Filler Corals

[tdileo]

As my tank begins to fill in, I’ve been looking for a “filler coral” to cover up the rocks in between the corals. My tank is mostly SPS so the majority of the corals are a couple inches encrusted and then branch out, but I do have a euphyllia island and am currently starting on a zoa garden.
I’m looking for a coral that is fast growing and provides some movement and color but also cannot overgrow or sting my other corals. The first things to come to my head were blue clove polyps, clavularia, and to some extent, xenia.
Does anybody have experience with anything like this?

 

[Capitol Reef Corals]

Since you like SPS corals, I would recommend you try some encrusting corals. Like encrusting monti, chalice, leptoseris, etc. They won't rapidly overtake your rock, and will look awesome. Also they can take some less light from shading.

 

[tdileo]

Since you like SPS corals, I would recommend you try some encrusting corals. Like encrusting monti, chalice, leptoseris, etc. They won't rapidly overtake your rock, and will look awesome. Also they can take some less light from shading.

That’s a good idea, but I’m worried about them fighting with the corals that have already encrusted down. I was thinking maybe something like blue sympodium would lack the sting to grow over my SPS but would just fill in everywhere in between. I do like the idea of leptos for filling in low light spaces though, didn’t even think of them.

 

[Capitol Reef Corals]

That’s a good idea, but I’m worried about them fighting with the corals that have already encrusted down. I was thinking maybe something like blue sympodium would lack the sting to grow over my SPS but would just fill in everywhere in between. I do like the idea of leptos for filling in low light spaces though, didn’t even think of them.

I've found that the base of the encrusting acros will usually win or be even with most other normal encrusting SPS. But yea definitely go for it!

 

[norfolkgarden]

In case you change your mind about the blue clove polys later.

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?ur...&share_tid=308994&share_fid=1020&share_type=t

For now our filler is purple coraline algae.

Not entirely sure there is a safer one.
[emoji17]

Following similar threads hasn't been very hopeful.

The encrusting sps might be the best/safest suggestion so far.

 

[Grsfish]

I have some red and green monti cap in my tank now thAt I think I will leave out when I upgrade. It does grow pretty fast and either grows on or tries to shade out my other corals. So far my zoas thAt are growing next to my sps don’t seem to be bothering them...