flipped and  sitting on one of the shrooms. I finally got some glue but when I  picked up the rock I realized the Ric was only partially attached to  the rock. It also has a small chunk missing, the purple looks grayish and the mouth does too.
<Gluing or otherwise attaching corals is a wise choice to prevent such falls.>
Is it dead or injured? Anything I can do to  save it?
<It sounds like it is a bit  bleached.  It should recover quickly and completely if you prevent further insults.>
As if that's not enough trouble from the blenny, he's also upset the  GSP. They were 1/2 closed up after the first day w/the blenny, now  they've been closed solid for 2 days. Are they OK? Will they get used  to him?
<It is normal for GSP's to periodically close for a while.  If you are sure it is the Blenny, they may adapt, but it is probably best to move the GSP's out of his territory.
Thanks,
Lisa Spencer
<best regards!  Adam>

Coral/cnidarian captive compatibility
folks.  <Howdy>
After countless hours of researching on your site and other
areas, I have a few questions that I need to be answered, if you would be so kind. <I'll try>
I have a 20H nano with a 10 gallon DSB refugium, and I am currently in the process of stocking the tank.  I plan on sticking to soft corals, as I know in a tank this size careful considerations must be made in order for my livestock
to flourish in the long run. <So true> So far, I have a lime green Sarcophyton, a xenia colony, an anthelia colony, and a small Parazoanthus <Yellow Polyps?> colony (all colonies are small "frags").  I plan on going for a Fiji yellow leather, a Cladiella, a Sinularia, etc. next, and before I go any further, I have a couple inquiries in  regards to compatibility.  I know that it is best to stick with one group, i.e.. all softies, all LPS, all SPS for the overall health of the tank and ALL it's inhabitants, and I plan on doing so (especially in such a small tank). <Good plan>  My question is in regards to zoanthids, star polyps, and polyps in general, I guess.
What category are these animals best placed in, as far as compatibility is concerned?  <Many species are quite toxic. They contain a potent neurotoxin (Palytoxin) that can injure the unwary aquarist. Do look this toxin up on WWM. They will also sting anything they come in direct contact with. Citing Anthony's excellent Book of Coral Propagation "most Zoanthids are aggressive and noxious to other corals.">
Are they able to inhabit any of these tanks, without major
allelopathy and aggressive behavior?  Are they more compatible with one general grouping (soft/LPS/SPS) than the other? <I have read that they are most damaging g to hard corals.>  It is my understanding that these animals, especially the star polyps, are quite noxious to other corals. <true> Can I house zoanthids and the like with my softies and safely say that it is alright? <IME, you must be careful to keep them far enough away that they can't touch. I had some yellow polyps that were brushing against my Sarcophyton & noticed it was beginning to wilt on that edge. I moved the rock with the polyps ant the Sarco has healed. Also be aware that if they're thriving, the polyps will spread like mad to any rock that is in direct contact with the rock they're on.>
I guess what it all boils down to is my lack of understanding as to where the polyps fall into place, in terms of compatibility.  Any answers you may provide me with would be much appreciated! <Well, you certainly seem to be making an excellent effort to learn. Do check out Anthony's book or Aquarium Corals by Eric Borneman.>
Oh, and as far as battling allelopathy is concerned, I change 3 gallons weekly and run a bit of carbon weekly as well.  No skimmer yet (cowers in embarrassment).  Thought I should add that on to aid in your response. <Do consider PolyFilter and ask Santa for a skimmer for Christmas--An AquaC Remora would do nicely.>
Thanks again! <A pleasure, Steve Allen>
-Dave Conners

Curious about the Curious Worm Goby: Gunnelichthys curiosus 11/26/03
Hey guys (and girls?) got a few questions I couldn't find answers to. First off thanks for all your help and providing hobbyists with such an informative and easy to use website.  
<your appreciation is... er... appreciated <G>>
I am looking to add 1 or 2 more corals to my 45gal tall tank and I had a  few in mind (I already have a silver-branched pumping xenia, devils hand, and a small zoanthid mat-all aqua-cultured) and I was looking to add either pink cauliflower coral (Pocillopora Damicornis)  or a few species of Montipora digitata.  Which would be a more natural, safer combination in the long run?
<cannot speak to natural here regarding mix (regarding niches for all of the above... varied)... but the Montipora digitata would be a very hardy and safe bet (weakly aggressive). If you prefer Pocillopora... go for the brown one instead as it is much less demanding. I doubt you have the lights to keep a pink one pink. No worries though>
Could I have them all?  
<do resist mixing many species in such a small tank without leaving room for growth... and distance between to temper chemical aggression>
And do have any information on the curious worm goby?
<a cute little fish, but not much to chat about. They are very poorly suited for community aquarium life. They are very easily intimidated into not eating/thriving. For perspective, one might fairly say they are more difficult to keep than mandarinfishes, seahorses or their Firefish (Microdesmid) kin. The Curious Worm goby needs a very peaceful tank with deep soft sand for burrowing: Gunnelichthys curiosus>
I cant seem to find any info at all.  
<Always include fishbase.org in your searches my friend... a link for this fish follows. Please be sure to follow all of their links on the page... info regarding gut analysis telling of natural diet reproduction, etc.
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=12677&genusname=Gunnellichthys&speciesname=curiosus>
A friend of mine bought one on an impulse buy (I know, I promptly slapped him) and now it has be hiding out of sight for about 2 days, with no signs of burrowing into the substrate.  Any info will be much appreciated. Thanks again. -Nick
IMO... if this fish shares the tank with a single wrasse, damsel, clown or tang... it will die even without aggression from its mates. They are just that shy. Please suggest that your friend get that marvelous little fish into a quiet refugium or another tank altogether with ultra slow and ultra peaceful fishes. They can be kept well under those conditions. Feed zooplankton substitutes. Best of luck, Anthony>

Averting Chemical Warfare!
Hi Guys,
<Hey there! Scott F. here today!>
As always, I enjoy coming home from a long day of work and spending time at night relaxing and reviewing the FAQ's on your site - great reading.
<Glad that you enjoy them! We have a blast lending a hand where we can!>
I have a 75 Gallon tank which I have had up for about 5 - 6 months. It has cycled and all the water characteristics (PH, Ammonia, Nitrate and Nitrite etc look good. I have a lot of live rock in the tank built up in layers all the way to the top of my tank, with a lot of hiding places, and a small layer of sand/crushed coral still visible in the front of my tank - starting to give the effect of a pretty decent reef.
<Cool! Sounds like fun!>
Coralline is starting to show up now over and above what came on the live rock, which is exciting.
<Yes, it is!>
As far as fish are concerned, I have one small (~ 1 Percula Clown (~ 1"), 1 Gold Striped Maroon also < 1", 1 Skunk Clown, 1 Royal Gramma ~ 1.5", 1 very small Green Damsel, and finally, 1 Foxface Rabbitfish ~ 2"). They all seem to be doing o.k. I have a substantial cleaning crew - ~ 20 blue and red legged crabs (tiny guys), three emerald crabs, ~ 15 turbo snails and one serpent star.
<Nice mix of animals!>
Now my question -- I have a closed brain coral (Wellsophyllia) lying on the front sand bed, and two pink tip anemones at either ends of the sand bed too. There are a couple of feather dusters on the sandbed as well. All seem to be staying away from each other at this point, settled in their places of choice, and I haven't seen any big problems -- however, I have been reading on your web site about the problems of mixing corals and anemones.
<Yep! The problem isn't always in the physical contact arena...It's as much about allelopathic "warfare" between the animals, with potentially dangerous chemical compounds being released by animals that are not generally found together...It may not be an "immediate" problem, of course. Often, animals will coexist together for some time, and at some point, deterioration will occur. Just something that you need to worry about for the long term>
The skunk and the maroon clown seem to like the anemones and host in them frequently. I also have an elegance coral sitting out of the reach in the middle of the aquarium on live rock, and an umbrella coral (I think it's also called toadstool) on the other side of the tank, also well out of reach of where I have seen the anemones hang out.
<An unnatural mix...and potentially problematic. But darned attractive, unfortunately! The large distance between these incompatible animals will help, but remember-it's all about the possible chemical interactions, which can be hastened by the flow in the tank>
After reading your notes about mixing the anemones and corals, I am getting worried about the closed brain coral -- Should I move the brain to somewhere on top of live rock too -- away from the anemones?
<I'd leave it in the sand, as keeping it on rock could cause potential damage to the animal as its tissues expand. If you are reluctant to remove the anemones, then you could perhaps run a stepped-up (i.e. more frequent) water change schedule, like 5% twice weekly, as well as very aggressive protein skimming, and liberal use of effective chemical filtration media, such as PolyFilter or Chemipure, and activated carbon, to help remove potentially dangerous chemical compounds before they become problematic in the tank.>
Do the anemones climb over live rock too - Although I have not seen that behavior?
<Many anemones are capable of "roaming" to wherever they feel the most comfortable, so it is possible.>
I wanted to add one or two other corals too, and seem to have enough space to place the corals within the live rock away from each other, but want to make sure that the anemones will not be flying all around the tank (on live rock etc.) going after corals causing problems. I would really appreciate some advice on this issue. Thank You, as always for your guidance.
<Well, I find that the mixing of corals and anemones is simply a potential problem, which is best avoided, if possible. The best solution is just not to keep them together! That said, I would caution against the mixing of various coral types (like LPS and soft corals) together, for the same reasons discussed above. I'd pick a category of corals (LPS, SPS, softies, etc) and stick with them. If you are going to add to the existing mix, I'd certainly start "specializing" at this point, and-perhaps, trading the animals from the categories that you're less interested in for ones that you are inclined to work with. Better for the animals- and better for you, in the long run! Good luck! Regards, Scott F>

Coral compatibility 10/20/03
Dear crew of experts,
<ship of fools... same thing>
In a previous email I asked about lighting for a soft coral grow-out/holding system that I'm planning.
<schwing!... er, I mean - good to hear>
I have another question about how best to segregate soft corals to allow for toxicity. I won't have enough room or enough tanks to do only one species per tank. I would appreciate info on which families of soft and LPS corals can peaceably and successfully coexist, especially corals which have recently been cut.
Besides than Sarcophyton and Xenia, are there other groups or pairings that can get along fairly well? Or that I should particularly avoid?
<other than gross unnatural tankmates (LPS with SPS, and soft corals with... er, anything (they are the most noxious at large), little is known about specific matches/potencies. Eric Borneman has published some studies and has excellent bibliographical references to follow on this subject. And remember... your goal here is not to stop allelopathy (can't be done), but to minimize it/the stimulation>
Should I avoid placing any particular recently cut species in tanks
containing an algae-eating blenny and detritivores?
<no harm here>
To review, I currently have a lot of Gorgonia, Zo's and Palythoa, xenia,
<all but the Xenia are fairly to very toxic here>
plus an assortment of others including torch, turban, bubble, and hammer LPS corals (I'm aware of their space needs), Sinularia, Ricordea, mushrooms, Capnella, toadstool leathers, etc. I may also buy other corals from an area Indonesian importer. It would be helpful to have a plan to ensure peaceful co-existence.
Thanks, Suzanne Hathcock
<alas... if they are all kept in the same system, you have the same common problem that so many reef keepers have with mixed garden reef tanks. The mix is unnatural with a sampling of so many different cnidarians here. Optimal health long term will be a challenge. Do employ more/separate systems or simply keep less diversity. Focus on farming fewer things better. Anthony>

Arghhh! Still mixing Anemones with corals 10/21/03
First and foremost what a great site I stumbled on.
<thanks kindly>
You have helped in more ways than you know with answering my questions but I have one that no one seems to answer confidently at my local shops. I am running a 60 gallon cube, 30 soft corals, mushrooms, polyps, etc. 3 Coral life 65watt power compacts. I have not lost one coral or even a fish and have had exceptional luck with all my inverts.
<hmmm... do be realistic about what is success. I'm guessing your tank is young (months old/less than one year). We hear of these problems commonly with corals and/or anemones in in small overstocked aquaria. 30 random coral species in a 60 gallon is quite a challenge in the long term regarding chemical warfare over time (months/years). Please do a google search from our homepage for "allelopathy" to read more in the archives about what you are/will be experiencing>
Problem is that I have lost every anemone I have introduced into the tank! 1 long tentacle, 1 sebae and now a bubble.
<anemones simply do not fare well in mixed cnidarian displays with corals More often than not, they will die prematurely. Unfortunately, a few aquariums/LFS's give false hope that it can work for all>
I have 2 tube anemones but spaced extremely far apart from each other and 10" from the newest anemone which is slowly withering away. I have taken great care in choosing non torn, good looking and eating anemones. Am I missing something?
<we have a lot of info in the archives here at wetwebmedia.com on this topic... please do read through>
The PH is 8.1-8.2. Salinity is 1.021. Temperature is 79 +-1 on average. Is there one part to the puzzle I am missing? I would lose the tubes if you were 100% confident they were the issue? Thanks in advance for your help!
Regards, Kevin Tippitt
<your lighting is weak for many corals/anemones (well under the est. 5 watts per gallon needed. The issue is also compounded by the depth of the tank... fluorescent technologies are only effective in the first 12" or so of water... poor penetration below that. Yet, your anemone problem here is much bigger than a lighting issue. Read on to enlightenment my friend. Start here perhaps:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/anemones.htm
and be sure to follow the many blue links at the top of the page. Anthony>

Evil Peppermint Shrimp!
>Just an FYI to all of you getting lured into buying 'reef safe' peppermint shrimp.  Be cautious.  So far $3 peppermint shrimp wiped out 2 of my plate corals.  Now that they are gone, I can't wait to see what they move onto next.  Any ideas on getting them out of the tank without having to rip a fully stocked tank apart would be greatly helpful.  I doubt the jar trick would work since I have fish and hermits in there and they would probably go nuts trying to get at the bait.
>>Wow, gotcha.  This is the biggest problem we have with common names.  I bet you *didn't* get Lysmata wurdemanni, which is the animal that we all love and often use to control Aiptasia.  However, there is at least one other animal that goes by the "Peppermint" moniker, Rhynchocinetes spp., with large eyes and a beaklike "nose" (you'll also note that their color saturation is strikingly different and much stronger).  Now, honestly, I would do the jar bit after dark.  Persistence means that you'll eventually trap these things, unless you're very good with a net (this does take practice).  I haven't got many other answers for you, other than to possibly isolate their hiding spots as one would a mantis, then yank that rock, dip in freshwater and they should exit quickly.  I do hope this helps, and let this be a warning to others!  Marina
>Thanks, Andy

Coral compatibility 10/3/03
Hello crew!  I know you get much praise, after reading so many FAQ's that saved me from making disasters, but I must say it again--thank you for having this web site, your help is most appreciated!!!
<thanks kindly!>
I want to start getting some corals and have a question about the compatibility of some prospects.  I know you should not mix different types of corals, i.e.. hard and soft, as chemical warfare may be detrimental in the long run.  
<best to focus on a niche or biotope. You can mix different species from within such group(s)... we are simply trying to minimize unnatural aggression (not eliminate it, which seems to be impossible)>
I tried searching if polyps are compatible with soft corals within the site, for example xenias (peaceful right?) with yellow polyps/star polyps, and saw that some people kept them but the FAQ did not have direct comments on if this was desirable.  So......Are polyps (i.e. button, yellow, star) soft corals or are they in their own category--if they are different from softs will they get along with soft corals?
<its not so literal, mate... rather a function of crowding, water flow, water changes/chemical filtration or not, etc. And then, the keeping of natural neighbors (research their history on a reef>
I have a 45 gallon, 2 X 96W PC, 1.024 SG, O ammonia, nitrate, nitrites, dKH 11, pH 8.4, 4.5 inches aragonite, 55 lbs live rock with a mated pair of perculas, a green mandarin (plump!), CBS, a few blue legged hermits and Astraea (no blood baths yet).
<all good>
I do have a small bubble tip anemone who has only moved 1 inch from where I first put him into a crevice to hide his foot and has not moved in 2 months.  
<hmmm.. but no guarantee of it not moving later (lights age, water clarity strays, stinging neighbors encroach or get moved near, etc). The anemone is simply not a responsible or "natural" tankmate for sessile corals>
I knew I had to let him settle down first before I even thought of getting corals, but I think I can "safely" say he's pretty happy with his location and will watch him closely upon putting in the corals.  
<I hope you are right... but the odds are against you in the long run. Quite likely in the 3-5 yr picture if not far sooner that this anemone will move and perhaps cause a problem or catastrophe>
Again, thanks so much on the "soft/polyp" compatibility question!
Danny  
<sticking with soft corals is a safe bet (polyps and soft octocorals). Avoid mixing SPS and LPS with them to start with. Best regards, Anthony>