Corals for Dummy Question :-)

Okay, so I'm most likely going to try some starter corals soon. Excited!! I'm reading online about several that were suggested to me and I have a question...sorry if this is really stupid, but I know nothing about corals. What does it mean when the description says a coral is semi-aggressive?

Thanks!

 

It means it can sting other corals that get close to it.

 

in a lot of cases this is referring to its ability/tendency to reach out and touch a neighbor with a toxic tentacle. Chemical warfare.

if it has short tentacles that are mild, they're considered non to low aggressive (think acans).

frogspawn, torch, and hammers are all aggressive with long tentacles... they need space around them... but they can't hurt each others. So that's an example of the types of combos you can do with aggressive.

an anemone might be considered highly aggressive because it will physically move around the tank stinging and/or killing other corals.

that sort of thing... hope it helps. plan ahead on placement

 

Some corals actually will sting other corals in self defense, or emit toxins--We call it chemical warfare. That is why running carbon is important. It can remove some of these things.

 

right. i think it has more to do with territory over anything else... "if my tentacle can reach it, this area is mine"

normally these toxins are dispersed in the hugeness of the ocean, but in our tanks its more concentrated. I have several aggressive corals so I definitely run carbon.

if you have all low aggressive corals carbon is less important.

 

What they said ;D

No question is stupid when it comes to this hobby so dont be afraid to ask

 

Haha well I always feel like it's totally obvious and I'm just missing the boat. So if the coral is semi-aggressive would it hurt the fish if they touch it? Or me?! Now I'm nervous about this endeavor...

 

I doubt it. Think how thin the "skin" of a coral is. I litterally can't feel my duncans even if I know I'm touching them, that's why corals can hurt eachother. Anemones on the other hand... There was a thread here about a week ago that had a guy fragging his carpen anemone. That sucker was stinging him. Worst comes to worst I bet it'd be like a jellyfish sting - just pee on it.

 

Hahaha yes. I will just pee on my hand! Okay, as long as they won't sting my fish then it's all good.

Thanks a lot for the info guys!! I will try to stick with non and semi-aggressive corals only.

 

get some soft corals, like pulsing xenia, I bet you would like those.. I would totally send you some if you lived a few states closer.. thats a long trip for corals, unless youre willing to pay for shipping, then Ill do it for free.. I mean, I am the one who talked you into it.. it would only be right of me to give you your first coral..