What is the perfect, all around, coral for a saltwater reef aquarium?

[mindme]

I don't think there has ever been a point in my 12 years of this hobby where I didn't have a duncan coral.

My current duncan is one I've had for over 4 years now. It's been in 4 different tanks so far and has evolved along with my reef through many different setups and conditions.

 

[Tamie77]

I'd say Zoanthids as well. Easy and super colorful nearly anyone can keep them!

I actually had mine up and die on me months ago. But I love them and want to get more! Everything else in my tank is doing good.

 

[Starganderfish]

I'm gonna have to go a little different to many others, and say something like Euphylia, esp Torch. Other corals may be slightly easier to keep, but none gives quite the same level of visual appeal as a Torch. The waving tentacles are super eye-catching and the majority of new starters want something visually appealing and entrancing to watch. Shrooms are easy to keep but (IMO) kinda boring. Zoa's are cool but also small, take quite a while to fill out and aren't quite as attention-grabbing. SPS is hard to maintain, tough to keep, slow growing and lack movement.
A big waving, moving torch is one of the first things people will notice in a tank. The movement is mesmerising, and combine it with the cool behaviour of fish such as clowns which will often host it, and it's just a super appealing and attractive option,
Something like Xenia can have a similar kinetic appeal but the invasive nature makes it less desirable. Gonio's can be similarly wavy and Clowns also like them a lot, but they have a tendency to pull their tenatacles in, a lot, when even slightly bothered.
Torches are pretty easy, look amazing, the movement means they are always changing, they get you quick "bang-for-your-buck" and they interact with other livestock in a way that many other corals don't.
I can stare at a flowing torch, drifting in the currents of the wavemaker, for hours.

 

[vlangel]

I do not think I can say that there is a coral that is perfect for every aquarium because every aquarium and aquarist is different. Conditions in some aquariums suit different corals as opposed to others. Different aquarists have differing tastes, experience and abilities. For that reason I believe each aquarist should seek out the Coral that suit them and their tank.

 

[<*]]]<]

In my year in the hobby so far I’ve fallen in love with torch corals from Vivid Aquariums closely followed by my 2 gorgs from KP Aquatics and the birdsnest.

Is that a corky sea finger on the right? That looks awesome.

 

[HexaReef]

Frogspawn and hammers

 

[Dav2996]

Here are corals that have bullet proof for me. I've had large phosphate swings, have moved the tank twice in 2 years, and have modified the lighting schedule frequently. I would consider them very easy.

Rhodactis mushrooms, euphylia hammers, xenia, anthelia, GSP, and duncans

I had GSP growing in the sand. I prefer bullet proof corals as the best corals.

 

[Tired]

Blue-green sympodium. Tolerates most levels of nutrients (except "very low"), interesting creeping habit without being invasive, nice combination of colors. Keep a little patch, or let it spread. Feed it powdery foods and it closes entertainingly to eat. And it's relatively cheap! $20 for a chunk.

RFAs are also pretty solid. Color variety, no strong sting, fun to feed and watch it eat, did I mention color variety?

 

[ReefGeezer]

I'm a big Montipora Digita and Cap fan. Bright colors, interesting shapes, fast growing. Relatively hard to kill. Frogspawns and Hammers are up there in my book too. A bunch of those corals, filled in with some Zoas makes a great looking, relatively low maintenance tank.

 

[JayFish4004]

Is that a corky sea finger on the right? That looks awesome.

Thanks! Yep the corky sea finger gorgonian and the candelabra gorgonian were my first couple pieces - they’ve been awesome!

 

[Breadbox]

I have great experience with Euphyllia, I can't get zoas to live for long, cloves shrivel up and die on me, GSP refuses to open for whatever reason.

I just don't have any luck with most softies, if I move my zoas around, they close up permenantly. Euphyllia(and most lps) on the other hand are doing great, I used to shift them around everyday and not one of them skipped a beat.

 

[Chris99999]

Zoas. Easy, colorful, and they just have a nice organic appearance.

 

[JayFish4004]

Zoas. Easy, colorful, and they just have a nice organic appearance.

Zoa’s scare the bajesus out of me - I had an LFS in the last city I lived - owner was moving zoa’s and he ended up getting the paytoxin in his eyes and lost his eyesight. Those things are not cool looking enough for that risk - Ill stick with LPS and SPS

 

[StewL6]

Big fluffy colorful Acans and blastos

 

[Biglew11]

Frogspawn and hammers for me.

 

[HADA]

Could live with shrooms

The rock flower nem, is not a coral.

Why? Wanting to get some.

 

[GoVols]

Why? Wanting to get some.

Because, the first post said one was not a coral.

lol
Pile up on those rock nems...

 

[cabezatuck]

I would say the perfect coral will depend on your individual setup. That said I think I’m most cases zoas and mushrooms are the most varied and easy to care for corals. Xenias are the easiest but like GSP they can take over your tank if you don’t regularly prune them.

 

[Unitylover]

two of them: toadstools because it is beginner friendly and beautiful, and hammers or frogspawn, they are a great beginner coral.

 

[ninjamyst]

Acropora is the perfect coral because they keep dying and you have to keep replacing them so you get that fuzzy, exciting new coral feeling every few months.