Keeping SPS with Leather Coral and softies

[tikkle]

I am planning to try some SPS. I have a big leather, few softies and a lot of zoas in my 46 gal tank. Should I unload the leather and the softies before I put SPS in there? And how about zoas? Thanks!

[Der_Iron_Chef]

Not necessary. Just run some activated carbon and you should be fine.

[sphelps]

You need to strategically place the SPS corals upstream so anything the leather sheds off is filtered out of the tank before coming in contact with the SPS corals. And yes carbon is good along with effective skimming.

[fkshiu]

Having a really big tank to disperse all that leather slime doesn't hurt either.

It won't be easy in a 46 once the leather gets bigger - carbon will be your friend.

[midgetwaiter]

Borneman's Aquarium Corals book has a list of the 5 worst softies when it comes to aleopathy but I can't remember it off hand. Definitely stay away from Devil's Hand or other lobos, they're especially nasty.

[tikkle]

yeah...I do have a Lobophytum. I think they call it rabbit ear leather. And it is about 5-6 inches when it is fully expand.

Nice coral... Anyone interested:question:

[rocketlily]

Can someone tell me why the Devil's Hand is particularly nasty and how would one go about removing one.

[kwirky]

I find the corals that smell the most like raw metal when cut up are the worst ;)