Flower Pot Coral

[Bomber]

just wondering what everyone thinks/ knowes about this coral.. i have done some reasearch, but everything i found, and hird, is a 50/ 50 chance..some like it some don't

let me know!

 

[sianeds]

Flowerpot corals Goniopora spp. are really difficult to keep and rarely survive for more than a matter of months. Anything over a year is exceptional.

They need high lighting and low current. They also need high calcium levels (around 450ppm++). Although it is Zooxanthellate it will require additions of zooplankton. They are very aggressive and have potent nematocysts.

If you choose to keep one then good luck. Personally I would choose a Star coral Galaxea spp. They have a similar appearance and are easier to care for.

 

[SkiFletch]

Agree with Sian, Goniopora have had atrocious survival rates in captivity over the last decade or so. I would never add one to my tank.

 

[sianeds]

Oooh Ski we're agreeing alot lately. We must be reading the same books

 

[stang1]

Sorry to hijack this thread but I am absolutely gutted after reading this! My partner brought a Flowerpot Coral over a week ago and was told it would be fine and that they are relatively easy to keep.
I really wish we had done the research and that it wasn't such an impulse buy. I knew my partner had his eye on one but weren't expecting to get one so soon.
Are we best getting rid of this coral altogether or shall we persevere and see what happens? Any help would be really appreciated.

 

[sianeds]

Well....If you want to keep it then you need to have the following...Metal Halide lighting, a quiet, low flow area for it to live, access to a good supply of zooplankton, a kit to test your calcium levels and calcium supplements.

You can definately keep it as well as anyone else if you can provide what it requires.

If you don't have what is needed then it is probably better going back to the shop along with a stern telling off. If they disagree then pick up a copy of A Pocket Expert Guide - Marine Invertibrates. Any LFS that stocks books and marines should have it. Show them page 187

 

[stang1]

Thanks Sianeds.
We have Arcadia overhead lighting with 4 T5 lights (2 blue/2 white). We 've got it sitting near the bottom of the tank where the current is quite low flow but we have no zooplankton or calcium test kits...
I can't get to the said fish store for a couple of weeks so I'll probably pop into our regular one and either take it back or pick up the required items.
Thank you for the info, we really should have done our research..

 

[sianeds]

Aww we all do it. They are really pretty. You can try moving it higher up in the tank so it gets the full light and definately get stuff so you can dose for calcium.

In the meantime..pick up the book I mentioned. There is also a marine fishes book in the same range. They are easy to read and have a page per fish/coral with colour pics. IMO they are invaluable and I take mine with me when buying anything just as a quick reference.

 

[stang1]

Thanks again.
I'll certainly be picking up that book as we have a lot to learn about corals!

 

[wflash3]

Flowerpot corals Goniopora spp. are really difficult to keep and rarely survive for more than a matter of months. Anything over a year is exceptional.

They need high lighting and low current. They also need high calcium levels (around 450ppm++). Although it is Zooxanthellate it will require additions of zooplankton. They are very aggressive and have potent nematocysts.

If you choose to keep one then good luck. Personally I would choose a Star coral Galaxea spp. They have a similar appearance and are easier to care for.

Isint the star coral known to be an aggressive coral? If they dont have ample room around them they will sting everything their sweeper tenticles will touch. I was looking at my friends 120 gallon reef and he had one maybe the size of 2 closed fists and it had one sweeper tenticle extended out about 9 inches!! Just a thought

flash

 

[sianeds]

Yes you're right wflash3 Galaxea spp. do have very long sweepers, exceeding 30cm in many cases, and are pretty aggressive. They also need MH lighting to thrive and additional feeding but they do not require the high calcium levels.

 

[Mr Miagi]

Ugh, do we even know this is a Goniopora? Ive seen many spp. called "Flowerpot" coral, but I guess its different in the states. Check out goniopora.org for more specialized requirements, as there are multiple species of Goniopora.

As for the blanket statement:

If you want to keep it then you need to have the following...Metal Halide lighting

It isn't necessarily true. Ive seen Goniopora propagate and thrive in naturally lit (sunlight) aquaria, and various other tanks with a very wide variety of light sources, not solely MH, its not a pre-requirement.

As I linked too, read through Goniopora.org, its your best source of information through years of research, experience and success.

 

[sianeds]

Thanks Mr M that looks like a great site.

I just post what I've researched, but reading about other peoples experiences are how we all learn

 

[Mr Miagi]

It sure is a top site about anything Goni, I go there to look at the pics mainly! Its not that MH isn't the answer, I was just illustrating it isn't the only form of lighting required for successful Goni-keeping!

 

[SkiFletch]

Well, natural sunlight is massively more powerful than our little halides . I played around with our club's PAR meter a couple weeks back. Was getting about 400 out of my bulb at the surface using its reflector. Brought it outside in the bright sunlight and pegged the meter at 2000 (its max range). Just a little more light from that giant ball of Fusion in the sky