Quote:
Originally Posted by xtmreef  Third, you can just live with RB's. They don't kill SPS.. it's a common myth that they suck up the slime but it's all anecdotal experience. I know plenty of SPS'ers who have RB's and at the same time have beautiful thriving colonies. RB's are NOT destructive like Monti Eating Nudis and AEFW's. |
I "lived" with them for a year or more. My SPS were growing so fast, I stopped dosing
kalk and just did water changes. The colors were brilliant. Then.. after getting a new coral from someone, I noted that the growth on my
acro's started to slow down. I began dosing again, and no change. I then noted my Larry Jackson
acro was turning a duller shade of purple. I changed out all my lights. The growth of the corals then came to a creeping halt; even the encrusting bases. Even though I was still dosing.
I then treated the tank for the red bugs. Within a week after, the colors started popping again. Within three weeks, I had incredible growth spurts.
Personally, I think that even if they did "kill" SPS, it would be a long, drawn out process. The actual death could be from anything, but starts as a weakening by the parasites. In the wild, no problem. There are pipe fish, wrasse and other things that could probably keep them at bay (Some hobbyists have noted fish that do consume them). In the enclosed tanks, without predation, I think it could be a problem.
Can the corals "live with them". Maybe.. for a while, but I think that eventually, they begin to weaken, and then you get secondary issues that would wipe em out.
Just my two cents
Dave
