What happens when to identical corals touch...

[jrgilles]

So here is my question.

I have to largish SPS corals that are identical. I recently moved one of them when doing a bit of aquascaping, and a branch of the one I moved is not touching a branch of another identical coral.

I'm guessing they won't try to kill each other off, since they are the same beast, is this true?

Also, where they are touching, will they eventually fuse together?

Was thinking about this and figured one of you guys probably knows the answer to this....

rob

 

[user 26995]

I believe you are correct in thinking that the two will grow together and fuse with no problems. I have a green birdsnest that started out as two frags and grew together into on nice size colony. It has also been seen that a red monti and green monti was placed on the same frag and grew together.

 

[Sasquatch]

if they came from the same colony to begin with, shared genetics? space is survival hence the stingers on some, you can only try and watch for the burns if they happen

 

[returnofsid]

As Squatch said, if they came from the same colony, they should be fine, touching. However, two identical corals, from different colonies, as an example 2 Acropora valida from different colonies, could end up warring with one another, if they touched.

 

[justforfun]

ah i just put them next to each other and see what happens,,,,,i have many diff. growing together....digitas, millis, acans, zoas, ....i like to c what morphs i can make without to much death in the road to them