pulsing xenia and green star polyps together on an island? safe or not?

[dave48]

Just setting up a new reef tank and would like to colonise one of my "island" rocks with GSP and Xenia together, started on opposite ends of the island. When the two colonies finally meet which of them will dominate or will they each limit spread of the other?
Im hoping with a 4-5" sand barrier I wont end up with either of them taking over the whole tank. Am I right.? Dont want to create a monoculture.

 

[fishguy242]

Hi, when they do meet GSP will start making the xenia pop off loose ,blow/roll around if have not started to already by then...

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

Just setting up a new reef tank and would like to colonise one of my "island" rocks with GSP and Xenia together, started on opposite ends of the island. When the two colonies finally meet which of them will dominate or will they each limit spread of the other?
Im hoping with a 4-5" sand barrier I wont end up with either of them taking over the whole tank. Am I right.? Dont want to create a monoculture.

Not safe

 

[o2manyfish]

I'm guessing the opposite of what FishGuy242 thought.

The GSP is going to slowly spread a skin across the rock. The Xenia is going to keep sending out strings and growing new colonies from the stretched main colony.

I think when the 2 meet, the Xenia, which is "usually" faster expanding is going to be better able to stretch across the top of the GSP and basically grow on top of it, than the GSP of growing under the xenia and pushing it back.

You might have a better chance with Clavularia, which also grows as a skin like gsp, and when the 2 bump into each other they will probably just stop encroaching.

Dave B

 

[dilligaf29]

i also started with and island of the 2 look who won

 

[dave48]

thanks for all replies. looks like a range of results with this. Maybe I could pick one or the other and be done with it.
What about the risk of spreading uncontrollably through the tank though? the sand barrier not enough for either of them?
Will have a look at Clavularia.