Acro: Growing into each other OK?

[flamehawkfish]

My acropora corals are starting to grow 'into each other'. After several months of good growth, my blue Stag is melding into my green Stag...

Here's a pic (notice the green stag growing into the blue stag):

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3166/3598547918_6fc60c0bf3.jpg

Do I need to be worried? I'm hoping it might produce new polyp colors. Do some types of Acro not play well with other types?

Please let me know. Thanks for your help.

-Flamehawk

[64Ivy]

Doubtful they will play well with each other, especially if different species. And though I HAVE seen it happen, more often than not, the branches that come into contact will slime copiously and one or both will soon die back, begin to grow algae, then die back even more. Not sure the effect the chemical warfare might have on the rest of the tank but you definitely don't want a lot of necrotic tissue floating around and landing on your other pieces. That is ultimately what crashed my old system.

[flamehawkfish]

64Ivy,

Thanks for the tip. I'll frag back the Acro that's touching unlike pieces. As for this particular case, they're both Stags and appear to be the same species (but different colors). There's no sliming yet, but I'll monitor carefully. Again, thanks, and have a good weekend.

[Stanley-Reefer]

prune them like plants. Don't wait one more day like I use to either to find them attacking each other the day you were going to prune them!

[mpoletti]

I personally like "coral war" :) I know certain species will not fair well, but some can co mingle and play nice.

[KJAhp098]

One of my acros did the same thing yours are doing and the dominant one just grew over and covered the other one.