What Corals Don't I want?

[Enigma]

From what I understand, Sun Corals can be a real challenge to keep. I think you have to feed every head. I think some people construct feeding domes for them out of 2L pop bottles. I'm fuzzy on the details, though.

If you Google "feeding sun coral" you might get some good ideas.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Yes, feeding sun corals can become more labour intensive & polluting than most reefers want to deal with.

Dendros are generally a bit easier and hardier, but also far more expensive (from Australia) than the Sun Corals.

[reefermadness]

Sorry I didnt read the thread.....but I always try to stay away from ugly ones

[Mandosh]

Originally Posted by reefermadness

I always try to stay away from ugly ones

Universally good advice.

[DanG]

To those that mentioned anthalis, this is what can happen when you buy one little frag that your girlfriend thinks is cute...




It hasn't been too bad to manage, it peeled off the rocks pretty easy and it's easy to get off the glass, but I've read a lot of stories where people have to boil rocks to get it off. I've still got some growing on a big rock, but only that rock right now.

[Magma]

Guess I am the only crazy one who keeps these "pest" corals and has no issues with them...my Kenya tree is very large and hasnt dropped a frag once, my GSP grows up my overflow and thats about it.

Now as for Xenia it doesnt like my tank and wont grow?

*shrug* I like all these pest corals because I have a coral beauty who enjoys nipping at them but only them.

[Faithinc]

Nope -- I Love the pests. My first aquarium is filled with GSP, Xenia, Clove polyps and dasies.

[canadianbigkat]

A pest to one is not a pest to others, I found that starting my first tank years ago I had luck with anthelia and kenya trees. They lived, were cheap and filled up my tank. As I became better my candy canes and zoas became pests (my candy canes actually melted and dropped frags everywhere). Now I only wish my more expensive corals would become pests.

Ok Im and old freshwater guy but a discus breeder would call a guppy a pest. Multipy like crazy and arent as nice as a discus.

I still have a colony of kenya trees in my tank as they move with the waves and have height in the tank. I just keep them pruned and pull out frags that are dropped.

If your just starting out some of the pests are great corals. You will find satisfaction in growing a coral and move onto more interesting species and probably stay in the hobby longer.

So in my opinion they are beginner corals and not pests.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by canadianbigkat

So in my opinion they are beginner corals and not pests.

The problem is that when the beginner decides to upgrade corals, they can't get rid of a lot of these things. Well, without using pesticides!

[Myka]

Many corals spread by dropping polyps like any sort of mushrooms, many leathers, Xenia, Anthelia, star polyps (aka GSP) can also do this. This is a real pain because they will start growing all over the place. Poccilopora will spread by sexual reproduction (the only SPS I know that readily does this), and can be a real pain popping up all over the place.

Also, some (para)Zoanthids:
Yellow Polyps:



Green or Brown Button Polyps: