Starter Coral Ideas

[matrixnyc]

What Is the best Coral for someone who got their tank setup and now are ready to add coral to the live rock? What is the hardiest and easiest to maintain. I need to know for both Nano-reef Tanks as well as regular size tanks (30-90 Gal)

Thanks
Matrixnyc

[phistio]

softs are good for begginers...as well as some hards...

softs i would reccommend would be: toadstools, mushrooms, riccordia, zooanthids, green star polyps, and xenias...perhaps capenellas

hards: doughnuts, open brains, trumpets, candycanes, blastomaes
all corals mentioned are relatively easy to care for, proving water conditions are pristine, and proper lighting is observed...

corals i would not reccommend for beginners would be elegants, torches, flames, sun corals, acros, and frogspawn.

these are just a few in my opinion...

[Pineapple House]

Most softies are very good starter corals:

Finger Leather

Devils Hand

Cabbage leather

Toadstool leather

Colt coral

Kenya tree coral

Most tree corals will be fine

Mushroom corals

Zooanthid Polyps

Yellow Polyps

Green Star Polyps

Brown Star Polyps

Button Polyps

Wood Polyps/Clove Polyps

Xenia (Red sea, etc)
---------------------
Hard corals (I would wait until your tank is about 4-6 months old, before
adding these, JMO):

doughnuts/Meat Coral

Open Brain

Closed Brain

Trumpit coral (BTW- Phisto, i'm pretty sure trumpits and candy canes are the same thing, they have many names, including bulls eye coral)

Frogspawn (can be agresive)

Bubble Coral/pearl bubble

Torch (can be agressive)

Plate (Wait until your tank is mature; can be agressive)

All those would be just my personal opinions. I would stay away from:

Caulifower Coral (soft- non photosynthic)
Sun Polyps
Goriopora (Flower Pot) coral
Anemones
SPS corals; acopora, hydrnophora, etc


PH =)

[phistio]

trumpets and candy canes for the most part are indded similar...the only difference is trumpets are packed in tighter looking like a trumpet head...also not as varied in color...

the differences can be seen here:

http://www.animalatlas.com/encyclo/reef/lg_stony/candycane.htm

[sebae0]

what do you guys think about hammer coral? hard, easy ?

[HoopsGuru]

Depends what kind of hammer, there are branching and meandroid versions....I find the branching to be both less agressive and easier to keep. All LPS require a mature tank with stable calcium levels. They also require medium+ lighting and direct feeding at least 2 times per week with a meaty product like Sweetwater Zooplankton.

[phistio]

hammers can be good, solid corals...the only true drawback is that the can go from great to dead in a matter of a week's time...(at least appear that way)

they're great at disguising themselves as "healthy"...then you notice a bit of brown jelly, and in a few days time, the "meat" has receeded all the way back to the skeleton...

[Pineapple House]

I agree with what was said above. For the most part they are fairly hardy corals. They will sometimes have a tentacle or two larger than the other ones. This might sometimes sting other neighoring corals. It's best to have all other corals a small distance away from this coral, for that reason.

They also do best with regular feedings. Krill, small species of squid, shrimp, and even small pecies of silver sides/lance fish can be added to its tentalces. Don't force feed it, by sticking the food down its mouth, but just lay the food on its tentacles gently. It should take notice to the food and slowely stick it into its mouth.

Make sure when choosing it, you see no signs of tissue loss. Make sure all of its tentalces are out and healthy, perferably 'fat.'

PH =)

[HoopsGuru]

When feeding LPS corals, it is important to feed it when the modified feeding tentacles are out....most often this is required at night as this is when they naturally feed. Add some meat juice to the tank and you should be able to see the feeding tentacles. Gently baste them with meaty foods as described above(no brine shrimp!)....keep pieces smaller than 1/4". If you get one, make an attempt to do this daily.