Heliofungia Placement

[mad921]

I got a new heliofungia about 2 weeks ago and put it in a spot on the sand where it had plenty of room to open up without touching anything. Since that time though, it has become pretty happy with its surroundings and either by virtue of growth or just expanding completely it is now opening up to the point that it's tentacles extend nearly 2 inches further than they did at what appeared to be full extension when I first got it. Because of this, it has been brushing up against a colony of zoos and some GSP and I'm wondering if I should be concerned to the point where I should move either of them. I have both zoos and GSP living in perfect harmony (side by side on my live rock....lol) with other types of corals elsewhere, but I've never had a heliofungia before and wanted to get some input because the info that I've found elsewhere regarding its stinging ability seems to be inconsistant.

Any thoughts or input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Tangee]

Hey Jason,
You know you have 2 now... I sent a baby purple one with Vicki the other night. It's pretty small, so it might be hard to tell what it is.

I think they like the stability of the bottom, as long as sand doesn't get stirred up on them. They also like a little solid food now and then, at least mine does and it's about 8'' across when it extends.

I think updated tank pictures will be in order soon

Susie

 

[mad921]

Thanks Susie. I did spot that baby fungia plate. I love the purple color BTW, I've never seen one quite like it. I have them both on the sand with no plans to move either. Mostly wondering about whether or not to move the GSP and the zoos.

P.S. I placed everything yesterday. Just waiting for it to settle a bit and open before taking pics.

 

[Anthony Calfo]

it has been brushing up against a colony of zoos and some GSP and I'm wondering if I should be concerned to the point where I should move either of them.

Both are extremely chemically noxious. The GSP is one of the worst in the sea. I'm as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow that your GSP will eventually (months) kill the Heliofungia. Please move the GSP to near the overflow and use carbon and oir ozone in the syste to keep this coral from slowly poisoning others in time.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Anthony, you really got my attention with that one on GSPs. I have had a ton of it right in front of my spray bar onto the SPS frags and other stony colonies. Just got it moved to the bottom of the tank. Seems I learn something new every day that requires going "tank diving." Guess GSPs have no place in a predominately stony tank?

 

[Anthony Calfo]

brutal may not even begin to describe the chemically noxiouspotency of GSP. Of the 100+ corals in the aquarium trade, GSP may easily make the top 5 most aggressive list. I can thing of few things that it will not burn, poison or overtake in time. A shame... so pretty too.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Anthony of the top 5 most aggressive list, what are the other 4?

 

[Anthony Calfo]

it depends on how you want to define aggressive? exudates... contact... or overall.

in no particular order though... corallimorphs (chemically noxious and dominant)... zoanthids (like corallimorphs)... enrusting gorgonian (Erythropodium species... quite like Briareum/GSP species)... most Alcyoniid leather corals, but especially Sarcophyton (exudates and mucus tunics sloughed... brutal on sps corals)... for stonies, Galaxea and most Euphylliids

 

[Herefishyfishy]

WOW, a description of my tank and most mixed coral tanks. Toadstools, mushrooms, zoas, and an occational encrusting galaxia or other. I have seen smaller combo tanks with awesome sps growth. Probably a matter of what is touching, falling onto, sliming, or sloughing off onto what. Guess having a larger well spaced tank with occational carbon has helped. Thanks for the info, I will watch placement.

 

[morgan]

so if zoas are pretty bad to other corals would it cream a xeinacause i have sum placed close and dont want my xeina to get damaged

 

[Anthony Calfo]

I would expect most zoanthids to burn through most Xeniids