How do you know what corals can touch - want a full reef

[Mini Coop]

I see all of these gorgeous tanks just full of coral and you can't even see the rock work. I would love to have this. However, I am not sure how you know what corals won't sting each other! In my 120 at my in-laws, my leather and my duncans looks awful! Well, there was a little stinking kenya tree growing under them, making them NOT happy! I removed them (by the way - I will NOT have kenyas in the new tank . . . lol. But glad I started with something easy), and the duncans and leather were HUGE tonight - that was the problem. So - as I am planning out my new tank and what corals, how do you know what can touch?

Als0 - how and when do you start into SPS? I haven't ventured there but would like to WAY WAY later!

 

[trido]

For me, I started with SPS and its what I grow best. SPS takes an obsessive reefer, lots of flow, lots of light and VERY stable parameters (Dkh). Corals of the same genus usually can touch. For SPS all the birdsnest corals can intertwine, plenty of others but mostly hit and miss. I have lot of SPS touching, but one always wins and as soon as parameters arent perfect, the loser will usually die back significantly. For LPS, euphyllias can usually touch, but sometimes torches and frogspawn wont get along. Zoanthids can touch, but the faster grower usually takes over sooner or later without pruning. Leathers can touch too as far as I know. There really is no this coral and that coral list, but these are a few.

 

[Robink]

Following...
I believe same species can touch each other.
Torches, frogspawn, euphyllia can touch, but you don't want them touching any other corals, acros, zoas, etc. or close enough that they can reach another coral... and they will.
I have zoas and paly's next to my acros and cyphastrea no problems there either.
I'm sure an expert will chime in shortly.

 

[Mini Coop]

For me, I started with SPS and its what I grow best. SPS takes an obsessive reefer, lots of flow, lots of light and VERY stable parameters (Dkh). Corals of the same genus usually can touch. For SPS all the birdsnest corals can intertwine, plenty of others but mostly hit and miss. I have lot of SPS touching, but one always wins and as soon as parameters arent perfect, the loser will usually die back significantly. For LPS, euphyllias can usually touch, but sometimes torches and frogspawn wont get along. Zoanthids can touch, but the faster grower usually takes over sooner or later without pruning. Leathers can touch too as far as I know. There really is no this coral and that coral list, but these are a few.

Thanks for the input!! SPS scares me - I haven't ventured there just because I was learning so much, I haven't gotten into dosing and monitoring for calcium and alk and all of that. With apex it will be easier I am sure, but nothing like learning to do everything manually first

 

[trido]

Looking at my display.... I have two SPS torts that get along, a frogspawn garden, a torch garden, a ricordia garden, birdsnest garden (seriatopora), cats paw garden (calaustrea), zoas, and a green and purple slimer touching.

 

[trido]

Following...

I'm sure an expert will chime in shortly.

I already did.

 

[Mini Coop]

Would love pics!!
By garden - what do you mean?

I really have only looked at the very basics of corals thus far - I have fish down pat! Lol. Ready to expand my knowledge while the tank gets established and I have time to do my research.

Looking at my display.... I have two SPS torts that get along, a frogspawn garden, a torch garden, a ricordia garden, birdsnest garden (seriatopora), cats paw garden (calaustrea), zoas, and a green and purple slimer touching.

 

[trido]

By garden, I mean that my tank is very full and my corals are crowded (Take a look at page 15 in my upper signature) I put corals of different color of the same species together so I can have variety of each species. I forgot.... I have a fungia (plate coral) garden too. they can touch each other and grow into each other but its easier to keep them separate from other kinds

 

[leahfiish]

I have blastos next to each other with no issues. Same for acans, and torches. Just make sure they don't touch other kinds of corals.
Some corals will have longer reaches than others, too. Torches, galaxia, chalices, and favias can all sting corals near them, potentially even a few inches away. But a blasto or an Acan, for example, can't reach as far. That's another thing to keep in mind.

 

[Zack K]

What kind of corals are you interested in. Euphyillia’s tend to not play nice with each other. Torches throw an attitude and will sting Frogspawn and Hammers our Mr of the blue. So it is best to keep them only to themselves. Hammers and Frogspawn are okay with each other. Aussie torches and Indo-Pacific torches also may not like each other. I have had problems with that. So if you buy torches, make sure they are all collected from the same region.

As for the rest of the corals, well, I think it was well explained above me for the big overall picture.

 

[TaylorP78]

Following...
I believe same species can touch each other.
Torches, frogspawn, euphyllia can touch, but you don't want them touching any other corals, acros, zoas, etc. or close enough that they can reach another coral... and they will.
I have zoas and paly's next to my acros and cyphastrea no problems there either.
I'm sure an expert will chime in shortly.

Not all euphyllia get along, torches will sting frogspawn