Looking for guidance on beginner soft coral for 5g

[Karen00]

Hello fellow saltines,

I just started up a 5g pico a couple weeks ago and am starting to plan for corals. I won't be adding them anytime soon but want to start prepping for them.

I love the softies and I also love coral that flows. As a beginner I was thinking of:
- Tyree Toadstool: Placement high, Light high, Flow high
- Photosynthetic Gorgonian: Placement high, Light high, Flow high
- Rhodactis Mushroom: Placement low, Light low, Flow low
- Green Fury Leather: Placement anywhere, Light low, Flow medium

The tank is approx. 16"L x 6"D (8-1/2" with built in sump) x 11"H

My questions are:
1. Are these beginner corals and are my notes correct about placement, light and flow?
2. Will they get along in the same tank without coral warfare?
3. Do any of these need to go on the sand?
4. Is it too much to add all four?
5. Is the height too shallow for the lower light corals?

Currently I have one rock on the right side of my tank. I was thinking of adding another smaller on to the left but if any of these need sand I can leave the scape as is. I'm looking at getting a small circulation pump for the ones that need more flow.

Thanks!

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Hello fellow saltines,

I just started up a 5g pico a couple weeks ago and am starting to plan for corals. I won't be adding them anytime soon but want to start prepping for them.

I love the softies and I also love coral that flows. As a beginner I was thinking of:
- Tyree Toadstool: Placement high, Light high, Flow high
- Photosynthetic Gorgonian: Placement high, Light high, Flow high
- Rhodactis Mushroom: Placement low, Light low, Flow low
- Green Fury Leather: Placement anywhere, Light low, Flow medium

The tank is approx. 16"L x 6"D (8-1/2" with built in sump) x 11"H

My questions are:
1. Are these beginner corals and are my notes correct about placement, light and flow?
2. Will they get along in the same tank without coral warfare?
3. Do any of these need to go on the sand?
4. Is it too much to add all four?
5. Is the height too shallow for the lower light corals?

Currently I have one rock on the right side of my tank. I was thinking of adding another smaller on to the left but if any of these need sand I can leave the scape as is. I'm looking at getting a small circulation pump for the ones that need more flow.

Thanks!

so as leathers (toadstool is leather, too) get larger, charcoal may no longer be enough but given size of your tank, they'll not likely be allowed to grow into the 4-24" range (our began poisoning tank about 5" across... not referring to shedding, that is totally different and that happens about every 2 weeks)

I think of beginner corals as Kenya tree, pulsing xenia, zoas but your list may be fine

weirdly, I have a xenia hosting a clownfish right now... other clowns will not let it be in RBTAs during day, so it hides under a large xenia covering a large rock

 

[Clo]

My first coral was a hammer which is doing good. I found a frag for cheap at my LFS.
If not, I think xenia or duncan is highly recommended for beginners?

 

[Karen00]

so as leathers (toadstool is leather, too) get larger, charcoal may no longer be enough but given size of your tank, they'll not likely be allowed to grow into the 4-24" range (our began poisoning tank about 5" across... not referring to shedding, that is totally different and that happens about every 2 weeks)

I think of beginner corals as Kenya tree, pulsing xenia, zoas but your list may be fine

weirdly, I have a xenia hosting a clownfish right now... other clowns will not let it be in RBTAs during day, so it hides under a large xenia covering a large rock

Thank you so much for this!! I love the xenias but do they sting? I was afraid with such a small tank a Xenia would be too close to everything else and might not be happy about it.

 

[Karen00]

My first coral was a hammer which is doing good. I found a frag for cheap at my LFS.
If not, I think xenia or duncan is highly recommended for beginners?

Thank you for this! I love the look of the Duncan's so will take a look at those again. I thought I read intermediate butaybe I'm wrong. I have looked at so many. Haha.

 

[Fish Think Pink]

Thank you so much for this!! I love the xenias but do they sting? I was afraid with such a small tank a Xenia would be too close to everything else and might not be happy about it.

All corals have some protective mechanisms. if the xenia grows too fast, then cut some off and see if your LFS will give you credit towards food or something - could even pay for itself and much more over time

 

[Karen00]

All corals have some protective mechanisms. if the xenia grows too fast, then cut some off and see if your LFS will give you credit towards food or something - could even pay for itself and much more over time

Great idea!! A tank that makes money instead of consuming it. Haha.

 

[DKPminus]

not sure how they would do in a smaller tank or how much you want to spend but I like torches and frogspawn and I do have some Kenya trees witch are good starters.

 

[Clo]

not sure how they would do in a smaller tank or how much you want to spend but I like torches and frogspawn and I do have some Kenya trees witch are good starters.

Probably wouldn't recommend a torch bc they're not beginner failure price friendly. >_> But that's just me

 

[DKPminus]

Probably wouldn't recommend a torch bc they're not beginner failure price friendly. >_> But that's just me

Agreed. More of a thought for after the tank is established.

 

[andiesreef]

xenia is beautiful but be prepared to have it everywhere! also, hard corals may be better-suited to larger, more stable tanks.

some of my favorite smaller beginner soft corals are zoanthids/palythoas, GSP if it is isolated on an island, rhodactis and ricordea mushrooms, gorgonians, and clove polyps (not the blue ones though, they grow to plague proportions).

 

[Karen00]

Agreed. More of a thought for after the tank is established.

Thanks for these suggestions! It has actually been quite difficult to keep my focus narrowed to just a few. I see so many members post shots of their stunning tanks and I want to stuff my little 5g with all of them. Haha. So I am staying focused on beginner corals but planning for advanced and maybe by then I will magically find room for a bigger tank!

 

[DKPminus]

Thanks for these suggestions! It has actually been quite difficult to keep my focus narrowed to just a few. I see so many members post shots of their stunning tanks and I want to stuff my little 5g with all of them. Haha. So I am staying focused on beginner corals but planning for advanced and maybe by then I will magically find room for a bigger tank!

I understand completely. Have a hard time not buying everything I see myself. Understanding the type of tank you want to build and researching what is compatible will save some headaches. Even a small tank can be beautiful, just takes patience.