Soft coral vs. soft coral compatibility

Jeremiah G · Mar 12, 2017

Hi all,

I have been doing a lot of research for my new tank and came up with a bunch of questions concerning soft corals.
I plan on having a softie dominant tank.
What I want to do is have large softies (Sinularia/Nephthea/Lobophytum etc.) and have other matting corals amongst them to create a carpet (Zoanthids/GSP/Mushrooms etc).

Can these smaller matting softies grow near/touch the larger soft corals?
Can these smaller matting corals grow near/touch other matting corals?

Cheers,
-Jeremiah

Reefing Madness · Mar 13, 2017

FJJoe · Mar 14, 2017

Sure will my 180g is all softies

FJJoe · Mar 14, 2017

If you would like to come take a look pm me

Jeremiah G · Mar 15, 2017

I figured as much as I have seen many pictures and videos but wanted to make sure I wasn't overlooking anything.

PM sent

FJJoe · Mar 15, 2017

Never get xenia

Thomasj616 · Mar 15, 2017

They will do great
Here's mine
125 mixed reef, mostly softies, hammers and mushrooms
Just watch the GSP of you decide to put it in yours, it's invasive.
I'd suggest making an island rock if you want it

stevo01 · Mar 15, 2017

I think there can be negative interactions between soft corals. In my experience so far ive had green finger leather irritate some palys. The same green finger growing up against green toadstool leather and neither were ever bothered by that. They touched constantly. I dont know if a kenya or devils hand would be as easy going. Zoas and palys will grow over eachother and it seems the more invasive types win the ground wars. Mushrooms do well together if you keep them in groups of rhodactis, discosoma, ricodea.

There are some very invasive/aggresive types of soft corals to be aware of before introducing them. GSP, cloves, button polyps, brown star polyps, leathers in general, various mushrooms can be like this. There are some encrusting LPS to be aware of their invasive abilities, like Cyphastrea.

Jeremiah G · Mar 17, 2017

Great, thank you all for the input!

GoFish · Mar 18, 2017

Here's a couple photos to reference from this thread
Discoma vs. Yuma = Tie

Discoma vs. Cyphastrea = Discoma wins

Pavona vs. Palythoa = Pavona slowly wins

Imgur lost a few of my images but will ty to find them again...

If you find any more please share with the thread mentioned in this post

GoFish · Mar 18, 2017

Discoma vs Rhodactis = Tie
Discoma vs. Zoa = Tie

Jeremiah G · Mar 18, 2017

Interesting, thank you for the thread reference and photos

stevo01 · Mar 18, 2017

GoFish said:
Discoma vs Rhodactis = Tie
Discoma vs. Zoa = Tie

Great photos! I saw these just a little while ago. Do you have anything with leathers? I found my green finger was irritating a paly colony. I moved the paly plug.

GoFish · Mar 18, 2017

stevo01 said:
Great photos! I saw these just a little while ago. Do you have anything with leathers? I found my green finger was irritating a paly colony. I moved the paly plug.

Does your finger leather sting the palys or is it moving around causing irritation? My toadstool leather needs to be fragged every 6 months because is starts shading palys and zoas. They can definitely touch without any warfare, but it barely moves in the current

ahiggins · Mar 18, 2017

Along the same lines, favias against acan=acan won.

stevo01 · Mar 18, 2017

GoFish said:
Does your finger leather sting the palys or is it moving around causing irritation? My toadstool leather needs to be fragged every 6 months because is starts shading palys and zoas. They can definitely touch without any warfare, but it barely moves in the current

Its hard to say if it was from movement or from actual sting.