When I first started my reef tank, honestly my goal was just coralline covered rocks. Now, about 2 years later and I have virtually no coralline but instead, about 1 specimen from each of the major coral types (soft, lps, sps, corallimorph, encrusting/branching etc).
I was first drawn to LPS because they could "eat" and since my tank's prime inhabitant is a carnivorous puffer, I figured the LPS could consume excess food; but now that most of my frags have grown out some, I am realizing just how destructive corals can be towards one another. The most destructive corals are my goniastrea and platygyra. I researched them before buying and knew somewhat what I was getting into, but when I look at my tank at the wee hours, (3 am, 4am, 5am), I witness a cat'o'nine-tentacles sweeping around the aforementioned LPS.
So far, I have goniastrea (on the substrate) attacking some green cyphastrea and causing damage. The goniastrea also keeps the nearby GSP at bay. however, another goni frag is now threatening some nearby corals (a tubinaria and blasto merleti). So I am starting to realize now that not all LPS are created equal.
How do you deal with coral warfare? Does the LPS aggression (namely gonis and platys) keep you from buying those genus of coral? Which LPS do you find most peaceful? (Acans, right? micromussa lordhowensis).
Is coral warfare a large reason why SPS owners do not keep many LPS corals? I go on youtube and see tons of "SPS tank tours" but very few LPS/mixed reef tanks. Very few reefers focus on LPS corals. I am noticing more and more. I suppose the draw to SPS is the dual encrusting and branching behavior. However, if you ask me, LPS can look just as beautiful as SPS. And there is nothing even remotely comparable to the feeding behavior of LPS corals (unless you are counting "hybrid" types like cyphastrea/psammocora). It all comes down to the specimens.
What do you think...
I was first drawn to LPS because they could "eat" and since my tank's prime inhabitant is a carnivorous puffer, I figured the LPS could consume excess food; but now that most of my frags have grown out some, I am realizing just how destructive corals can be towards one another. The most destructive corals are my goniastrea and platygyra. I researched them before buying and knew somewhat what I was getting into, but when I look at my tank at the wee hours, (3 am, 4am, 5am), I witness a cat'o'nine-tentacles sweeping around the aforementioned LPS.
So far, I have goniastrea (on the substrate) attacking some green cyphastrea and causing damage. The goniastrea also keeps the nearby GSP at bay. however, another goni frag is now threatening some nearby corals (a tubinaria and blasto merleti). So I am starting to realize now that not all LPS are created equal.
How do you deal with coral warfare? Does the LPS aggression (namely gonis and platys) keep you from buying those genus of coral? Which LPS do you find most peaceful? (Acans, right? micromussa lordhowensis).
Is coral warfare a large reason why SPS owners do not keep many LPS corals? I go on youtube and see tons of "SPS tank tours" but very few LPS/mixed reef tanks. Very few reefers focus on LPS corals. I am noticing more and more. I suppose the draw to SPS is the dual encrusting and branching behavior. However, if you ask me, LPS can look just as beautiful as SPS. And there is nothing even remotely comparable to the feeding behavior of LPS corals (unless you are counting "hybrid" types like cyphastrea/psammocora). It all comes down to the specimens.
What do you think...