Perfect beginner coral?

[loweryphil]

I have zoas and a yuma. Really want a torch and hammer...are these easy to keep?

 

[cloak]

Yeah, they're pretty easy to keep, although a Duncan coral would probably be a better choice right now. These seem to be much more forgiving than the Euphyllia corals.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=597+2790+2670&pcatid=2670

 

[Zero Nitrates]

Trumpets are very cool!

 

[loweryphil]

Im wanting something with movement? Not heard of them

 

[Jisko]

try a kenya tree or maybe a hammer or frogspawn? they all move :o

 

[Cary Meredith]

clove polyps are pretty good for movement and easy, trying to think of the other one.... will let you know

 

[Zero Nitrates]

GSP moves a lot

 

[scardall]

The ultimate beginner coral

 

[Cary Meredith]

The ultimate beginner coral

Ok, what is it? lol

 

[scardall]

Ok, what is it? lol

A starlet coral.
http://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/112557-Siderastrea-siderea
Very hardy. Mine is 16+ years old now.

 

[Cary Meredith]

A starlet coral.
http://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/112557-Siderastrea-siderea
Very hardy. Mine is 16+ years old now.

Ok have you fragged it? or just let it grow, just curious, I have never heard of it before (or at least don't remember)

 

[scardall]

Ok have you fragged it? or just let it grow, just curious, I have never heard of it before (or at least don't remember)

Never fragged it. It buds off the side and as the bud grows it moved up the side till it reaches the top. I have rarely ever seen it in the LFS. It comes in olive green and tan as well. Honestly I can only remember seeing it 3 times. It resembles " Sea Mat" Zoa's.

 

[Cary Meredith]

Never fragged it. It buds off the side and as the bud grows it moved up the side till it reaches the top. I have rarely ever seen it in the LFS. It comes in olive green and tan as well. Honestly I can only remember seeing it 3 times. It resembles " Sea Mat" Zoa's.

Ok so maybe not perfect starter coral, (not available) but yet cool, have to keep an eye out for one myself :)

 

[scardall]

Ok so maybe not perfect starter coral, (not available) but yet cool, have to keep an eye out for one myself :)

You right, as if you can't find it easily it does not help yah now. One day you may get lucky. Good luck and Have Fun. Oh Yah you might need a CCard.

 

[HermitCrabLeota]

Parazoanthids such as "yellow polyps" are hardy, provide lots of movement, and will shine up to a rich yellow color under proper lighting. They also tend to be cheap and available - because they tend to be rather prolific. They will also sting fellow corals like all get out. They are also interesting because they are not connected by a mat or local body, but are still responsive in multiplicity and will react across the colony if one polyp is affected.

I would also recommend the beginner staple Green Star Polyps. They provide movement as well as a really beautiful bright green/bright purple contrast if you can find the right species. They encrust over substrate with a purple mat and can grow like wild fire, but are relatively easy to remove comparatively.

Hammers and other Euphyllia corals (Frogspawn and Torches) are a good beginner coral as well. I would recommend Hammers over Torches as the latter sends out powerful sweeper tentacles that can burn nearby corals, although this might not be a problem if you have a large tank with plenty of open space. Hammers come in branching or wall varieties, and the difference between those is that branching as you might ascertain grow like tree branches and hammers grow laterally. Branching varieties are much faster growing and in my opinion look a little more aesthetic. In my experience they are largely photosynthetic but it can't hurt to try spot feeding occasionally. They are also the easiest coral to frag, you just break them like a wish bone :D