Anemone and coral

[wvfeefkeeper80]

I’ve read many threads about anemone killing coral, but I’m more curious in the process and what that looks like. I have a BTA on a rock and hasn’t moved since about the second day. I’ve a number of soft coral (zoa, toadstool, cabbage, xenia and goni) and know the BTA can kill. But how? Just walking over them? Planting themselves down or around them and stinging? Is this chop and burn? Can you not see it happening? You just wake up one day and find dead coral? What does it look like? I can’t seem to find anything to explain or show exactly what happens…

 

[shakacuz]

to my understanding the tentacles of the BTA sting nearby coral, burning flesh that inevitably gets an infection resulting in STN, or RTN depending how often/strong the sting is. from there the dead skin/exposed skeleton grows algae limiting regrowth. once the regrowth starts, the coral usually looks to grow in another path to avoid being stung.

 

[Aiptaisia anemone]

Anemones have stinging tentacles, also depends on the coral, some coral will fight back and might kill the bta instead.

 

[damsels are not mean]

Any coral can fight and eventually kill another but the concern with anemones is that they can move. Other corals are stuck where you put them so you can avoid this with most corals by just placing them further apart.