Corals vs Corals...Fight!!! (w/ Pictures)

[Tangchaser]

Its easy to say a coral beats another in a fight but I had some that have turned what looked like a loss into a win, well sorta. I have seen my candycane get some licks in on one of my montiporas. It even had a nice bleached spot. A few months later I guess the monti got used to it and grew around the base of the candy cane. In my other experiences this is what wins.
Montipora vs montipora - what ever one decides to grow over the other wins
Orange didgi vs acro - orange didgi
Orange didgi vs millipora - orange didgi
Orange didgi vs montipora - orange didgi
Montipora vs torch- torch
Torch vs hammer - torch
Torch vs frogspawn - even draw
Montipora vs candy cane - draw
Slimer vs acro - slimer

 

[GoFish]

Another one. A slow take-over of real estate on a bare bottom tank

Cyphastrea vs Zoas - Cyphastrea WIN

 

[McArcher]

Echinata vs. Lordhowensis:
Echinata wins!

 

[Bryn]

This is very interesting to read, and also surprising on some of the corals that are in the fight. What do you think starts them fighting when they have coexisted next to each other for a time.

 

[McArcher]

I wish I knew
The two in my tank had been coexisting for the better part of a year before the echinata went on the offensive. I guess the growth of the two just put them too close together.

 

[Leyth]

I don't have pictures, but there is a reason my echinata is placed away from the others lol. It wrecked an acan and a psammacora in no time.

 

[Bryn]

I wish I knew
The two in my tank had been coexisting for the better part of a year before the echinata went on the offensive. I guess the growth of the two just put them too close together.

Somewhere I read that some corals can "smell" each other, and the article said something about placing corals in a sump for a few days before moving them into the DT, a way of introducing corals without chemical warfare breaking out I guess.

 

[A Toadstool Leather]

I never knew discosoma were so aggressive. They dont mess around at all.

 

[A Toadstool Leather]

Does anyone here know how corals sense their neighbors?

 

[vertigo01]

This is an awesome thread with so much insight to be shared and learned from.
Why is it not more popular.

For a newbie who isn't as knowledgeable with the different coral types. I find it helps immensly.

 

[Leyth]

Oh yea, I have another to add. My torch coral fell on top of my acan colony. It wrecked a few heads. Torch win

 

[Leyth]

This is an awesome thread with so much insight to be shared and learned from.
Why is it not more popular.

For a newbie who isn't as knowledgeable with the different coral types. I find it helps immensly.

I agree, but also, I have seen some of the corals mentioned not fight right next to each other. It's weird.

 

[Bryn]

I have one favia that likes to throw out its sweepers, while the Enchinata and many other favia, not a peep from them. Every evening I do a wellness check, and use a flash light to see whats going on, the one night I don't do it you know whats going to happen.

 

[Kremis]

I once had a ricordea literally extend upwards a good inch, latch onto a candy cane coral, kill it, then retract back to normal. I find that cyphastrea beats almost everything sps wise. My lobo beats my frogspawn, and my rasta zoas beat my rainbow montipora

 

[Som1else]

This happens every so often in my tank and I never thought to document it. I really like all the pics here.
Its definitely good info for good when you start out aquascaping, even though in the end you cant really control it once things grow to a certain size.

 

[ADAM]

Duncan vs Zoa-
Small bit of zoas broke off a colony and went floating around.....the Duncan decided to have a snack. I guess the zoas won because they were released. Both corals were fine afterwards. The second pic when the zoas had opened while trying to be devoured is one of my favorite photos.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Duncan vs Zoa-
Small bit of zoas broke off a colony and went floating around.....the Duncan decided to have a snack. I guess the zoas won because they were released. Both corals were fine afterwards. The second pic when the zoas had opened while trying to be devoured is one of my favorite photos.

Awesome picture! Do Zoas need to open to release their toxins? Probably a dumb question. Not a very defensive posture if it were so.

 

[DangerDave]

Wow that’s really cool. I love my Duncans, I have a couple kinds. I once watched one head swallow a peppermints shrimps shell from its molt, then spit it out. Took a couple hours, I’m glad I witnessed it.

Dave

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Coral warfare can be brutal!

 

[Rispa]

This is a great thread chock full of information.