Good Starting Corals

[hawkbait]

Hey all,

So I'm getting ready to start adding livestock to my tank. Thankfully live rock helps speed up the cycling process. I'm hoping to get my first pair of clowns coming up soon along with a small clean up crew, over the next week or two my LFS is an hour away but they're well worth it. So for corals I want some ideas at to what are considered easy to start with. I was thinking some zoas, acan, blasto, and a hammer softie. I'm thing to stay away from sps for the time being.

 

[PeaBrain]

Zoas are great. Acans and Blastos might be tough. Leathers should be okay along with frogspawn and hammers. If you do go with SPS, I have found Bird's Nest (Cat's Paws) pretty hardy and fast growers. Also Duncans. Hope that helps.

 

[hawkbait]

Are acans and blastos just harder to keep? Or is it that the new tank doesn't have the minerals for them to grow?

 

[PeaBrain]

I guess I meant Acans and Blastos would not be the first I would add. The specimens I have currently are slower growers. Others might have different experiences.

 

[John08007]

Mushrooms, zoa's, xenia

 

[ReefStable]

I have JUST the articles for You!!!

6 Best Beginner Coral
and
5 Corals Beginners Should Avoid

Obviously, these are my opinion, but I hope the help!

 

[hawkbait]

I have JUST the articles for You!!!

6 Best Beginner Coral
and
5 Corals Beginners Should Avoid

Obviously, these are my opinion, but I hope the help!

Well thank you for the articles!

 

[F i s h y]

I have JUST the articles for You!!!

6 Best Beginner Coral
and
5 Corals Beginners Should Avoid

Obviously, these are my opinion, but I hope the help!

This is a perfect place to start...

 

[John08007]

I have JUST the articles for You!!!

6 Best Beginner Coral
and
5 Corals Beginners Should Avoid

Obviously, these are my opinion, but I hope the help!

I agree with the best beginner, the euphilia is more of a step 2 coral. Id start with the others, once they are fine and growing get a torch, hammer, frogspawn, etc. I had a octo frogspawn when i started, died in a power outage, it was really cool, havent been able to find another like it.

I dont agree with gsp, xenia's to be on an avoid list. Thats personal preference. These will grow like a weed, that can be super satisfying to a newb. They are also very easy to frag, swap/sell. Just to make it easier for you to control the spread people often grow these on "islands" then they dont spread and take over all of your live rock. Kenya tree's will also take over your tank.


Personal opinion, once you have the euphilia growing more heads then pick up a small montipora, these are often pretty inexpensive and are a stepping stone to acropora. Id suggest at this point you have a tripple head doser, they are very inexpensive now. This will take care of your alk, ca, mg.