Allelopathy

TriniStylez · 07/26/2007, 12:01 PM

I know soft corals use it to compete and outgrow sps corals if close enough but what about other soft corals? I have heard so many different opinions from shops and people locally and wanted to see what everyone here thinks or knows.

This is what I know...

Allelopathy is a chemical process that a plant or in this case a coral, uses to keep other plants from growing too close to it.

Soft Corals release a chemical that is like turpentine in chemical structure to injure or impede the growth of neighboring corals, and then overgrow these impeded individuals. So with sps, they slow the sps growth down and eventually will reach above the sps or even grow over it.

I have many finger leathers which "touch" and even a few that have grown into each other and attached together. No signs of stress between them but I am asking about this because it has not been long term, only months.

I would prefer to keep my tank as is and let it grow and mature "naturally" BUT if this is just going to end up killing a bunch of corals, then I will start fragging them and keeping everything groomed. I have absolutely no room to move anything either. The tank is full wall to wall and almost front to back.

Thanks!

Potsy · 07/26/2007, 01:18 PM

I'm no scientist but I think that alleopathy is largely directed toward stony species - apparently inhibits their ability to deposit calcium for growth. There are plenty of soft coral tanks in which several species of leather and other soft corals kept together thrive and grow rapidly. There was a thread here yesterday featuring someone's soft/lps tank. Plenty of sinularia and sarcophyton together with hammer and frogspawn corals.

TriniStylez · 07/26/2007, 03:12 PM

Yeah I saw that. Very similar to my tank but mine is even more crowded. As I said, no short term negative effects but I am thinking more long term.

I know that alleopathy is mostly directed at sps but I thought it must somewhat effect other softies.

Potsy · 07/26/2007, 03:26 PM

Regardless of the nature of alleopathy, fresh carbon effectively absorbs any toxins. I forgot to mention that I have a very large 12 - 15 inch sinularia (the most toxic soft coral) in a tank with a frogspawn that grew to the size of a football, toxins and all.

TriniStylez · 07/26/2007, 04:51 PM

I do run carbon 24/7 and change it every two weeks, so I think that does help. I have about three sinularias in this tank that seem to get along. Two of them are around 6-8 inches and the other is closer to a foot. They have grown tremendously over the past months.

07/26/2007, 12:01 PM	#1
TriniStylez Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Caribbean Posts: 928	Allelopathy I know soft corals use it to compete and outgrow sps corals if close enough but what about other soft corals? I have heard so many different opinions from shops and people locally and wanted to see what everyone here thinks or knows. This is what I know... Allelopathy is a chemical process that a plant or in this case a coral, uses to keep other plants from growing too close to it. Soft Corals release a chemical that is like turpentine in chemical structure to injure or impede the growth of neighboring corals, and then overgrow these impeded individuals. So with sps, they slow the sps growth down and eventually will reach above the sps or even grow over it. I have many finger leathers which "touch" and even a few that have grown into each other and attached together. No signs of stress between them but I am asking about this because it has not been long term, only months. I would prefer to keep my tank as is and let it grow and mature "naturally" BUT if this is just going to end up killing a bunch of corals, then I will start fragging them and keeping everything groomed. I have absolutely no room to move anything either. The tank is full wall to wall and almost front to back. Thanks!

07/26/2007, 01:18 PM	#2
Potsy Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Kinnelon, NJ Posts: 1,827	I'm no scientist but I think that alleopathy is largely directed toward stony species - apparently inhibits their ability to deposit calcium for growth. There are plenty of soft coral tanks in which several species of leather and other soft corals kept together thrive and grow rapidly. There was a thread here yesterday featuring someone's soft/lps tank. Plenty of sinularia and sarcophyton together with hammer and frogspawn corals.

07/26/2007, 03:12 PM	#3
TriniStylez Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Caribbean Posts: 928	Yeah I saw that. Very similar to my tank but mine is even more crowded. As I said, no short term negative effects but I am thinking more long term. I know that alleopathy is mostly directed at sps but I thought it must somewhat effect other softies.

07/26/2007, 03:26 PM	#4
Potsy Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Kinnelon, NJ Posts: 1,827	Regardless of the nature of alleopathy, fresh carbon effectively absorbs any toxins. I forgot to mention that I have a very large 12 - 15 inch sinularia (the most toxic soft coral) in a tank with a frogspawn that grew to the size of a football, toxins and all.

07/26/2007, 04:51 PM	#5
TriniStylez Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Caribbean Posts: 928	I do run carbon 24/7 and change it every two weeks, so I think that does help. I have about three sinularias in this tank that seem to get along. Two of them are around 6-8 inches and the other is closer to a foot. They have grown tremendously over the past months.