"Bigger" Soft Corals

[puddleglum]

I am working on setting up a 36X12X16 primarily soft coral tank. My plan was to stick to small soft corals: zoas, palys, mushrooms, and also a few hardier LPS corals.

Some of the bigger soft corals look cool, but I assumed would get too big for my small tank. I was reading though, that Kenya trees don't become enormous and that some variants are less weed-like than the brown, so a bit easier to contain their spread.

Are there other soft corals I might want to consider than the small ones I have listed above, for a smaller tank?

Also, how long does it take a large coral, like a toadstool, to get to epic proportions, where it would be too big for my tank?

Thank you,
-pg

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Toadstool grows very fast, I had to give mine away after a year and bit because it got too big. I would suggest a sinularia tree, I like the neon green one. It doesn't grow as fast, it branches out and adds a little bit of movement, and when the polyps are out it has a lovely bushy appearance. Just my 2 cents, this is mine in a 32 gallon tank

 

[puddleglum]

Toadstool grows very fast, I had to give mine away after a year and bit because it got too big. I would suggest a sinularia tree, I like the neon green one. It doesn't grow as fast, it branches out and adds a little bit of movement, and when the polyps are out it has a lovely bushy appearance. Just my 2 cents, this is mine in a 32 gallon tank

Very nice. Maybe something like that and a pink something similar would be some tall corals to look interesting behind all the zoas in the foreground

 

[GoReefin]

Very nice. Maybe something like that and a pink something similar would be some tall corals to look interesting behind all the zoas in the foreground

I would recommend Koji Wada Pink Nephthea which will grow large and is pink.

 

[BristleWormHater]

Toadstool grows very fast, I had to give mine away after a year and bit because it got too big. I would suggest a sinularia tree, I like the neon green one. It doesn't grow as fast, it branches out and adds a little bit of movement, and when the polyps are out it has a lovely bushy appearance. Just my 2 cents, this is mine in a 32 gallon tank

Thought that was an acro at first glance lol. Might have to get one for my tank

 

[Sharbuckles Reef]

The best part about any leather coral is you can frag them so so easily and share! Don’t be afraid of sarcophyton! Trim when it needs a trim, easy peasy.

 

[Tamberav]

You can frag the toadstool... cut it up, give away or trade in to LFS and keep a frag for yourself and start over.

I would recommend a Koji Wada Pink Nepthea and a Colt coral (very fluffy and deep purple). I second a sinularia tree too.

 

[puddleglum]

You can frag the toadstool... cut it up, give away or trade in to LFS and keep a frag for yourself and start over.

I would recommend a Koji Wada Pink Nepthea and a Colt coral (very fluffy and deep purple). I second a sinularia tree too.

I would recommend Koji Wada Pink Nephthea which will grow large and is pink.

They look very cool. Spendier than some of the others but, after I establish I can grow corals and keep a stable tank, I will be looking for some.

 

[puddleglum]

You can frag the toadstool... cut it up, give away or trade in to LFS and keep a frag for yourself and start over.

I would recommend a Koji Wada Pink Nepthea and a Colt coral (very fluffy and deep purple). I second a sinularia tree too.

Do Colt corals drop branches like a Kenya, or are they more manageable to keep from spreading?

 

[Cthulukelele]

Colt corals don't drop babies usually unless they get super large. They grow very fast in optimal conditions though. The reality is if you grow softies in a small tank usually you'll need to to trim them occasionally to keep things in balance.

Cabbage leathers tend to be fairly slow growers. Green Sinulara is also a slower grower for a finger leather, but both of these can still get quite large over time. If you have a stable tank with bright lighting and a lot of whites fiji yellow sarcophyton though related to other toadstools is a much slower grower and one of the prettiest true yellows in the hobby under heavy whites.

 

[Tamberav]

Do Colt corals drop branches like a Kenya, or are they more manageable to keep from spreading?

They very rarely drop a branch. I only had one drop in years, and it was when we moved states so I assume it was stressed as heck.

It does grow very fast and needs lots of pruning but pruning soft corals is as simple as a stainless steel sissors.

 

[ZzyzxRiver]

. The reality is if you grow softies in a small tank usually you'll need to to trim them occasionally to keep things in balance.

I have a Xenia stalk that is getting in the way of a zoa I like to look at. I was planning on just cutting it off and letting it start again (there are other main stalks that would be untouched). Can I do that? What happens to the open wound?

 

[puddleglum]

Colt corals don't drop babies usually unless they get super large. They grow very fast in optimal conditions though. The reality is if you grow softies in a small tank usually you'll need to to trim them occasionally to keep things in balance.

Cabbage leathers tend to be fairly slow growers. Green Sinulara is also a slower grower for a finger leather, but both of these can still get quite large over time. If you have a stable tank with bright lighting and a lot of whites fiji yellow sarcophyton though related to other toadstools is a much slower grower and one of the prettiest true yellows in the hobby under heavy whites.

With a username like Cthulukelele, I expect your reef tank to be all tentacles, side to side and front to back

 

[Cthulukelele]

I have a Xenia stalk that is getting in the way of a zoa I like to look at. I was planning on just cutting it off and letting it start again (there are other main stalks that would be untouched). Can I do that? What happens to the open wound?

How big is the xenia colony? If established, you can try snipping the head, but if it's established it will be back in a week lol. Pray to whatever God you believe in or purge the xenia with aggressive hellfire is my only success story for it not taking over lol.

I ran a 45 long plague coral tank that was in balance for a long time. Palys, gorgs, xenia, shrooms, gsp, huge leathers. When I broke it down after 4 years? It was a xenia monoculture tank

 

[Cthulukelele]

With a username like Cthulukelele, I expect your reef tank to be all tentacles, side to side and front to back

Honestly you're not wrong lol my tank is big softies and anemones

 

[Hubert J. Farnsworth]

another vote for sinularia. i don't have a softy tank anymore, but it was a centerpiece for me. this one had a nice pinkish, creamy tan color but also a very pearly green highlights.

 

[Cthulukelele]

another vote for sinularia. i don't have a softy tank anymore, but it was a centerpiece for me. this one had a nice pinkish, creamy tan color but also a very pearly green highlights.

IMO the 2 best centerpiece corals for small to medium tanks are toadstools and sinulara as they're fairly easy to frag and control. Even my 18-24" monster toadstool that drops babies all the time isn't THAT hard to control.

 

[sfin52]

I am working on setting up a 36X12X16 primarily soft coral tank. My plan was to stick to small soft corals: zoas, palys, mushrooms, and also a few hardier LPS corals.

Some of the bigger soft corals look cool, but I assumed would get too big for my small tank. I was reading though, that Kenya trees don't become enormous and that some variants are less weed-like than the brown, so a bit easier to contain their spread.

Are there other soft corals I might want to consider than the small ones I have listed above, for a smaller tank?

Also, how long does it take a large coral, like a toadstool, to get to epic proportions, where it would be too big for my tank?

Thank you,
-pg

You might like some gorgonia coral.

 

[dedragon]

I have a Xenia stalk that is getting in the way of a zoa I like to look at. I was planning on just cutting it off and letting it start again (there are other main stalks that would be untouched). Can I do that? What happens to the open wound?

Take it out while you can that stuff is the worst. I think it should stop being sold at any lfs

 

[exnisstech]

another vote for sinularia. i don't have a softy tank anymore, but it was a centerpiece for me. this one had a nice pinkish, creamy tan color but also a very pearly green highlights.

Beautiful! I would add a piece of that in a heart beat.

Toad stools, sinularia, and cabbage are my center pieces. I have a couple gorgonians also but they don't so well in my system.