New softie coral stock help

[johnsonjohnny4]

Hi new to marine stide of things so taking things slow but been looking at getting into marine starting with a softie tank but can someone give me advice on coral stock looking for coral that's not going take over whole tank thanks for help read loads but ones I like or easy to care for but seen they grow like mad

 

[davidcalgary29]

Nepthea is an excellent substitute for Kenya Trees, as it has the same basic shape and growth pattern without the messy and prolific spreading.

Many people consider cabbage leathers to be basic, but I quite like them. They're also quite cheap.

Don't forget to consider a Grube's gorgonian! They're wonderful corals and can survive in conditions that will cause other gorgs to disintegrate.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Just about any leather coral is a good start and all are very forgiving. Weeping willows are pricey, but look like anemones. I personally like sinularia the best, it grows fast but doesn’t spread like a Kenya tree would.
Zoanthids may spread fast based on breed, but they are often very colorful and very easy to keep.
Xenia and gsp are very invasive, but very good looking, if they are isolated from the main rockwork they will not spread fast.

 

[Tamberav]

Hi new to marine stide of things so taking things slow but been looking at getting into marine starting with a softie tank but can someone give me advice on coral stock looking for coral that's not going take over whole tank thanks for help read loads but ones I like or easy to care for but seen they grow like mad

Toad stools, nepthea, gorgs, cabbages, sinularia, GSP when kept on back wall or it's own rock where you can frag it, colorful zoa's, again I like a island/zoa garden for them, ricordia mushrooms, cespitularia.

Things like xenia and blue cloves can get out of hand, so can some types of mushrooms.

 

[Tamberav]

Here is some inspiration for ya... Mikes tank is legend imo!

 

[johnsonjohnny4]

Nepthea is an excellent substitute for Kenya Trees, as it has the same basic shape and growth pattern without the messy and prolific spreading.

Many people consider cabbage leathers to be basic, but I quite like them. They're also quite cheap.

Don't forget to consider a Grube's gorgonian! They're wonderful corals and can survive in conditions that will cause other gorgs to disintegrate.

I'll like things like neon green Star polyp but seen they grow like mad is they any softie coral like that but easier to manage don't want to get thing out of hand to fast thanks for help

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

I'll like things like neon green Star polyp but seen they grow like mad is they any softie coral like that but easier to manage don't want to get thing out of hand to fast thanks for help

Have a look at branching green star polyps. You probably still want to put them on an island but they tend to be happier to grow up rather than out and if they start getting out of hand a few quick snips with scissors can bring them back under control.

 

[johnsonjohnny4]

Here is some inspiration for ya... Mikes tank is legend imo!


Looks mint

 

[johnsonjohnny4]

It's like a mind field out they just don't want to rush it and get something that's going fill full coral

 

[johnsonjohnny4]

All advice is great for being new is easy to go out by loads but in for the long haul

 

[Kraig]

Glad you asked the question, I'm in the same boat as you. Most corals that you see for beginners or new tanks always end in "but they will take over your tank". I'm sure that comes with a caveat, but being new, not sure how that applies. It gets frustrating and confusing really quickly trying to come up with corals that you like that won't be dominant in the tank.

 

[BanjoBandito]

Get a nice neon toadstool variant! I love toadstools. So cool and pretty dang tough. Duncans are great too. Really fun to watch both of them.

 

[BanjoBandito]

Glad you asked the question, I'm in the same boat as you. Most corals that you see for beginners or new tanks always end in "but they will take over your tank". I'm sure that comes with a caveat, but being new, not sure how that applies. It gets frustrating and confusing really quickly trying to come up with corals that you like that won't be dominant in the tank.

...but isn't the point to just have that tank that's OVERFLOWING with corals????? They kinda sort themselves out IMHO. The problem is when ONLY ONE of these guys is added to a tank with slow or stunted corals that easily get choked out. I have some prolific growers but the acans and favia I have keep em' battled back. The only thing I kinda baby is my euphyllia.

 

[sfin52]

Hi new to marine stide of things so taking things slow but been looking at getting into marine starting with a softie tank but can someone give me advice on coral stock looking for coral that's not going take over whole tank thanks for help read loads but ones I like or easy to care for but seen they grow like mad

Neon green nepthea

 

[Kraig]

...but isn't the point to just have that tank that's OVERFLOWING with corals????? They kinda sort themselves out IMHO. The problem is when ONLY ONE of these guys is added to a tank with slow or stunted corals that easily get choked out. I have some prolific growers but the acans and favia I have keep em' battled back. The only thing I kinda baby is my euphyllia.

This is true. One issue going into this new is, how fast will Coral A grow before I am able to add corals b, c, d etc. Will I be trying to get rid of large portions of something that grew fast when I want to bring in new corals for a specific area.

I am pretty sure I am WAY overthinking this, but that's what I do. Eventually I will be comfortable enough with my knowledge of this hobby that I can make informed decisions. Until then, just trying to be smart about it.

 

[BanjoBandito]

This is true. One issue going into this new is, how fast will Coral A grow before I am able to add corals b, c, d etc. Will I be trying to get rid of large portions of something that grew fast when I want to bring in new corals for a specific area.

I am pretty sure I am WAY overthinking this, but that's what I do. Eventually I will be comfortable enough with my knowledge of this hobby that I can make informed decisions. Until then, just trying to be smart about it.

Isolation is the best containment for what you feel will be "rapid growing" corals. GSP, Xenias, zoas, etc. can all be isolated to a specific rock so they don't go wandering. Planning ahead is key, especially if you can make a list of what you want!

 

[Kraig]

Isolation is the best containment for what you feel will be "rapid growing" corals. GSP, Xenias, zoas, etc. can all be isolated to a specific rock so they don't go wandering. Planning ahead is key, especially if you can make a list of what you want!

Thanks, sounds like good advice!

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

I have or have had most of the "invasive" softies in my tanks (GSP, Kenya Tree, Xenia) and actually like them.

Things like Kenya Trees and Xenia in particular are not just fast growing but notorious for dropping "babies" and you start finding Xenia and Kenya trees in all sorts of unexpected spots! Be ready with the tweezers but still be prepared for the Kenya tree that's suddenly growing out of the pistol shrimp cave and who am I to argue with a pistol shrimp?

The only one I've had any real feelings of regret about was Clavularia.

I thought it would be easier to control than Xenia (but give me a similar look) since it grows in a mat but wow, that stuff loved my tank and grew at an alarming rate. When I decided it was maybe a bad choice, I was really glad I'd confined it to an island! The mat did not just peel off like I'd hoped. I ended up pulling the rock and taking the scorched earth approach by scrubbing it in RO water and letting it dry out.

No more clove polyps for me, at least in this tank (I might still try them again in a dedicated softie tank, I still think they are pretty).

 

[Sharkbait19]

Oh yeah…watch out for the clove polyps lol
I made the mistake of putting my yellow tipped ones on a dead sponge…very hard to get them off of that when they started over growing onto zoas and strangling my Yuma.
My emerald crab never had issues killing cloves though…maybe I need a new one lol