Soft Corals: Yay or Nay? Soft corals don't have to be BLAH!

How do you feel about soft corals?

  • Love them

    Votes: 674 78.4%
  • Meh...

    Votes: 159 18.5%
  • Hate them

    Votes: 12 1.4%
  • Other (please explain)

    Votes: 15 1.7%

  • Total voters
    860

sfin52

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Oh that is very cool!! I could get into that...I worry with my 56 gal tank that some of the leather/toadstools will outgrow my tank too quickly and what to do if they do. But 3 years for a slow grow out would not be bad.
Fragging is the way to go keep size down
 

fishface NJ

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I have blue symposium which I fell in love with years ago. It's the only softy I would keep. Don't like the other softies because the colors are mute.
 

Nanorock1970

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I just took the leap a few months ago from my FOWLR tank to softies. Seams to be easier then I had expected. I have an 6 types of mushrooms. I have a kenya tree, some pipe organ coral, and a GSP island. I also have some Zoas. I think as far as other corals to add, I probably will just let my shrooms grow out and get more zoas. I do have a whole back side to my live rock that is sort of a shelf that I was thinking some gorgonia? Everything I have is growing, not to the point of having frags as it has only been maybe 2 months. The LFS said that Pipe organ can be a tough one but I have new polyps growing on it already in just 2 weeks.
Not sure with how I have placed things in my tank that I really have room for leather or toadstool. I would love to get my hands on some pulsing pink sinularia like Mike has in his awesome softie tank...

As far as the poll goes. I don't think I am ready to test and dose to add any LPS or even go to SPS so I will be one with my softie tank for now.
I have heard the cons but I have also heard pros to the same cons. For example Kenya tree, weed, drops everywhere. Then I have heard that it's not that bad as long as you scoop up the frags. I almost feel that some of the cons are those that might not be as on top of what is growing out in the tank.

As far as colors, I have blue shrooms, red shrooms, green shrooms. I have a blue spotted red discoma (superman) and a forest fire rhodactis. My Kenya tree is a green one and of course the zoas.
 

jazzfisher

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Super pumped about this post first off...

Currently in my mixed reef (softie dominant) I have a mixture of different sofites, but I am seeking out new and rare forms! This thread sure could help with that... SEEKING A WEEPING WILLOW FRAG!


Question #1: My favorite soft coral is neon green sinularia.. Saw a huge colony of it at an LFS in my younger years (reefbuilder has an epic build video Japanese style build showcases it well)

Question #2:

PROS:
Amazing movement (real ocean vibe), helpful for beginners, easy to frag, grows fast, and able to stay healthy during the tough times!

CONS: Lacking in color selections (exception being zoas/palys)


Just picked up a gorgeous Tongan Yellow Toadstool from a LFS and very happy with the new softie addition!
AquaSD had the weeping Willow frags as of yesterday-haven't looked today! Good Luck they are cool. Also had some other Japanese corals.
 

Knpowell1982

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I love my softies soo much they add soo much character and motion to the tank!
20200313_152052.jpg
20200704_210007.jpg
 

bigjgmac

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For the next three days we are going to talk about corals and suggestions for soft, lps, and sps corals. I love all types of reef tanks. Mixed reefs are my favorite because you get the best of all the corals! But today it's all about the softies!

@razarmi
imageproxy.php.jpg


Softies get a bad rap! Can I get an amen? Often times soft corals are associated with negative connotations but some of the most beautiful reef tanks I have ever seen were soft coral dominated aquariums. Starting with the cons, the usual pros and cons go something like this:

Cons
  • For beginners (noobs)
  • Invasive (take over your tank)
  • Boring colors (not many bright colors)
Pros
  • Less maintenance (less work)
  • Grows and reproduces fast (for fragging)
  • Movement (flows in the water)
  • Cheaper corals

So for today's question of the day do me a solid and answer the following questions.

1. What is your favorite soft coral and why?

2. Do you have any soft coral pros or cons to add to the above list?



@MJC's Soft Coral reef is one of my most favorites! The photo doesn't do it justice! Check out the video below and see if you agree!
20200315_102832-01.jpeg



My favorite softies are Zoas, as they come in some pretty spectacular colors and I find a rock covers "zoa garden" pretty spectacular. They look great when several different brightly colored varieties can grow together on a rock. A close second would be ricordea - really like them too.

Don't really have much to add to the Pros/Cons list, although I would add that there are some SPS corals that can grow pretty fast as well.
 

maw1000

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For the next three days we are going to talk about corals and suggestions for soft, lps, and sps corals. I love all types of reef tanks. Mixed reefs are my favorite because you get the best of all the corals! But today it's all about the softies!

@razarmi
imageproxy.php.jpg


Softies get a bad rap! Can I get an amen? Often times soft corals are associated with negative connotations but some of the most beautiful reef tanks I have ever seen were soft coral dominated aquariums. Starting with the cons, the usual pros and cons go something like this:

Cons
  • For beginners (noobs)
  • Invasive (take over your tank)
  • Boring colors (not many bright colors)
Pros
  • Less maintenance (less work)
  • Grows and reproduces fast (for fragging)
  • Movement (flows in the water)
  • Cheaper corals

So for today's question of the day do me a solid and answer the following questions.

1. What is your favorite soft coral and why?

2. Do you have any soft coral pros or cons to add to the above list?



@MJC's Soft Coral reef is one of my most favorites! The photo doesn't do it justice! Check out the video below and see if you agree!
20200315_102832-01.jpeg


 

maw1000

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I’m setting up a 480 gallon softy/anemone Tank right now. I’m doing a close loop system so I don’t have to worry about powerhead. I don’t have a favorite soft coral yet.
 

KingTideCorals

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AquaSD had the weeping Willow frags as of yesterday-haven't looked today! Good Luck they are cool. Also had some other Japanese corals.
Why have I never checked there softie section... someone please tell me lol?

Thanks so much! This is perfect.
 

chaoticreefer

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I voted for "other". I love SPS (their colors are amazing and are more of a challenge to keep with a great eye appealing award), so I didn't want to vote "I love them" on softies. The "meh" option just sounded too weak for my feelings about softies. I have always loved mixed reefs. The softies purpose in a mixed reef is to add movement in which make tanks look more "natural".
 

Drewbacca

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For the next three days we are going to talk about corals and suggestions for soft, lps, and sps corals. I love all types of reef tanks. Mixed reefs are my favorite because you get the best of all the corals! But today it's all about the softies!

@razarmi
imageproxy.php.jpg


Softies get a bad rap! Can I get an amen? Often times soft corals are associated with negative connotations but some of the most beautiful reef tanks I have ever seen were soft coral dominated aquariums. Starting with the cons, the usual pros and cons go something like this:

Cons
  • For beginners (noobs)
  • Invasive (take over your tank)
  • Boring colors (not many bright colors)
Pros
  • Less maintenance (less work)
  • Grows and reproduces fast (for fragging)
  • Movement (flows in the water)
  • Cheaper corals

So for today's question of the day do me a solid and answer the following questions.

1. What is your favorite soft coral and why?

2. Do you have any soft coral pros or cons to add to the above list?



@MJC's Soft Coral reef is one of my most favorites! The photo doesn't do it justice! Check out the video below and see if you agree!
20200315_102832-01.jpeg



I think the colors, movement, different shapes and outlines of zoas, toadstool or xenia/cloves just give visual balance to a tank no matter what dominates it. Makes it feel complete and like a slice of ocean reef versus a collection in a glass box.
 

Connor540

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I really don't mind soft corals, I just can't get them to grow. Xenia and a massive neon toadstool at the LFS were some of the first corals I remember being drawn to that got me into the hobby. Even for LPS I prefer things like euphyllia that have some movement to them. I have some xenia and GSP in my tank now on the main rock structure and it's happily existing but in no way threatening to become invasive like I was warned. Meanwhile the throwaway piece of birdsnest the LFS owner sold me for $1 is growing like crazy and quickly becoming the centerpiece in my tank. Zoas and mushrooms tend to work well for me and are awesome for getting some unique colors in the tank.
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 73 37.6%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 66 34.0%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 12.9%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 28 14.4%
  • Other.

    Votes: 2 1.0%
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