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Galaxea

Class Anthozoa, Order Scleractinia, Family Oculinidae, Genus Galaxea

Common names: galaxea

Natural origin: Indo-Pacific

Sensitivity (Level 2 to 3): Though not beginner corals, they’re generally tolerant in healthy, established aquariums.

Feeding: These corals should be fed a variety of smaller particle food.

Lighting (Level 3 to 5): They can adapt to a range of lighting conditions and seem to do well under less intense light. As always, care should be taken to acclimate the coral to any change in lighting conditions.

Water flow: They do best with surging water flow. If surging flow is not available, place in an area of the tank with stronger, more turbulent flow.

Placement: These corals can get quite aggressive with their exceptionally long stinging sweeper tentacles. Even small colonies need a lot of room.

General: Galaxea have thin, fragile polyp skeletons (corallites). Please handle with care. If not being kept in a tank with strong, surging water flow, be sure to keep clear of sediment with daily “blasting” with a turkey baster or power head. When healthy and kept well, these corals can grow quite fast and are easy to fragment and propagate.

Sensitivity:

Level 1 – These corals are easy to care for, good for the novice aquarists.

Level 2 – These corals require slightly more attention than level 1 corals, but are generally tolerant and forgiving.

Level 3 – These corals require stable, established aquariums and care by an experienced aquarist.

Level 4 – These corals should only be kept by the most experienced aquarists.

Level 5 – These corals are not known to be able to survive in aquariums even when under the care of the most experienced aquarists

Note that this scale is not set in stone, but based on the numerous experiences and reports of professional and hobby aquarists. The sensitivity and tolerance of any given coral in your tank will depend on species, health when collected/purchased, how long it’s been in captivity, and other factors that may or may not be knowable.

Lighting Scale (approximations):

Level 0 – no light

…

Level 3 – one foot below modest VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

…

Level 5 – two feet below extensive VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

…

Level 6 – one foot below extensive VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

Level 7 – two feet below 250 watt single ended MH light (or 150-175 watt MH with HQI ballast)

Level 8 – one foot below 250 watt single ended MH light (or 150-175 watt MH with HQI ballast)

…

Level 10 – one foot below 400 watt single ended MH (or 250 watt MH with HQI ballast)

Note that this scale is quite crude and only meant to provide a rough idea of the different levels of light intensities. How much (and what kind of) light actually reaches the corals in your tank also depends on the type of reflector in the light fixture, the temperature of the bulbs/lamps, the clarity of your tank water, etc.

It’s also important to note that different individual corals, even of the same species, can have very different lighting requirements and ideals. Often times, the same types and species of wild caught corals come from different depths and different water clarities. It’s nearly impossible to know what kind or how much light was getting to your coral when it was first taken from the wild. One advantage of aquacultured corals is that you can know what light they were grown under. Beyond health, the color of any given zooxanthellate (photosynthetic) coral will change and adapt in response to the lighting it is placed under. All corals are vulnerable to bleaching if not allowed to acclimate to a change to more intense lighting. If your coral begins to bleach, move it to an area of lower lighting and feed it especially well.

Acclimation:

Please, always take the time to acclimate new corals.

Step 1: Float the bag with the coral in the aquarium water (away from lights!) for about 20 minutes.

Step 2: Open the bag and test the salinity of the bag water.

Step 3: Add about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of tank water to the bag every 10-20 minutes until the bag water and tank water are approximately the same salinity. You can add less water over longer periods of time to acclimate more slowly for more sensitive animals (or when the bag water and tank water have substantially different salinity).

Acclimation can also be done in a bucket (rather than the transport bag). However, the bucket water temperature can get closer to room temperature than tank water temperature (especially for slow acclimations). Insulating the bucket in a Styrofoam box or cooler during acclimation should help.

To acclimate to new lighting conditions, first place the coral in a less light intense area of the tank. Every few days, move the coral towards more direct lighting until it is where you want it to be. If it begins to bleach at any point, move it back to a less light intense area. After the coral recovers, commence moving towards more direct light more slowly.

General “Disclaimer”

These care sheets are a brief presentation of the needs and characteristics of a variety of commonly kept aquarium corals. Though there’s a lot of science in reef keeping, the hobby itself has always been and continues to be an imperfect science. Much is still unknown and there is often more than one way to do things. Please take what’s written here as a starting point, but always keep an active and curious mind.

Fungiidae

Common names: disc coral, plate coral, tongue coral, fungia, mushroom coral

Natural origin: Indo-Pacific

Sensitivity (Level 1 to 3): Sensitivity depends on genus and species. Species from the genus Fungia are generally tolerant and tend to have excellent success rates among aquarists. Heliofungia species (often distinguished by their long tentacles) have a reputation for being much harder to care for and experience relatively poor success rates in aquaria.

Feeding: These corals have strong prey capture ability and can feed on chunky, meaty marine foods. The size of the food should fit the size of the coral’s polyp mouth or mouths.

Lighting (Level 5 to 8): These corals can adapt to a range of lighting conditions, but most need at least moderate lighting for good health and growth. As always, proper acclimation to new lighting conditions is important. Water flow: They do well in areas of moderate water flow.

Placement: These corals should be placed on a flat surface (sand beds are usually best, but gravel and bare bottoms will do). They can be a bit aggressive, so please give a little room.

General: These corals can be quite dynamic. They can move independently across flat surfaces (even up to several inches overnight) and can sometimes even flip themselves over after falling upside down. Tentacles usually come out at night, but in captivity they can come out during the day too (or instead). In healthy tanks, they can show remarkable recovery from injury or disease. They’re also known for occasionally producing babies called “anthocauli” upon their death.

Sensitivity:

Level 1 – These corals are easy to care for, good for the novice aquarists.

Level 2 – These corals require slightly more attention than level 1 corals, but are generally tolerant and forgiving.

Level 3 – These corals require stable, established aquariums and care by an experienced aquarist.

Level 4 – These corals should only be kept by the most experienced aquarists.

Level 5 – These corals are not known to be able to survive in aquariums even when under the care of the most experienced aquarists.

Note that this scale is not set in stone, but based on the numerous experiences and reports of professional and hobby aquarists. The sensitivity and tolerance of any given coral in your tank will depend on species, health when collected/purchased, how long it’s been in captivity, and other factors that may or may not be knowable.

Lighting Scale (approximations):

Level 0 – no light

…

Level 3 – one foot below modest VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

…

Level 5 – two feet below extensive VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

…

Level 6 – one foot below extensive VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

Level 7 – two feet below 250 watt single ended MH light (or 150-175 watt MH with HQI ballast)

Level 8 – one foot below 250 watt single ended MH light (or 150-175 watt MH with HQI ballast)

…

Level 10 – one foot below 400 watt single ended MH (or 250 watt MH with HQI ballast)

Note that this scale is quite crude and only meant to provide a rough idea of the different levels of light intensities. How much (and what kind of) light actually reaches the corals in your tank also depends on the type of reflector in the light fixture, the temperature of the bulbs/lamps, the clarity of your tank water, etc.

It’s also important to note that different individual corals, even of the same species, can have very different lighting requirements and ideals. Often times, the same types and species of wild caught corals come from different depths and different water clarities. It’s nearly impossible to know what kind or how much light was getting to your coral when it was first taken from the wild. One advantage of aquacultured corals is that you can know what light they were grown under. Beyond health, the color of any given zooxanthellate (photosynthetic) coral will change and adapt in response to the lighting it is placed under. All corals are vulnerable to bleaching if not allowed to acclimate to a change to more intense lighting. If your coral begins to bleach, move it to an area of lower lighting and feed it especially well.

Acclimation:

Please, always take the time to acclimate new corals.

Step 1: Float the bag with the coral in the aquarium water (away from lights!) for about 20 minutes.

Step 2: Open the bag and test the salinity of the bag water.

Step 3: Add about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of tank water to the bag every 10-20 minutes until the bag water and tank water are approximately the same salinity. You can add less water over longer periods of time to acclimate more slowly for more sensitive animals (or when the bag water and tank water have substantially different salinity).

Acclimation can also be done in a bucket (rather than the transport bag). However, the bucket water temperature can get closer to room temperature than tank water temperature (especially for slow acclimations). Insulating the bucket in a Styrofoam box or cooler during acclimation should help.

To acclimate to new lighting conditions, first place the coral in a less light intense area of the tank. Every few days, move the coral towards more direct lighting until it is where you want it to be. If it begins to bleach at any point, move it back to a less light intense area. After the coral recovers, commence moving towards more direct light more slowly.

General “Disclaimer”

These care sheets are a brief presentation of the needs and characteristics of a variety of commonly kept aquarium corals. Though there’s a lot of science in reef keeping, the hobby itself has always been and continues to be an imperfect science. Much is still unknown and there is often more than one way to do things. Please take what’s written here as a starting point, but always keep an active and curious mind.

Most saltwater species cannot be kept in an aquarium with their own kind. In the freshwater world, things are totally different. Many of our more common home aquarium species actually need other members of their own kind to feel secure and safe, otherwise they suffer stress and a likely a shortened life-span.

All of the tetra, rasbora and danio species are schooling fish in nature. That is, they live in large, homogenous groups with a designated leader and individual purpose. They should not be kept in aquariums in groups of less than six.

A single male livebearer kept in the confines with a single female will probably be much too aggressive towards her. They should be kept in trios with one male and two females or in haphazardly produced groups where the females largely outnumber the males. This will allow the male to divide his attention.

Barbs, dependent upon their tankmates, may be guilty of chasing and fin-nipping. However in groups of five or more, they are generally content to confine this “aggressive” behavior to themselves as a form of play.

Loaches and cory catfish, while not being schooling fish per se, are very much social fish, and do not fare well individually. Both should be kept in groups of at least three to insure their long-term well-being.

Often, with the diversity of colors and body-shapes available, it is tempting to stock your aquarium with one of everything. This is not healthy or fair to many of the species available.

As an entertaining and interesting alternative, you might want to consider a species tank. This is an aquarium that is stocked entirely with one species of fish, with the exception of cory catfish or loaches as scavengers and perhaps a plecostomus to perform some of the janitorial duties.

Favia and Favites (and other moon corals)

Class Anthozoa, Order Scleractinia, Family Faviidae, Genera Favia and Favites

Common names: moon coral, brain coral

Natural origin: Indo-Pacific

Sensitivity (Level 1 to 2): Sensitivity depends a bit on the species, but most are quite tolerant, forgiving and easy to care for.

Feeding: Most species have considerable prey capture ability. All have feeder tentacles. However, like many corals, they can take some time to “settle in” to a new home. They should be fed at night since this is when they will usually extend their feeder tentacles. If after several weeks your coral is still not extending feeder tentacles, you can try to encourage a feeding response with night-time target feeding. When doing this, wait one hour after lights go off before feeding. Turn water flow off so that the food can fall and rest onto the coral. Give the coral an hour or two to “grab hold” of the food, then turn water flow back on. Do this regularly until feeder tentacles extend regularly in anticipation of feeding. Once your coral is readily extending feeding tentacles, it will be able to catch food from the current without any assistance.

Lighting (Level 4 to 7): These corals can adapt to a range of light intensities. Like any coral, they can bleach if not properly acclimated to a sudden change in lighting.

Water flow: Moderate to strong water flow is best. Stronger water flow may help encourage feeding tentacle extension.

Placement: These corals seem to do best when placed on a hard surface or up on rocks (sand can cause some irritation). Aggression varies considerably between species. Some have sweeper tentacles (stinging tentacles that can extend several inches), but some don’t. Don’t assume that your coral does not have sweeper tentacles just because you haven’t seen them. They may only extend them at night or when you haven’t been watching.

General: This is a huge group of corals including the Favid and Favites genera. They are often confused with Blastomussa, Micromussa, Acanthastrea and other similar appearing corals. If not otherwise explained, slow tissue recession may be a sign of starvation. Careful target feeding as described previously may help this situation.

Sensitivity:

Level 1 – These corals are easy to care for, good for the novice aquarists.

Level 2 – These corals require slightly more attention than level 1 corals, but are generally tolerant and forgiving.

Level 3 – These corals require stable, established aquariums and care by an experienced aquarist.

Level 4 – These corals should only be kept by the most experienced aquarists.

Level 5 – These corals are not known to be able to survive in aquariums even when under the care of the most experienced aquarists.

Note that this scale is not set in stone, but based on the numerous experiences and reports of professional and hobby aquarists. The sensitivity and tolerance of any given coral in your tank will depend on species, health when collected/purchased, how long it’s been in captivity, and other factors that may or may not be knowable.

Lighting Scale (approximations):

Level 0 – no light

…

Level 3 – one foot below modest VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

…

Level 5 – two feet below extensive VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

…

Level 6 – one foot below extensive VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

Level 7 – two feet below 250 watt single ended MH light (or 150-175 watt MH with HQI ballast)

Level 8 – one foot below 250 watt single ended MH light (or 150-175 watt MH with HQI ballast)

…

Level 10 – one foot below 400 watt single ended MH (or 250 watt MH with HQI ballast)

Note that this scale is quite crude and only meant to provide a rough idea of the different levels of light intensities. How much (and what kind of) light actually reaches the corals in your tank also depends on the type of reflector in the light fixture, the temperature of the bulbs/lamps, the clarity of your tank water, etc.

It’s also important to note that different individual corals, even of the same species, can have very different lighting requirements and ideals. Often times, the same types and species of wild caught corals come from different depths and different water clarities. It’s nearly impossible to know what kind or how much light was getting to your coral when it was first taken from the wild. One advantage of aquacultured corals is that you can know what light they were grown under. Beyond health, the color of any given zooxanthellate (photosynthetic) coral will change and adapt in response to the lighting it is placed under. All corals are vulnerable to bleaching if not allowed to acclimate to a change to more intense lighting. If your coral begins to bleach, move it to an area of lower lighting and feed it especially well.

Acclimation:

Please, always take the time to acclimate new corals.

Step 1: Float the bag with the coral in the aquarium water (away from lights!) for about 20 minutes.

Step 2: Open the bag and test the salinity of the bag water.

Step 3: Add about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of tank water to the bag every 10-20 minutes until the bag water and tank water are approximately the same salinity. You can add less water over longer periods of time to acclimate more slowly for more sensitive animals (or when the bag water and tank water have substantially different salinity).

Acclimation can also be done in a bucket (rather than the transport bag). However, the bucket water temperature can get closer to room temperature than tank water temperature (especially for slow acclimations). Insulating the bucket in a Styrofoam box or cooler during acclimation should help.

To acclimate to new lighting conditions, first place the coral in a less light intense area of the tank. Every few days, move the coral towards more direct lighting until it is where you want it to be. If it begins to bleach at any point, move it back to a less light intense area. After the coral recovers, commence moving towards more direct light more slowly.

General “Disclaimer”

These care sheets are a brief presentation of the needs and characteristics of a variety of commonly kept aquarium corals. Though there’s a lot of science in reef keeping, the hobby itself has always been and continues to be an imperfect science. Much is still unknown and there is often more than one way to do things. Please take what’s written here as a starting point, but always keep an active and curious mind.

Euphyllia (Hammer, Torch and Fox Corals)

Class Anthozoa, Order Scleractinia, Family Euphyllidae, Genera Euphyllia and Nemenzophyllia

Common names: hammer coral, branched hammer coral, torch coral, pom-pom coral, whisper coral, fox coral

Natural origin: Indo-Pacific

Sensitivity (Level 2): Though generally tolerant, they need to be fed and placed properly (see below).

Feeding: These corals have good prey capture ability and can feed on mysis shrimp and other meaty marine foods.

Lighting (Level 5 to 7): Preferred lighting depends on species, but most prefer moderate (or intense but indirect) lighting.

Water flow: Place in an area of moderate water flow.

Placement: These corals can be quite aggressive, displaying long, powerful stinging sweeper tentacles. Please place them safety away from other corals. Do not keep with leather corals that may be toxic to larger polyped stony corals. Also avoid housing with hermit crabs.

General: If not otherwise explained, slow tissue recession may be a sign of starvation. Target feeding may help this situation. These corals seem to be more susceptible to brown jelly disease than most other corals. To help prevent disease, be careful not to damage the coral while handling and avoid housing with hermit crabs that can irritate the coral’s soft tissue.

Sensitivity:

Level 1 – These corals are easy to care for, good for the novice aquarists.

Level 2 – These corals require slightly more attention than level 1 corals, but are generally tolerant and forgiving.

Level 3 – These corals require stable, established aquariums and care by an experienced aquarist.

Level 4 – These corals should only be kept by the most experienced aquarists.

Level 5 – These corals are not known to be able to survive in aquariums even when under the care of the most experienced aquarists.

Note that this scale is not set in stone, but based on the numerous experiences and reports of professional and hobby aquarists. The sensitivity and tolerance of any given coral in your tank will depend on species, health when collected/purchased, how long it’s been in captivity, and other factors that may or may not be knowable.

Lighting Scale (approximations):

Level 0 – no light

…

Level 3 – one foot below modest VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

…

Level 5 – two feet below extensive VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

…

Level 6 – one foot below extensive VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

Level 7 – two feet below 250 watt single ended MH light (or 150-175 watt MH with HQI ballast)

Level 8 – one foot below 250 watt single ended MH light (or 150-175 watt MH with HQI ballast)

…

Level 10 – one foot below 400 watt single ended MH (or 250 watt MH with HQI ballast)

Note that this scale is quite crude and only meant to provide a rough idea of the different levels of light intensities. How much (and what kind of) light actually reaches the corals in your tank also depends on the type of reflector in the light fixture, the temperature of the bulbs/lamps, the clarity of your tank water, etc.

It’s also important to note that different individual corals, even of the same species, can have very different lighting requirements and ideals. Often times, the same types and species of wild caught corals come from different depths and different water clarities. It’s nearly impossible to know what kind or how much light was getting to your coral when it was first taken from the wild. One advantage of aquacultured corals is that you can know what light they were grown under. Beyond health, the color of any given zooxanthellate (photosynthetic) coral will change and adapt in response to the lighting it is placed under. All corals are vulnerable to bleaching if not allowed to acclimate to a change to more intense lighting. If your coral begins to bleach, move it to an area of lower lighting and feed it especially well.

Acclimation:

Please, always take the time to acclimate new corals.

Step 1: Float the bag with the coral in the aquarium water (away from lights!) for about 20 minutes.

Step 2: Open the bag and test the salinity of the bag water.

Step 3: Add about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of tank water to the bag every 10-20 minutes until the bag water and tank water are approximately the same salinity. You can add less water over longer periods of time to acclimate more slowly for more sensitive animals (or when the bag water and tank water have substantially different salinity).

Acclimation can also be done in a bucket (rather than the transport bag). However, the bucket water temperature can get closer to room temperature than tank water temperature (especially for slow acclimations). Insulating the bucket in a Styrofoam box or cooler during acclimation should help.

To acclimate to new lighting conditions, first place the coral in a less light intense area of the tank. Every few days, move the coral towards more direct lighting until it is where you want it to be. If it begins to bleach at any point, move it back to a less light intense area. After the coral recovers, commence moving towards more direct light more slowly.

General “Disclaimer”

These care sheets are a brief presentation of the needs and characteristics of a variety of commonly kept aquarium corals. Though there’s a lot of science in reef keeping, the hobby itself has always been and continues to be an imperfect science. Much is still unknown and there is often more than one way to do things. Please take what’s written here as a starting point, but always keep an active and curious mind.

Corallimorphia (Ricordia and mushrooms)

Class Anthozoa, Suborder Hexacorallia, Order Corallimorpharia, Family Ricordeidae and Genus Discosoma

Common names: Ricordia, mushrooms, button polyps, hairy mushrooms

Natural origin: Indo-Pacific, Caribbean

Sensitivity (Level 1 to 2): Sensitivity varies some from species to species, but usually tolerant and quite forgiving. When healthy, these corals can rapidly recover from damage and stress.

Feeding: Prey capture ability depends on species and size of the coral polyp mouth. If the tank is regularly fed a healthy variety of food, these corals should have no problem getting what they need.

Lighting (Level 2 to 8): Most can adapt to a wide range of light intensities but sudden changes in lighting can cause bleaching.

Water flow: These corals can thrive in lower flow areas of the tank.

Placement: Though they’re not generally aggressive, they can be quite unyielding. A few species can grow quite large (reaching over a foot in diameter) while some species stay relatively small (less than 2 inches across). The larger species include many of the corals commonly referred to as “hairy mushrooms.” All species divide as a method of asexual reproduction.

General: Note that these corals will sometimes detach from their rocks and float away. This could be a sign that they are unhealthy or over crowded. However, it could also mean that they are not happy with where they are in the tank and are simply trying to find a more favorable spot. You can try to glue the coral down, but this can be quite difficult if there are grains of sand attached to the foot. It’s usually wiser or kinder to just let the coral find the spot it wants. Just make sure that as it ventures around it doesn’t get stuck in an obviously bad place (such as in the grate of an overflow or powerhead, or at the base of an incompatible coral). These corals can be fragmented by cutting into sections.

 

Sensitivity:

Level 1 – These corals are easy to care for, good for the novice aquarists.

Level 2 – These corals require slightly more attention than level 1 corals, but are generally tolerant and forgiving.

Level 3 – These corals require stable, established aquariums and care by an experienced aquarist.

Level 4 – These corals should only be kept by the most experienced aquarists.

Level 5 – These corals are not known to be able to survive in aquariums even when under the care of the most experienced aquarists.

Note that this scale is not set in stone, but based on the numerous experiences and reports of professional and hobby aquarists. The sensitivity and tolerance of any given coral in your tank will depend on species, health when collected/purchased, how long it’s been in captivity, and other factors that may or may not be knowable.

Lighting Scale (approximations):

Level 0 – no light

…

Level 3 – one foot below modest VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

…

Level 5 – two feet below extensive VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

…

Level 6 – one foot below extensive VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

Level 7 – two feet below 250 watt single ended MH light (or 150-175 watt MH with HQI ballast)

Level 8 – one foot below 250 watt single ended MH light (or 150-175 watt MH with HQI ballast)

…

Level 10 – one foot below 400 watt single ended MH (or 250 watt MH with HQI ballast)

Note that this scale is quite crude and only meant to provide a rough idea of the different levels of light intensities. How much (and what kind of) light actually reaches the corals in your tank also depends on the type of reflector in the light fixture, the temperature of the bulbs/lamps, the clarity of your tank water, etc.

It’s also important to note that different individual corals, even of the same species, can have very different lighting requirements and ideals. Often times, the same types and species of wild caught corals come from different depths and different water clarities. It’s nearly impossible to know what kind or how much light was getting to your coral when it was first taken from the wild. One advantage of aquacultured corals is that you can know what light they were grown under. Beyond health, the color of any given zooxanthellate (photosynthetic) coral will change and adapt in response to the lighting it is placed under. All corals are vulnerable to bleaching if not allowed to acclimate to a change to more intense lighting. If your coral begins to bleach, move it to an area of lower lighting and feed it especially well.

Acclimation:

Please, always take the time to acclimate new corals.

Step 1: Float the bag with the coral in the aquarium water (away from lights!) for about 20 minutes.

Step 2: Open the bag and test the salinity of the bag water.

Step 3: Add about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of tank water to the bag every 10-20 minutes until the bag water and tank water are approximately the same salinity. You can add less water over longer periods of time to acclimate more slowly for more sensitive animals (or when the bag water and tank water have substantially different salinity).

Acclimation can also be done in a bucket (rather than the transport bag). However, the bucket water temperature can get closer to room temperature than tank water temperature (especially for slow acclimations). Insulating the bucket in a Styrofoam box or cooler during acclimation should help.

To acclimate to new lighting conditions, first place the coral in a less light intense area of the tank. Every few days, move the coral towards more direct lighting until it is where you want it to be. If it begins to bleach at any point, move it back to a less light intense area. After the coral recovers, commence moving towards more direct light more slowly.

General “Disclaimer”

These care sheets are a brief presentation of the needs and characteristics of a variety of commonly kept aquarium corals. Though there’s a lot of science in reef keeping, the hobby itself has always been and continues to be an imperfect science. Much is still unknown and there is often more than one way to do things. Please take what’s written here as a starting point, but always keep an active and curious mind.

Aquascaping your aquarium with live plants can have several beneficial results. First, plants help to provide a stable system in the aquarium, acting as a buffer against rapid increases in nitrate levels, fluctuating pH levels, and sudden bacterial blooms. Second, your fish will certainly enjoy them. Third, you can unleash your creative side and design a splendid underwater garden!

One of the easiest plants to establish successfully is the java fern (microsorium pteropus). It is tolerant of most water conditions, growing longer, dark green leaves in hard water and shorter, paler leaves in soft water. The java fern is not buried in the substrate; instead, you attach it to wood, rocks or even a cork background using green garden wire or fishing line. Eventually it will root onto the rock or wood and spread. It multiplies by growing small plantlets along the leaf margins. When these are large enough to handle, you can detach them and fix them onto another suitable surface.

An added feature of this plant is most fish will leave it alone. Even notorious nibblers don’t seem to bother it. It is also a shade tolerant plant and will thrive in those dark corners of your aquarium. Come in to Fintastic and see our selection of plants and we’ll help get you started!

Acropora

Class Anthozoa, Subclass Hexacorallia, Order Scleractinia, Family Acroporidae, Genus Acropora

Common names: staghorn coral, table coral, branching or plating Acropora

Natural origin: Indo-Pacific, Caribbean

Sensitivity (Level 3 to 4): Acropora species are relatively intolerant of unstable and less than ideal conditions. Sensitivity varies widely depending on the particular species and whether wild or aquacultured. To increase chances of success, do not attempt to Acropora them in tanks less than a year old. Significant fluctuations in temperature and/or water quality can be deadly.

Feeding: These corals have small polyps and poor prey capture ability. They consume foods of very small particle size. For example, oyster eggs, with a particle size of about 50µ, are a good food for these corals. In a well fed tank with a variety of food, additional feeding might not be necessary.

Lighting (Level 7 to 10): Though adaptable, Acropora spp. tend to grow faster and fair better under more intense lighting. The ideal lighting for any particular coral will depend on the species and/or the depth and clarity of the water where it was collected or cultured. As with any zooxanthellate coral, coloration can change in response to changing lighting conditions. And as always, sudden changes in lighting conditions can result in bleaching. Be sure to acclimate properly.

Water flow: Acropora spp. need strong, turbulent water for effective feeding, good health and to prevent sediment damage. Place these corals in the highest area of water flow in the tank.

Placement: Place safely away from aggressive corals and be careful of fast-growing encrusting corals that will compete for space.

General: Acropora spp. are often vulnerable to disease and predation by certain species of coral-eating flatworms, nudibranches, and tiny crustaceans called “red bugs.” To prevent an infestation, carefully inspect and quarantine all new corals for 2 to 3 weeks before allowing them into the main tanks. Steady, healthy calcium (400 to 450 ppm) and alkalinity (3.0 to 4.5 meq/L) levels are important for coral health and growth.

Sensitivity:

Level 1 – These corals are easy to care for, good for the novice aquarists.

Level 2 – These corals require slightly more attention than level 1 corals, but are generally tolerant and forgiving.

Level 3 – These corals require stable, established aquariums and care by an experienced aquarist.

Level 4 – These corals should only be kept by the most experienced aquarists.

Level 5 – These corals are not known to be able to survive in aquariums even when under the care of the most experienced aquarists.

Note that this scale is not set in stone, but based on the numerous experiences and reports of professional and hobby aquarists. The sensitivity and tolerance of any given coral in your tank will depend on species, health when collected/purchased, how long it’s been in captivity, and other factors that may or may not be knowable.

Lighting Scale (approximations):

Level 0 – no light

…

Level 3 – one foot below modest VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

…

Level 5 – two feet below extensive VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

…

Level 6 – one foot below extensive VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

Level 7 – two feet below 250 watt single ended MH light (or 150-175 watt MH with HQI ballast)

Level 8 – one foot below 250 watt single ended MH light (or 150-175 watt MH with HQI ballast)

…

Level 10 – one foot below 400 watt single ended MH (or 250 watt MH with HQI ballast)

Note that this scale is quite crude and only meant to provide a rough idea of the different levels of light intensities. How much (and what kind of) light actually reaches the corals in your tank also depends on the type of reflector in the light fixture, the temperature of the bulbs/lamps, the clarity of your tank water, etc.

It’s also important to note that different individual corals, even of the same species, can have very different lighting requirements and ideals. Often times, the same types and species of wild caught corals come from different depths and different water clarities. It’s nearly impossible to know what kind or how much light was getting to your coral when it was first taken from the wild. One advantage of aquacultured corals is that you can know what light they were grown under. Beyond health, the color of any given zooxanthellate (photosynthetic) coral will change and adapt in response to the lighting it is placed under. All corals are vulnerable to bleaching if not allowed to acclimate to a change to more intense lighting. If your coral begins to bleach, move it to an area of lower lighting and feed it especially well.

Acclimation:

Please, always take the time to acclimate new corals.

Step 1: Float the bag with the coral in the aquarium water (away from lights!) for about 20 minutes.

Step 2: Open the bag and test the salinity of the bag water.

Step 3: Add about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of tank water to the bag every 10-20 minutes until the bag water and tank water are approximately the same salinity. You can add less water over longer periods of time to acclimate more slowly for more sensitive animals (or when the bag water and tank water have substantially different salinity).

Acclimation can also be done in a bucket (rather than the transport bag). However, the bucket water temperature can get closer to room temperature than tank water temperature (especially for slow acclimations). Insulating the bucket in a Styrofoam box or cooler during acclimation should help.

To acclimate to new lighting conditions, first place the coral in a less light intense area of the tank. Every few days, move the coral towards more direct lighting until it is where you want it to be. If it begins to bleach at any point, move it back to a less light intense area. After the coral recovers, commence moving towards more direct light more slowly.

General “Disclaimer”

These care sheets are a brief presentation of the needs and characteristics of a variety of commonly kept aquarium corals. Though there’s a lot of science in reef keeping, the hobby itself has always been and continues to be an imperfect science. Much is still unknown and there is often more than one way to do things. Please take what’s written here as a starting point, but always keep an active and curious mind.

Acanthastrea

Class Anthozoa, Subclass Hexacorallia, Order Scleractinia, Family Mussidea, Genera Acanthastrea

Common names: moon coral, acan

Natural origin: Indo-Pacific

Sensitivity (Level 2): Care difficulty for these corals depends on species, but most are generally tolerant and forgiving when healthy.

Feeding: These corals have strong prey capture ability. In addition to feeding tentacles, these corals are also known to extend their stomachs, mesenterial filament bundles which dissolve and digest their neighbors. They should be fed at night since this is when they usually extend their feeder tentacles and/or mesenterial filaments. If after several weeks your coral is still not extending feeder tentacles, you can try to encourage a feeding response with nighttime target feeding. When doing this, wait one hour after lights go off before feeding. Turn water flow off so that the food can fall and rest onto the coral. Give the coral an hour or two to “grab hold” of the food, then turn water flow back on. Do this regularly until feeder tentacles extend regularly in anticipation of feeding. Once your coral is readily extending feeding tentacles, it will be able to catch food from the current without any assistance.

Lighting (Level 3 to 6): These corals can adapt to a wide range of light intensities. Start by placing the coral lower down in the tank and move up if necessary. As with any coral, bleaching can occur if not properly acclimated to a sudden change in lighting.

Waterflow: Moderate water flow is recommended.

Placement: These are very aggressive corals. Their mesenterial filaments can and will dissolve the tissues of other corals within reach, so please give them plenty of space to avoid contact with other corals.

General: Like many corals, they can take some time to “settle in” to a new home. Wait a few weeks to see normal feeding behavior before worrying.

These corals are often confused for corals of the Faviidae family or for their Blastomussa and Micromussa cousins. Acanthastrea have exceptionally large, pointy septa (skeletal “teeth”) that help distinguish them from other corals. However, you may never know exactly which kind coral you have without close examination of the coral skeleton.

Sensitivity:

Level 1 – These corals are easy to care for, good for the novice aquarists.

Level 2 – These corals require slightly more attention than level 1 corals, but are generally tolerant and forgiving.

Level 3 – These corals require stable, established aquariums and care by an experienced aquarist.

Level 4 – These corals should only be kept by the most experienced aquarists.

Level 5 – These corals are not known to be able to survive in aquariums even when under the care of the most experienced aquarists.

Note that this scale is not set in stone, but based on the numerous experiences and reports of professional and hobby aquarists. The sensitivity and tolerance of any given coral in your tank will depend on species, health when collected/purchased, how long it’s been in captivity, and other factors that may or may not be knowable.

Lighting Scale (approximations):

Level 0 – no light

…

Level 3 – one foot below modest VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

…

Level 5 – two feet below extensive VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

…

Level 6 – one foot below extensive VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

Level 7 – two feet below 250 watt single ended MH light (or 150-175 watt MH with HQI ballast)

Level 8 – one foot below 250 watt single ended MH light (or 150-175 watt MH with HQI ballast)

…

Level 10 – one foot below 400 watt single ended MH (or 250 watt MH with HQI ballast)

Note that this scale is quite crude and only meant to provide a rough idea of the different levels of light intensities. How much (and what kind of) light actually reaches the corals in your tank also depends on the type of reflector in the light fixture, the temperature of the bulbs/lamps, the clarity of your tank water, etc.

It’s also important to note that different individual corals, even of the same species, can have very different lighting requirements and ideals. Often times, the same types and species of wild caught corals come from different depths and different water clarities. It’s nearly impossible to know what kind or how much light was getting to your coral when it was first taken from the wild. One advantage of aquacultured corals is that you can know what light they were grown under. Beyond health, the color of any given zooxanthellate (photosynthetic) coral will change and adapt in response to the lighting it is placed under. All corals are vulnerable to bleaching if not allowed to acclimate to a change to more intense lighting. If your coral begins to bleach, move it to an area of lower lighting and feed it especially well.

Acclimation:

Please, always take the time to acclimate new corals.

Step 1: Float the bag with the coral in the aquarium water (away from lights!) for about 20 minutes.

Step 2: Open the bag and test the salinity of the bag water.

Step 3: Add about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of tank water to the bag every 10-20 minutes until the bag water and tank water are approximately the same salinity. You can add less water over longer periods of time to acclimate more slowly for more sensitive animals (or when the bag water and tank water have substantially different salinity).

Acclimation can also be done in a bucket (rather than the transport bag). However, the bucket water temperature can get closer to room temperature than tank water temperature (especially for slow acclimations). Insulating the bucket in a Styrofoam box or cooler during acclimation should help.

To acclimate to new lighting conditions, first place the coral in a less light intense area of the tank. Every few days, move the coral towards more direct lighting until it is where you want it to be. If it begins to bleach at any point, move it back to a less light intense area. After the coral recovers, commence moving towards more direct light more slowly.

General “Disclaimer”

These care sheets are a brief presentation of the needs and characteristics of a variety of commonly kept aquarium corals. Though there’s a lot of science in reef keeping, the hobby itself has always been and continues to be an imperfect science. Much is still unknown and there is often more than one way to do things. Please take what’s written here as a starting point, but always keep an active and curious mind.

Clove Coral

Class Anthozoa, Order Alcyonacea, Family Clavulariidae, Genera Cornularia and Clavularia

Common names: clove polyp coral, clove coral, eight tentacle polyps

Natural origin: Indo-Pacific

Sensitivity (Level 1): These are usually very tolerant and forgiving corals.

Feeding: The coral’s feathery polyp tentacles help it catch food suspended in water. They feed on foods of smaller particle size.

Lighting (Level 4 to 7): Lighting needs will depend on the depth and clarity of the water where the coral was collected (or aquacultured). However, most prefer moderate lighting.

Water flow: Moderate water flow is important for good health.

Placement: These corals can be slightly aggressive, but the stinging power of their polyps is minimal. When healthy, they can grow quite quickly and should be provided space to grow and fully extend their polyps. An encrusting coral with tubular shaped polyps, clove corals can grow quite fast and compete with other corals for space (like xenia and star polyps they can become a “weed coral”). Polyps usually range in height from 1/2 to 2 inches when closed, and 1 to 4 inches when fully extended.

General: These are great beginner corals and very easy to fragment and propagate.

Sensitivity:

Level 1 – These corals are easy to care for, good for the novice aquarists.

Level 2 – These corals require slightly more attention than level 1 corals, but are generally tolerant and forgiving.

Level 3 – These corals require stable, established aquariums and care by an experienced aquarist.

Level 4 – These corals should only be kept by the most experienced aquarists.

Level 5 – These corals are not known to be able to survive in aquariums even when under the care of the most experienced aquarists.

Note that this scale is not set in stone, but based on the numerous experiences and reports of professional and hobby aquarists. The sensitivity and tolerance of any given coral in your tank will depend on species, health when collected/purchased, how long it’s been in captivity, and other factors that may or may not be knowable.

Lighting Scale (approximations):

Level 0 – no light

…

Level 3 – one foot below modest VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

…

Level 5 – two feet below extensive VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

…

Level 6 – one foot below extensive VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

Level 7 – two feet below 250 watt single ended MH light (or 150-175 watt MH with HQI ballast)

Level 8 – one foot below 250 watt single ended MH light (or 150-175 watt MH with HQI ballast)

…

Level 10 – one foot below 400 watt single ended MH (or 250 watt MH with HQI ballast)

Note that this scale is quite crude and only meant to provide a rough idea of the different levels of light intensities. How much (and what kind of) light actually reaches the corals in your tank also depends on the type of reflector in the light fixture, the temperature of the bulbs/lamps, the clarity of your tank water, etc.

It’s also important to note that different individual corals, even of the same species, can have very different lighting requirements and ideals. Often times, the same types and species of wild caught corals come from different depths and different water clarities. It’s nearly impossible to know what kind or how much light was getting to your coral when it was first taken from the wild. One advantage of aquacultured corals is that you can know what light they were grown under. Beyond health, the color of any given zooxanthellate (photosynthetic) coral will change and adapt in response to the lighting it is placed under. All corals are vulnerable to bleaching if not allowed to acclimate to a change to more intense lighting. If your coral begins to bleach, move it to an area of lower lighting and feed it especially well.

Acclimation:

Please, always take the time to acclimate new corals.

Step 1: Float the bag with the coral in the aquarium water (away from lights!) for about 20 minutes.

Step 2: Open the bag and test the salinity of the bag water.

Step 3: Add about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of tank water to the bag every 10-20 minutes until the bag water and tank water are approximately the same salinity. You can add less water over longer periods of time to acclimate more slowly for more sensitive animals (or when the bag water and tank water have substantially different salinity).

Acclimation can also be done in a bucket (rather than the transport bag). However, the bucket water temperature can get closer to room temperature than tank water temperature (especially for slow acclimations). Insulating the bucket in a Styrofoam box or cooler during acclimation should help.

To acclimate to new lighting conditions, first place the coral in a less light intense area of the tank. Every few days, move the coral towards more direct lighting until it is where you want it to be. If it begins to bleach at any point, move it back to a less light intense area. After the coral recovers, commence moving towards more direct light more slowly.

General “Disclaimer”

These care sheets are a brief presentation of the needs and characteristics of a variety of commonly kept aquarium corals. Though there’s a lot of science in reef keeping, the hobby itself has always been and continues to be an imperfect science. Much is still unknown and there is often more than one way to do things. Please take what’s written here as a starting point, but always keep an active and curious mind.

Caulastrea

Class Anthozoa, Order Scleractinia, Family Faviidae, Genus Caulastrea

Common Names: torch coral, candy cane coral, candy coral, trumpet coral, bullseye coral, cat’s eye coral

Natural Origin: Indo-Pacific

Sensitivity (Level 1 to 2): Though sensitivity will depend somewhat on the individual coral, most are quite tolerant and forgiving.

Feeding: These corals have impressive prey capture ability. They should be fed a variety of meaty sea foods (chopped fish, squid, krill, brine shrimp, etc.) If the coral seems reluctant to fully display feeding tentacles, a few weeks of careful target feeding may help. While target feeding, turn off circulation so that the food can fall onto the coral. Give the coral an hour or two to “grab hold” of the food, then turn water flow back on. Doing this for a few days should result in the he coral regularly extending its feeding tentacles in anticipation of feeding.

Lighting (Level 5 to 7): Appropriate lighting depends on the species, but most prefer moderate lighting. Animals from deeper water may suffer under really intense light. If your coral begins to bleach, try moving it to a less intensely lit area of the tank.

Water flow: Moderate water flow is preferred.

Placement: Caulastrea are very aggressive corals. They can extend stinging sweeper tentacles up to several inches long. Please place with care.

General: When healthy and well fed, these corals can grow quite quickly. Colonies of several polyps are especially easy to fragment and propagate. Slow tissue recession could be a sign of starvation. Regular target feeding might help if this is the case.

Sensitivity:

Level 1 – These corals are easy to care for, good for the novice aquarists.

Level 2 – These corals require slightly more attention than level 1 corals, but are generally tolerant and forgiving.

Level 3 – These corals require stable, established aquariums and care by an experienced aquarist.

Level 4 – These corals should only be kept by the most experienced aquarists.

Level 5 – These corals are not known to be able to survive in aquariums even when under the care of the most experienced aquarists

Note that this scale is not set in stone, but based on the numerous experiences and reports of professional and hobby aquarists. The sensitivity and tolerance of any given coral in your tank will depend on species, health when collected/purchased, how long it’s been in captivity, and other factors that may or may not be knowable.

Lighting Scale (approximations):

Level 0 – no light

…

Level 3 – one foot below modest VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

…

Level 5 – two feet below extensive VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting
…

Level 6 – one foot below extensive VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

Level 7 – two feet below 250 watt single ended MH light (or 150-175 watt MH with HQI ballast)

Level 8 – one foot below 250 watt single ended MH light (or 150-175 watt MH with HQI ballast)

…

Level 10 – one foot below 400 watt single ended MH (or 250 watt MH with HQI ballast)

Note that this scale is quite crude and only meant to provide a rough idea of the different levels of light intensities. How much (and what kind of) light actually reaches the corals in your tank also depends on the type of reflector in the light fixture, the temperature of the bulbs/lamps, the clarity of your tank water, etc.

It’s also important to note that different individual corals, even of the same species, can have very different lighting requirements and ideals. Often times, the same types and species of wild caught corals come from different depths and different water clarities. It’s nearly impossible to know what kind or how much light was getting to your coral when it was first taken from the wild. One advantage of aquacultured corals is that you can know what light they were grown under. Beyond health, the color of any given zooxanthellate (photosynthetic) coral will change and adapt in response to the lighting it is placed under. All corals are vulnerable to bleaching if not allowed to acclimate to a change to more intense lighting. If your coral begins to bleach, move it to an area of lower lighting and feed it especially well.

Acclimation:

Please, always take the time to acclimate new corals.

Step 1: Float the bag with the coral in the aquarium water (away from lights!) for about 20 minutes.

Step 2: Open the bag and test the salinity of the bag water.

Step 3: Add about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of tank water to the bag every 10-20 minutes until the bag water and tank water are approximately the same salinity. You can add less water over longer periods of time to acclimate more slowly for more sensitive animals (or when the bag water and tank water have substantially different salinity).

Acclimation can also be done in a bucket (rather than the transport bag). However, the bucket water temperature can get closer to room temperature than tank water temperature (especially for slow acclimations). Insulating the bucket in a Styrofoam box or cooler during acclimation should help.

To acclimate to new lighting conditions, first place the coral in a less light intense area of the tank. Every few days, move the coral towards more direct lighting until it is where you want it to be. If it begins to bleach at any point, move it back to a less light intense area. After the coral recovers, commence moving towards more direct light more slowly.

General “Disclaimer”

These care sheets are a brief presentation of the needs and characteristics of a variety of commonly kept aquarium corals. Though there’s a lot of science in reef keeping, the hobby itself has always been and continues to be an imperfect science. Much is still unknown and there is often more than one way to do things. Please take what’s written here as a starting point, but always keep an active and curious mind.

Catalaphyllia (Elegance Coral)

Class Anthozoa, Subclass Hexacorallia, Order Scleractinia, Family Euphyllidae, Genus Catalaphyllia

Common names: elegance coral

Natural origin: Indo-Pacific

Sensitivity (Level 4 to 5): While these corals were once considered generally tolerant and easy to care for they have recently been suffering from a fatal epidemic of a highly infectious disease of unknown type or cause. Symptoms of the disease are very short tentacles and a swollen polyp body.

Feeding: Elegance corals have strong prey capture ability and can feed on mysis shrimp and other meaty marine aquarium foods.

Lighting (5 to 8): They can adapt to a range of light intensities but seem to prefer moderate to stronger lighting.

Water flow: Place this coral an area of moderate water flow.

Placement: Aggressive corals, they are best placed on a sand bed or other soft bottom with enough room for the long tentacles to fully extend without touching rocks or other corals. Do not keep with leather corals.

General: The disease these corals have been suffering from is characterized by a swollen polyp body, short stubby tentacles, and lack of normal behavior. It is not wise to purchase a coral appearing to be infected. Even if a healthy appearing elegance is purchased, the coral should be quarantined for several weeks (or even months) to ensure that it has not been infected.

Sensitivity:

Level 1 – These corals are easy to care for, good for the novice aquarists.

Level 2 – These corals require slightly more attention than level 1 corals, but are generally tolerant and forgiving.

Level 3 – These corals require stable, established aquariums and care by an experienced aquarist.

Level 4 – These corals should only be kept by the most experienced aquarists.

Level 5 – These corals are not known to be able to survive in aquariums even when under the care of the most experienced aquarists.

Note that this scale is not set in stone, but based on the numerous experiences and reports of professional and hobby aquarists. The sensitivity and tolerance of any given coral in your tank will depend on species, health when collected/purchased, how long it’s been in captivity, and other factors that may or may not be knowable.

Lighting Scale (approximations):

Level 0 – no light

…

Level 3 – one foot below modest VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

…

Level 5 – two feet below extensive VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

…

Level 6 – one foot below extensive VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

Level 7 – two feet below 250 watt single ended MH light (or 150-175 watt MH with HQI ballast)

Level 8 – one foot below 250 watt single ended MH light (or 150-175 watt MH with HQI ballast)

…

Level 10 – one foot below 400 watt single ended MH (or 250 watt MH with HQI ballast)

Note that this scale is quite crude and only meant to provide a rough idea of the different levels of light intensities. How much (and what kind of) light actually reaches the corals in your tank also depends on the type of reflector in the light fixture, the temperature of the bulbs/lamps, the clarity of your tank water, etc.

It’s also important to note that different individual corals, even of the same species, can have very different lighting requirements and ideals. Often times, the same types and species of wild caught corals come from different depths and different water clarities. It’s nearly impossible to know what kind or how much light was getting to your coral when it was first taken from the wild. One advantage of aquacultured corals is that you can know what light they were grown under. Beyond health, the color of any given zooxanthellate (photosynthetic) coral will change and adapt in response to the lighting it is placed under. All corals are vulnerable to bleaching if not allowed to acclimate to a change to more intense lighting. If your coral begins to bleach, move it to an area of lower lighting and feed it especially well.

Acclimation:

Please, always take the time to acclimate new corals.

Step 1: Float the bag with the coral in the aquarium water (away from lights!) for about 20 minutes.

Step 2: Open the bag and test the salinity of the bag water.

Step 3: Add about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of tank water to the bag every 10-20 minutes until the bag water and tank water are approximately the same salinity. You can add less water over longer periods of time to acclimate more slowly for more sensitive animals (or when the bag water and tank water have substantially different salinity). Acclimation can also be done in a bucket (rather than the transport bag). However, the bucket water temperature can get closer to room temperature than tank water temperature (especially for slow acclimations). Insulating the bucket in a Styrofoam box or cooler during acclimation should help. To acclimate to new lighting conditions, first place the coral in a less light intense area of the tank. Every few days, move the coral towards more direct lighting until it is where you want it to be. If it begins to bleach at any point, move it back to a less light intense area. After the coral recovers, commence moving towards more direct light more slowly.

General “Disclaimer”

These care sheets are a brief presentation of the needs and characteristics of a variety of commonly kept aquarium corals. Though there’s a lot of science in reef keeping, the hobby itself has always been and continues to be an imperfect science. Much is still unknown and there is often more than one way to do things. Please take what’s written here as a starting point, but always keep an active and curious mind.

Carnation Coral

Class Anthozoa, Subclass Alcyonaria, Class Alcyonacea, Family Nephtheidae, Genus Dendronephthya

Common names: carnation corals, cauliflower corals, tree corals

Natural origin: Indo-Pacific

Sensitivity (Level 5): These soft corals do not survive long in aquariums. Even the most experienced aquarists find them nearly impossible to keep alive for very long.

Feeding: They are azooxanthellate corals with exceptionally heavy feeding requirements. This demanding feeding requirement is probably why they don’t survive long in aquariums. Heavy feeding of phytoplankton and very fine particle foods in tanks with large, well-populated sand beds may help delay death. However, even with the most ambitious efforts, they almost always perish within less than a year.

Lighting (Level 0 to 6): These corals don’t need light. Too much light can be detrimental.

Water flow: Strong, alternating, laminar water flow is crucial.

Placement: Contrary to how most aquarists place them, in the wild, they are usually found growing “up-side down,” hanging off rock ledges.

General: Unless you are an exceptionally experienced aquarist wishing to do some thoughtful experimenting, please do not purchase these corals. Even science is not entirely sure of their nutritional needs or what all they feed on in the wild.

Sensitivity:

Level 1 – These corals are easy to care for, good for the novice aquarists.

Level 2 – These corals require slightly more attention than level 1 corals, but are generally tolerant and forgiving.

Level 3 – These corals require stable, established aquariums and care by an experienced aquarist.

Level 4 – These corals should only be kept by the most experienced aquarists.

Level 5 – These corals are not known to be able to survive in aquariums even when under the care of the most experienced aquarists.

Note that this scale is not set in stone, but based on the numerous experiences and reports of professional and hobby aquarists. The sensitivity and tolerance of any given coral in your tank will depend on species, health when collected/purchased, how long it’s been in captivity, and other factors that may or may not be knowable.

Lighting Scale (approximations):

Level 0 – no light

…

Level 3 – one foot below modest VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

…

Level 5 – two feet below extensive VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

…

Level 6 – one foot below extensive VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

Level 7 – two feet below 250 watt single ended MH light (or 150-175 watt MH with HQI ballast)

Level 8 – one foot below 250 watt single ended MH light (or 150-175 watt MH with HQI ballast)

…

Level 10 – one foot below 400 watt single ended MH (or 250 watt MH with HQI ballast)

Note that this scale is quite crude and only meant to provide a rough idea of the different levels of light intensities. How much (and what kind of) light actually reaches the corals in your tank also depends on the type of reflector in the light fixture, the temperature of the bulbs/lamps, the clarity of your tank water, etc. It’s also important to note that different individual corals, even of the same species, can have very different lighting requirements and ideals. Often times, the same types and species of wild caught corals come from different depths and different water clarities. It’s nearly impossible to know what kind or how much light was getting to your coral when it was first taken from the wild. One advantage of aquacultured corals is that you can know what light they were grown under. Beyond health, the color of any given zooxanthellate (photosynthetic) coral will change and adapt in response to the lighting it is placed under. All corals are vulnerable to bleaching if not allowed to acclimate to a change to more intense lighting. If your coral begins to bleach, move it to an area of lower lighting and feed it especially well.

Acclimation:

Please, always take the time to acclimate new corals.

Step 1: Float the bag with the coral in the aquarium water (away from lights!) for about 20 minutes.

Step 2: Open the bag and test the salinity of the bag water.

Step 3: Add about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of tank water to the bag every 10-20 minutes until the bag water and tank water are approximately the same salinity. You can add less water over longer periods of time to acclimate more slowly for more sensitive animals (or when the bag water and tank water have substantially different salinity).

Acclimation can also be done in a bucket (rather than the transport bag). However, the bucket water temperature can get closer to room temperature than tank water temperature (especially for slow acclimations). Insulating the bucket in a Styrofoam box or cooler during acclimation should help.

To acclimate to new lighting conditions, first place the coral in a less light intense area of the tank. Every few days, move the coral towards more direct lighting until it is where you want it to be. If it begins to bleach at any point, move it back to a less light intense area. After the coral recovers, commence moving towards more direct light more slowly.

General “Disclaimer”

These care sheets are a brief presentation of the needs and characteristics of a variety of commonly kept aquarium corals. Though there’s a lot of science in reef keeping, the hobby itself has always been and continues to be an imperfect science. Much is still unknown and there is often more than one way to do things. Please take what’s written here as a starting point, but always keep an active and curious mind.

Easily the most recognizable and popular saltwater fish in the hobby is the clownfish (or anemonefish). They are prized not only for their beauty and hardiness but also for their interesting symbiotic lifestyle with host anemones.

The news about these fish just gets better as they are among a growing number of marine fish being captively bred. Already, several hatcheries and “fish farms” produce an abundance of specimens in a variety unheard of just a few years ago, and among them, most species of clownfish. The biggest plus to captive-bred clownfish is that the fish are born and raised in hatcheries and are already adjusted to captive life, which makes them hardier and stronger. Wild clownfish, except for the mated pairs often exported from the Indo-Pacific region, arrive in very poor condition and are usually suffering from Brooklynella infestation. While these fishes can be treated and often recover, many do not. It seems wasteful to continue removing them from the ocean when captive bred specimens of all popular clownfish species are now widely available.

At Fintastic, we strongly advocate buying captive bred species whenever possible. Although there are many honorable collectors of wild-caught fish, there are also many unscrupulous ones who not only deliver unhealthy stock but damage the reefs and environment as well. If you’re interested in clownfish, our captive bred species include true percula (A. percula), clarkii (A. clarkii), false percula (A. ocellaris), and tomato clown (A. frenatus).

A word about anemones: though the clownfishes are generally a hardy lot, the anemones with which they associate are not. Unless you are an expert, most aquarists should choose between Entacmaea quadricolor, Bulb anemone, macrodactyla doreensis, and long tentacle anemone.

 

Plerogyra and Physogyra (Bubble Coral)

Class Anthozoa, Order Scleractinia, Family Euphyllidae, Genera Plerogyra and Physogyra

Common names: Bubble coral

Natural origin: Indo-Pacific

Sensitivity (Level 2): These are generally tolerant, forgiving corals.

Feeding: Bubble corals, with their exceptionally strong prey capture ability and large polyp mouths, can easily feed on chunky, meaty sea foods. Despite their ability to consume very large food items, smaller chunks are recommended.

Lighting (Level 6 to 8): Though adaptable, these corals prefer more intense lighting. Ideal lighting will depend on the depth and clarity of the water at which the coral was collected or cultured. As always, please acclimate to new lighting conditions.

Water flow: These corals seem to prefer moderate water flow. Too much flow can inhibit bubble polyp extension. Enough water flow to keep the coral free of debris should be sufficient.

Placement: Bubble corals are very aggressive. Please give plenty of room. Do not keep with potentially toxic leather corals.

General: Amazingly, the round bubbles of tissue displayed during the day transform into long feeding tentacles after the lights go out. The bubbles are thought to be used to gather light during the day for photosynthesis.

Sensitivity:

Level 1 – These corals are easy to care for, good for the novice aquarists.

Level 2 – These corals require slightly more attention than level 1 corals, but are generally tolerant and forgiving.

Level 3 – These corals require stable, established aquariums and care by an experienced aquarist.

Level 4 – These corals should only be kept by the most experienced aquarists.

Level 5 – These corals are not known to be able to survive in aquariums even when under the care of the most experienced aquarists.

Note that this scale is not set in stone, but based on the numerous experiences and reports of professional and hobby aquarists. The sensitivity and tolerance of any given coral in your tank will depend on species, health when collected/purchased, how long it’s been in captivity, and other factors that may or may not be knowable.

Lighting Scale (approximations):

Level 0 – no light

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Level 3 – one foot below modest VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

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Level 5 – two feet below extensive VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

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Level 6 – one foot below extensive VHO or T5 fluorescent lighting

Level 7 – two feet below 250 watt single ended MH light (or 150-175 watt MH with HQI ballast)

Level 8 – one foot below 250 watt single ended MH light (or 150-175 watt MH with HQI ballast)

…

Level 10 – one foot below 400 watt single ended MH (or 250 watt MH with HQI ballast)

Note that this scale is quite crude and only meant to provide a rough idea of the different levels of light intensities. How much (and what kind of) light actually reaches the corals in your tank also depends on the type of reflector in the light fixture, the temperature of the bulbs/lamps, the clarity of your tank water, etc.

It’s also important to note that different individual corals, even of the same species, can have very different lighting requirements and ideals. Often times, the same types and species of wild caught corals come from different depths and different water clarities. It’s nearly impossible to know what kind or how much light was getting to your coral when it was first taken from the wild. One advantage of aquacultured corals is that you can know what light they were grown under. Beyond health, the color of any given zooxanthellate (photosynthetic) coral will change and adapt in response to the lighting it is placed under. All corals are vulnerable to bleaching if not allowed to acclimate to a change to more intense lighting. If your coral begins to bleach, move it to an area of lower lighting and feed it especially well.

Acclimation:

Please, always take the time to acclimate new corals.

Step 1: Float the bag with the coral in the aquarium water (away from lights!) for about 20 minutes.

Step 2: Open the bag and test the salinity of the bag water.

Step 3: Add about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of tank water to the bag every 10-20 minutes until the bag water and tank water are approximately the same salinity. You can add less water over longer periods of time to acclimate more slowly for more sensitive animals (or when the bag water and tank water have substantially different salinity).

Acclimation can also be done in a bucket (rather than the transport bag). However, the bucket water temperature can get closer to room temperature than tank water temperature (especially for slow acclimations). Insulating the bucket in a Styrofoam box or cooler during acclimation should help.

To acclimate to new lighting conditions, first place the coral in a less light intense area of the tank. Every few days, move the coral towards more direct lighting until it is where you want it to be. If it begins to bleach at any point, move it back to a less light intense area. After the coral recovers, commence moving towards more direct light more slowly.

General “Disclaimer”

These care sheets are a brief presentation of the needs and characteristics of a variety of commonly kept aquarium corals. Though there’s a lot of science in reef keeping, the hobby itself has always been and continues to be an imperfect science. Much is still unknown and there is often more than one way to do things. Please take what’s written here as a starting point, but always keep an active and curious mind.