Encrusting monti versus acropora & clams

[newfly]

My tank is almost 2 yrs now and good news is everything seems to be growing fine. Bad news is I didn’t put too much thought into coral placement in the beginning (rookie mistake).

I’ll try to get some pic tomorrow.

Encrusting monti (variety species) are now growing dangerously close to acro and clam. From what I read online, monti will eventually win the battle.

My thought is to remove the monti, place them lower in the tank, far from the top shelf. Or just get rid of them all together.

Am I over thinking it? I’m afraid as the acro grow out more , I can’t trim back the monti at the base without damaging the acro.

 

[Coral reefer]

Pics will help. Most montis will overgrow most acros

 

[Marcus H]

You can put kalk paste on the edge of the monti to stop it from advancing, but will have to reapply periodically

 

[BAYMAC]

clams move, encrusters usually cannot encrust onto them. The acros will loose that battle.

 

[Darkxerox]

clams move, encrusters usually cannot encrust onto them. The acros will loose that battle.

Yeah I think even against montis they should be fine. This is a Crocea boring into a Porites:

And Maximas boring into live rock:

 

[CaseyP]

Get a stick of 2-part epoxy, mix and roll it out into a long strip. Create a barrier on the rock where you don't want the encrusting monti to cross. I've found that they're slower to encrust over epoxy but when they do, just break it off the rock then add a new barrier.

 

[Coral reefer]

Get a stick of 2-part epoxy, mix and roll it out into a long strip. Create a barrier on the rock where you don't want the encrusting monti to cross. I've found that they're slower to encrust over epoxy but when they do, just break it off the rock then add a new barrier.

That’s smarter and easier than my go in and smash it with screw driver and bone cutters every so often.
Another smart idea is to lightly glue small chunks of rubble or natural looking frag tiles or whatever in the demilitarized zone for easy fragging later

 

[newfly]

Get a stick of 2-part epoxy, mix and roll it out into a long strip. Create a barrier on the rock where you don't want the encrusting monti to cross. I've found that they're slower to encrust over epoxy but when they do, just break it off the rock then add a new barrier.

Great idea! Will try that

 

[newfly]

Some example of coral battle in my tank

Monti vs Monti
Monti vs acro
Acro vs Cyphastrea
Clams vs Monti

 

[tankguy]

can you move some of the acro's ?

 

[newfly]

can you move some of the acro's ?

Need a bigger tank! Decided to re-scape the tank, removing/reposition the encrusting monti/Cyphastrea. I like acro more.

 

[Coral reefer]

Bigger tank! Bigger tank!