coral compatability

[weez1959]

I'm slowly trying to get more SPS but I read somewhere that leathers should not be kept in a tank with SPS.
What are the effects of SPS and leathers, what do the leathers do to the SPS?
Are there other corals that shouldn't be kept with SPS?
Zoas, mushrooms, xenias, etc....
What about anemones?

[Ninong]

I'm slowly trying to get more SPS but I read somewhere that leathers should not be kept in a tank with SPS.

In general, that's good advice.

What are the effects of SPS and leathers, what do the leathers do to the SPS?

Leathers (especially Sarcophyton spp.) release toxins (terpenoid and sarcophine compounds) into the water to harm or slow the growth of competing corals. This is true of most soft corals but especially true of leathers. Certain LPS can be more endangered by leathers than SPS. This doesn't make a whole lot of difference in the wild because of the enormous volume of water but in our tiny glass boxes it can sometimes be a problem. Obviously vigorous water filtration methods can reduce the potential for damage but it still something to be aware of.

Personally, I would not keep leathers in a tank with LPS or SPS but I don't like leathers to begin with, so there.

Are there other corals that shouldn't be kept with SPS?
Zoas, mushrooms, xenias, etc....
What about anemones?

This is not exactly cut and dry (or black and white). I would never keep mushrooms (other than Ricordea spp.) because they're too invasive, so I wouldn't have a problem with them. The same can be said about xenia -- too invasive and could potentially crash. Zoanthids, in general, are okay. I would avoid palythoas because I just wouldn't want to take any chances, if you know what I mean.

Anemones! Wow! If you're even asking this question, you should avoid anemones. Period. Do not attempt to keep an anemone (never more than one unless you have a large tank, more than 300 gallons) unless you understand fully what you're getting into. Know in advance that they might wander. And in their wandering, kill everything in their path. And maybe end up in a place where they don't belong. (P.S. -- Do I really have to go looking for the photos of Gene's 110-gal tank that was devoured by an anemone?)

Stay away from an anemone until after you have read everything there is to read on the potential problems. After you know what you're in for, then it's okay to keep an anemone in a tank with SPS. Anemones release toxins that are harmful to other species of anemones but I don't believe they're all that toxic to SPS, at least not like leathers can be. This is why you don't keep more than one anemone in the same tank unless it's a really big tank.