Aquascaping Coral Compatibility Cheat Sheet?

[bondolo]

Now that I have my display tank where I finally want it I am starting to stock it up with a number of the pieces I have been holding in my frag tank. I've been able to place a few pieces by the "don't put it near anything else" and "put it near things of the same genus" rules but beyond that I am clueless. The resources on the Internet aren't much help as they are all anecdotal, frequently conflicting and/or dubious. (That actually describes nearly everything on the Internet ;-) ).

I know that there's no certainty about these things (three of my four Euphyllia get along, the fourth had to be moved before the others killed it), but is there an aquascaping compatibility chart or even lists of "corals that should never be placed near each other"?

 

[yardartist]

In my rock paper scissors world lobos trump favids, that is if the favid falls into a lobo. Lobos melt florida rics in minutes rather than hours. In hours it was consumed. The ric was nearby and must have grown so close to be noticed as the lobo then 'spilled its guts' and fried the ric. I'll have to think about other mash up problems I have witnessed.

 

[jestersix]

Acan echinatas eat Blastos, but they wait until you aren't looking.

 

[iCon]

Acan echinata ate my micromussa. War coral is 1" away from acan echinata and they're still growing toward each other with seemingly no warfare but I feel as if I'm pushing my luck atm. Maybe post what corals you'll be filling the tank with and people can help put the puzzle pieces together

 

[sfsuphysics]

I don't think there is an all encompassing chart, just would be way too large, but just figure out what a corals danger point is should keep you good. Meaning, is it a coral that grows like a weed, or does it have sweepers, or barf its guts up, or use chemicals, etc.

I've has galaxia send out sweepers that had to be close to a foot long (no longer in the tank thankfully)
I've seen acan echinata eat aiptasia! However I have a rock with those and it seems the only "warfare" is trying to outgrow each other, actually pushing outward from the surface.

Chalices usually will destroy SPS, however I've seen a montipora undata actually grow up (I guess the underside of the coral isn't as delicate?) and literally try to grow over the top, sure the bottom gets "eaten" but in the long run that montipora will win.