Kenya Tree Coral (SUPER AGRESSIVE?)
 

Has anyone experienced VERY agressive chemical warfare from the Kenya Tree Coral (Capnella sp.)? Everytime it touches a ricordia/Mushroom/LPS/Toadstool the OTHER coral shrinks back or appears to have some tissue damage. This Looks like an innocent coral. Yeah, right. Also, it grows like a weed. I got it from Live aquaria in August, last year. It looked like this.

[IMG]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g115/Brooks_Mcclary/a269c2b6.jpg[/IMG]

Here is a FTS (the rascle is in the upper right part of the tank).

[IMG]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g115/Brooks_Mcclary/3f2acec7.jpg[/IMG]

By late last year it had grown too big for my tank, broken off several daughter corals (all by itself) and they had all attached to live rock (by themselves) I had over 6 in the tank. I gave away the original Kenya to a friend of mine. The babies have grown up where I took out the original. I gave them away too. Now all I have are 2nd and 3rd generation frags growing in the tank. There are a total of 7 right now that I can find. Here is what they look like now ( I have had them a total of 8 mos):

[IMG]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g115/Brooks_Mcclary/5341a409.jpg[/IMG]

Anyone else have agressive softie stories? This is a seriously bad boy. (but I love this coral). Makes you popular with your friends with a constant stream of frags.

A related question...

The rock that the Capnella is on is too big to move. I want to take a cutting as it is encroaching on my candy cane. Am I safe cutting this in the tank or will it nuke everything in there? It has bits break off all the time with no ill effects.

OK, no one chimed in... So I did it. I cut the Capnella while it was in the tank to make more room. Just so I have proof that I was not overreacting... I have proof that they were touching!!

[IMG]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g115/Brooks_Mcclary/eaae44ae.jpg[/IMG]

And here is the bare spot after the "trimming":

[IMG]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g115/Brooks_Mcclary/ba53afa5.jpg[/IMG]

If everything dies... I'll post some pics of brown slime...

Wish me luck.

luck ;)

I agree that thing is a weed I have the same problem

They grow a little quick...

yeah mine has grown very fast nut no babies yet

I took out the last of my large ones today. They took up too much room and I needed space for my first Acropora. I don't feel bad because the bases where I cut off the first 3 are all sprouting new growth. YOU CANT KILL THIS STUFF.

take the frags to a lfs and trade for $5 of store credit each. new reefers will pay $10 each for these and like you said, you can't kill them . I have been trading in kenya frags for 2+ years now and they have gotten me a good deal of store credit.

[url]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g115/Brooks_Mcclary/eaae44ae.jpg[/url]

I like the color of your candycane :)

[IMG]http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e232/nicholasvilppu/IMG_5757.jpg[/IMG]

tell me about it.

Yeah my kenya stung my acans and my mushrooms. the shrooms would shrivel up away from the kenya. As soon as I got rid of the kenya the mushrooms just got huge. My acans is still not quite right. As soon as it stung the acans i got rid of the kenya.

My Colt Coral grow very fast and frag themselves very quickly also... These Softies are like weeds...

Ever watched a Kenya Tree hunt in the middle of the night?

If you're ever up and have moonlights it's a sight to behold. Tiny little smoke wisp looking sweeper tentacles shooting out to snag passerby pods, etc.

It's weird, but when watching it, I've never once seen the Kenya Tree miss. Copabod floats by, out flys a little harpoon looking tentacle. Buh-bye copapod!

ghost, if you could film that, it'll be pretty darn cool to watch!!!