Montipora vs. Anemone

jrgilles · Jan 4, 2012

I have a question about montipora (specifically it is a 'field of green' that I got a frag of locally, very close to a sunset.) It is about saucer plate size.

I rearranged my rockwork and have a roaming anemone. It set up camp under the motipora. I noticed the monti had closed up some of its polyps, although not near the anemone.

My question is this: Is it bad to have the anemone touching the UNDERSIDE of the monti? The underside has no polyps and looks to be just skeleton, but it did seem that the polyps on the opposite side of the monti had some reaction. I prodded the anemone to make it move away and the polyps opened up within an hour, so I am guessing the backside is sensitive to the anemone stings.

Just curious to hear what you guys have to say about this.

rob

Herefishyfishy · Jan 4, 2012

Nem v/s Coral: Nem will always win.
Move the Monti

jrgilles · Jan 4, 2012

Not a question of nem vs. coral. I have had nems in an SPS tank for a while now. I am well aware of that.

A question on the sensitivity of the underside of plate coral, which has no polyps or coloration. appears to just be skeleton.

Herefishyfishy · Jan 4, 2012

Sorry for abbreviated answer.
Nems move. It can and probably will rise up and wrap around the coral when you are away and least expecting it.
I have lost 5-10 corals in the last year in my overly packed 180 due to the now 3 RBTAs each with a breeding pair of clowns, move a bit onto a once safely located coral. Wife loves the clowns, visitors love the nems. The dead crals from same drive me nuts!

jrgilles · Jan 4, 2012

BUT, my question is lets say it doesn't move and doesn't wrap around the coral, will it damage a sunset montipora by only touching the backside of it where there is no color or polyps. Consider it a hypothetical situation if that helps. Does the backside provide protection? Or will the top surface still be damaged from anemone contact on the underside?

Herefishyfishy · Jan 4, 2012

The backside skeleton has no life outside of general biota as in bacteria, algae, protozoa, etc. The coral's polyps excrete it as waste which hardens and grows and the polyps live on it. If the nem doesn't touch the polyps (any of it's tissue,) outside of some possible chemical warfare, it should be fine.

BUT, Nems move...

jrgilles · Jan 5, 2012

Cool, thanks. Was really a hypothetical question. I had gotten the two separated before I posted, was just curious. I have a few nems in my tank and I know how they can wreck havoc >.<