Coral growth enhancer?

[WannaBeAReefer]

I believe I have seen others post this comment but I am curious what is going on...

I placed two toadstool leathers next to each other (they actually touch when the polyps extend) and in the course of 2 or 3 days I have noticed that both have grown much larger and look much more heathy. Can anyone explain the dynamics of what is going on?

[bongobrian]

I've had the same results when placing corals of similar type next to each other. I'm not sure about the dynamics but I could take a guess. I'd have to say it has something to do with reproductive chemicals that corals give off. I know that when you have a lot of mushrooms touching each other, they tend to become a reproducing factory. I have this idea to propogate my purple mushrooms, and get them to grow and cover the entire back glass of my tank. I've seen some tanks like that and it looks really cool. I recently rearranged my tank and put corals of the same type close together. I have several hard corals in one part of the tank that now open up very large and touch each other. I really think this promotes growth and reproduction if the corals are happy touching each other. Other corals will obviously kill each other if they touch.

[Great Reefer Man]

Interesting. You know, it has been suggested before that if people who have gonipora place two or more of them next to each other in the same tank, that they have had better success. Dont know how valid that is. <shrug>

Dennis

[Dive_Master]

That is very interesting. I have mushrooms and xenia close togehter but seperate and they are growing out of control.

All my rocks in the back are covered by mushrooms. It look really neat. The side of my glass is covered with Xenia. It grows like weeds.

I add Iodine regularly. A liitle more than is recommended.

[mrok12]

I have read that putting leathers in a tank with xenia really speed up growth rates amoung these corals as well. Possibly some bio-chemicle responses Im sure. Anthony Calfo talks about this in his book of coral propogation.


MROK12

[FishKid]

ever since puttin my colt near my xenia they both have over powered the aiptasia that was on that piece of live rock, it is really cool.