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View Full Version : Is Fire coral the menace it’s made out to be?


ShootMe
09/01/2009, 11:42 AM
I know I am technically I am in the wrong forum but I figure there are much more people who visit the sps section will likely have dealt with the fire coral before and this has to do with my other sps frags as well. Four months ago a fellow reefer was moving and was basically giving away frags from his tank so I walked away with twenty sps frags. One of the frags happen to be a branching fire coral and since being placed in the tank it has encrusted between 2”-3” in every direction and has about a dozen new “stalks” popping up from areas it has encrusted. At this growth rate I can see it taking over a large part of my 40 breeder inside a year.

All corals can conduct warfare against their neighbors; I’m wondering if the fire coral is so much more aggressive at stinging its neighbors or if its aggressive nature is based on its super fast growth or if it is just a misconception that the fire coral is just plain worse at warfare then other types of corals. I have to figure there is something against this creature because I can not remember the last time I have seen a tank on reefcentral where someone proudly displays their colony of fire coral.

Elan L.
09/01/2009, 02:38 PM
yes it does sting other corals. I have seen it on the reefs down here. It doesnt even look like. Iwouldnt bother

Gary Majchrzak
09/01/2009, 05:35 PM
depends on the species of Millepora.

I've always had fire coral in my reef aquarium.

icedgxe
09/01/2009, 08:46 PM
Does it look like this...
http://diveshoppe2003.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/fire-coral.jpg

That is the coral usually refered to as fire coral. If you touch the coral you will find out. I accidentally touched them twice last summer while snorkeling in Puerto Rico. You will know it if it is that as it burns pretty good and then itches for several days. If that is indeed what you have then I would give it a good amount of room between it and other corals as it has a potent sting.

Darrin
09/02/2009, 12:40 AM
I love them.. I keep one in my tank just so i can tell people ....

"hey, i own a pet that if it touches you, you have to pee on yourself to make it quit hurting.."

d

ShootMe
09/02/2009, 02:05 PM
That’s what I have. It’s an interesting creature to watch as I can almost notice daily growth as it encrusts over the rock, it seems to just love intense flow. However space is a premium in a 40 breeder so sadly it will most likely have to go sometime in the near future.