Growth Rates Of Some Softies.

BigC

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Just me again asking some dumb questions.
This time I would like to know how fast (weeks, months) will you see noticable growth rates in the following soft corals. (would like to know as a view to eventual coral placement)

Green Star Polyps
Pulsing xenia
Mushrooms
Zoos
Ricordea
Torch/frogspawn/Hammer

Your help is always greatly appreciated.
Regards
BigC
 
Just me again asking some dumb questions.
This time I would like to know how fast (weeks, months) will you see noticable growth rates in the following soft corals. (would like to know as a view to eventual coral placement)

Green Star Polyps
Pulsing xenia
Mushrooms
Zoos
Ricordea
Torch/frogspawn/Hammer

Your help is always greatly appreciated.
Regards
BigC
Gps mid to high flow.
Pulsating xenia low flow.
Mushrooms any flow.
Zoos Mid flow
Ricordea same as mushrooms but better in mid flow.
Torch mid to high.(Since were are on the subject my torch coral wasnt opening properly so I put i in a mid flow any and its strechting out.)
Frogspawn and Hammer coral mid flow if they dont open completely low flow.

Edit: You said growth rate though you said flow rate.
 
You said growth rate though you said flow rate
Yeah growth rates please
Dont mind nanocubeking that was helpful too.
Thanks
BigC
 
Just me again asking some dumb questions.
This time I would like to know how fast (weeks, months) will you see noticable growth rates in the following soft corals. (would like to know as a view to eventual coral placement)

Green Star Polyps
Pulsing xenia
Mushrooms
Zoos
Ricordea
Torch/frogspawn/Hammer

Your help is always greatly appreciated.
Regards
BigC
Gps mid to high flow.
Pulsating xenia low flow.
Mushrooms any flow.
Zoos Mid flow
Ricordea same as mushrooms but better in mid flow.
Torch mid to high.(Since were are on the subject my torch coral wasnt opening properly so I put i in a mid flow any and its strechting out.)
Frogspawn and Hammer coral mid flow if they dont open completely low flow.

Edit: You said growth rate though you said flow rate.

i agree on everything here except the torch, i would give it low flow, its tentacles dont like to be buffeted around IMO IME.
 
agree on everything here except the torch, i would give it low flow, its tentacles dont like to be buffeted around IMO IME.
and Growth Rates....
 
agree on everything here except the torch, i would give it low flow, its tentacles dont like to be buffeted around IMO IME.
and Growth Rates....


well you need ideal conditions before you can get the best of growth rates, its more of a "for future reference" to whoever reads this.
 
I'll try and take a stab at this:

Green Star Polyps: Typically very fast growers. Smaller colonies can double size in a month, as colony size increases, the rate of doubling decreases, but they still grow fast. In a nano, any colony would be considered small. They will not overgrow any of the corals listed except maybe Xenia. Will be out-competed by euphillia genus corals, but probably work to a standstil with others. Were it my nano, I'd add them last as once estalished on rocks they're a pain to remove.

Pulsing xenia: If ideal conditions exist, they grow FAST. Can double in size in 2-4 weeks and spread like a weed. Occasionally, for reasons I can't figure out, sometimes they just don't grow. My own xenia colony took 1.5 years to double in size from one stalk to two. Then, bam, its growth rate exploded and I've had to trim them with a scalpel repeatedly. Likely killed by euphyllia, and possibly GSP, prolly will work to a standstill with others mentioned. Also of note, they can/will grow on your back walls. They can do it on glass, and will probably love that kind of substrate you have BigC. Somethin to think about.

Mushrooms: Depends on conditions/shroom. Actinodiscus species are probably the fastest growers and also most aggressive corals. In reproduction they often detach themselves from their rocks, and float to a more desireable location to grow. In your case, this can/will include your rock walls, so keep that in mind. Colonies can double in size in prolly 2 months IME. Rhodactus mushrooms are less aggressive and tend to grow slower, more like doubling every 4-6 months IME. They CAN float around the aquarium like actinodiscuss, but are not as prone to doing so as their cousins. Mushrooms may out-compete zoas, and will meet their demise at the hands of euphillia.


Zoos: Really depends on conditions. In high-light moderate flow, they can grow almoast as fast as GSP. Otherwise it may take many months to double in size. Typically larger-polyped zoas and palythoa that can be fed frozen foods grow faster than their small brethren. That way they're not very light-dependent. In your tank BigC, I'd expect a slower growth rate from smaller ones, and moderate growth rates from larger colonies if-fed. Will be held at-bay by euphyllia, and can be out-competed by mushrooms.

Ricordea: Grow the slowest of the mushrooms, prolly doubling in 6 months. They almoast never detach from their rocks. Like their mushroom cousins, will be killed by euphyllia and may out-compete zoas.

Torch/frogspawn/Hammer: The kings of the ring in this scenario, will kill all others. Hammer are usually the strongest of the three and CAN kill torch and frog, although sometimes they can co-exist. Frog and torch are usually fine with each other. Any of the three will kill all other corals in the list. Their growth rate is exceptionally variable. If chemistry is fantastic (high calc/alk/mg, no nitrate/phosphate) they can grow quickly, doubling every 3 months. Growth rates slow as the colony gets bigger/thicker but you won't really get to that size in a tank as small as yours. These corals can be fed frozen which will increase their growth rate. Lighting is also rate-limiting, but you have a decent amount, likely enough to prevent it from being rate-limiting. Chemistry and feeding will really help here. Presence of phosphates drastically stunts groth rate, even nearly halting it, so watch out for that. Mercifully easily fragged however in case the colony ever over-grows. Could be nice barriers to keep the softies from creeping on-to the walls if you want.

Hope that helped
 
Excellent reply Ski,
Just what I was looking for, many thanks for taking the time out to type out such a long and concise answer.
Regards
BigC
 
Excellent reply Ski,
Just what I was looking for, many thanks for taking the time out to type out such a long and concise answer.
Regards
BigC

You got it, I just hope I didn't miss anything :)
 
Odd, I've read that torch are the strongest and the only Euphyllia that cannot be kept beside other Euphyllia. I guess specimens can differ.

LPS as a whole typically have mighty stings, and will almost certainly win out against softies (I refer only to Alcyonaceans in this context) at hand to hand combat. Unfortunately for the LPS, when out of reach, some softies can actually win out from the production of allelopathic toxins, and tanks with the most noxious softies (such as Sarcophyton and Cladiella) can actually be totally inhospitable to hard corals. Usually it won't reach this point, but softies (and nems) can also declare war and devote a larger amount of energy to allelopath production if they sense the presence of competitors. Just pointing out that they certainly are not helpless.

I would also like to mention that white star polyps, almost identical in shape to green stars, can actually grow straight up and form branching stalks (like an acro or gorgonian) if they happen to run out of room. Looks kinda cool actually. In that case they won't outcompete other corals for space.
 
Thanks for the info guys, like BigC I have also been quite curious about all the corals listedas I've already started adding them to my tank and was wondering about rates of growth so this thread has helped me loads also.
Cheerz :good:
 
Lynden, back when I had it, my green torch would get wacked by my hammer coral all the time, usually the hammer was the winner. The torch played nice with the frogspawn, but that hammer was the king of the ring. Most of the "old salties" in my reef club also think hammers are the top-dogs, but maybe it is on an individual organism basis. And lest we forget that colony health will always affect it's ability to make war
 
Oh not disagreeing with you, this is just what I read in a magazine and to be completely honest I trust your experiences, which I have seen and can look up at any moment, more than I trust what a single magazine tells me (one that I have and continue to disagree with on some points).
 
Thanks again you guys. much appreciated.
Regards
BigC
 

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