Reef Corals Photos & Profiles Corals are now among the most wanted living beings for decoration of home marine aquariums. It took many decades for scholars and hobbyists to understand and develop the necessary conditions to grow healthy corals in captivity, but we are now well into the "Coral Era" of the fishkeeping hobby. Many species can now be kept and propagated even by relatively beginner aquarists, as long as a minimal amount of study time is invested. Coral Life Ecosystem CORAL PROPAGATION PAGE How to Frag Corals Coral Photo Gallery Harbor Aquatics For Your Reef Aquarium Keeping Corals Great strides have been made by hobbyists in the last decade in the art and science of keeping corals in captivity. Unfortunately, it appears that many in the scientific community are unaware of these advances, which has lead to some uninformed comments by marine scientists such as those that have appeared in several national magazines (e.g. see Derr, M., April 1992 Audubon; Stein, J., Sept-Oct. 1993 Rodale's Scuba Diving). In truth many people are not only keeping corals alive in aquaria, but they are also growing and propagating them. Having said this, I would be remiss if I did not mention that many others also experience difficulty. This is for the most part due to the spreading of misinformation in the hobby and lack of proper instruction. Readers of this magazine and AFM generally get better information than most, but still there are pit falls that await, and dealing with those can tax the patience of most people. If you are not prepared for the sacrifice and expense that must be made to keep animals such as corals in captivity, then I strongly urge you not to attempt to do so. Keeping corals basically involves three main criteria: light, filtration and water quality. Much has been written on these topics in the past and readers of AFM and Aquarium USA may recall the eight part series I wrote back in 1990 plus my two articles in 1993. Much of what I wrote then is still applicable today and I urge you to seek out the issues listed below for more details on the techniques required. Lighting First, the spectrum of light produced should not contain high amounts of red or yellow. Second, they should contain sufficient amounts of blue light. Third, they should not overheat the aquarium. Fourth, they must not emit ultraviolet light in large amounts (if they do, then the light fixture should have proper UV shielding). And fifth, they should provide adequate intensity for the depth and types of animals you will be keeping. When dealing with fluorescent lamps, most meet the above criteria. However, beware of using so-called "plant lights" as they contain too much red in their spectrum and may promote the growth of undesirable microalgae. If you are using 8 or more lamps then you can use one such light to enhance colours if you wish, but they must not form the majority of the lighting. The use of metal halide lighting (specifically HQI, mercury quartz iodide) has increased greatly in the last few years. Again the same criteria mentioned above apply to these bulbs. To help ensure this, the colour temperature of the bulb should be over 5000 Kelvin and the colour rendition index (CRI) should be over 90. These values are usually printed in the literature or ad copy of the bulb. When used properly, these bulbs give excellent results but they tend to be more expensive than fluorescents. Recently 6500 K HQI lamps have appeared on the market and so far these appear to be giving superior results even without the use of additional actinic lighting. Metal halides have a tendency to overheat aquaria if placed too close to the water surface and/or when they are vented poorly. When using such bulbs the lamps should be at least eighteen inches above the water surface. This simple system is set up in a standard 55 gallon aquarium. The key to success is the Aquarium Products lights. Use one Blue Moon 4'- 40 watt and two Triton 4'- 40 watt lights. Cover these three lights with a Triton Enhancer. These bulbs are twice as bright as other 40 watt bulbs. Aquarium Lighting Lighting for the reef aquarium can be a very confusing topic. There are many opinions out there, some based upon hard data, others upon personal experience. Which lighting to choose: NOrmal fluorescent, Very High Output VHO fluorescent, metal halide M/H, power compacts PC, or a combination thereof? Before you go out and spend alot of money on a lighting system that may or may not be adequate for your system, you should analyze the needs of your system. FOR AQUARIUM LIGHTING THAT ONLY NATURE CAN DUPLICATE Aquarium Products lights. Unlike actinic tubes, which were not made for aquarium use, Blue Moon Reef fluorescent tubes were developed especially for reef aquariums in England by G.E.-Thorn after extensive research and development by Interpret. ARCADIA = the leaders in lighting technology Coralife has introduced revolutionary new bulbs, the 10 and 20,000 K Metal Halides which are designed to give coral's the same intensity and spectrum of light that they would receive in their natural environment. Both of these new bulbs contain the specific spectrum and intensity of blue light found to be vital for the energy producing zooxanthellae in live coral's. By using each of these bulbs in conjunction you can provide a perfect balance of light for all types of coral's and the most natural lighting presently available for the miniature reef aquarium. The 175 watts/10,000K should be used with shallow water coral's and invertebrates or combined with a 20,000K bulb (for deep water corals and invertebrates) for a complete light spectrum for all varieties. Ron White Corals come in all shapes and sizes--some are reef-builders while others are non reef-builders: The reef builders are the corals that can be seen in the Great Barrier Reef off Austrailia. Reef builders build high structures composed of living and non-living materials. The living materials are most often sponges, algae, and the corals themselves. The non-living materials are most often the discarded shells of dead bivalves (clams, mussels, etc.) and other CaCO3 materials. Coral reefs grow about a meter every one thousand years, so you see why it's very difficult for a reef to recover if it is destroyed. Non reef-builders usually inhabit the bottom of more shallow areas of the ocean. They do not build high structures. Fire Coral, a non reef-builder. Tubastrea coccina, aurea, faulkerni, micrantha (Sun Polyps) What is a Coral anyway? Corals are invertebrates that are in symbiosis with an algae (phylums: chlorophyta, rhodophyta, or phaeophyta) or a dinoflagellate (phylum: dinophyta)--that means they exchange nutrients or other services with one another in order for both to survive better. They are of the phylum cnidaria and therefore have an alternation of generations during their life cycle (this cycle alternates from a polyp to medusa stage). However, the class anthozoa's medusa stage is absent and once they fix themselves in one place, they become sessile. They only move during their developing stages. To obtain food, corals filter feed. Coral Bleaching Coral bleaching occurs when the corals lose their algae (the algae or dinoflagellate is what cause the beautiful colors that a coral has). The result of losing its algae causes the coral to "bleach" (become completely white). Scientists are not quite sure why this happens, but there is some evidence to suggest that a rise in water temperature may be involved. Most organisms' metabolisms cannot handle even a small change in temperature. A possible cause of this rise in temperature is the heavily debated global warming situation. CAPNELLA SOFT CORAL This fast growing soft coral is very easy to propagate. We use plastic tanks that are only four inches deep that have a layer of small sea shells on the bottom. Small Polyp Scleractinians Small Polyp Scleratinians is a general term used to refer to many different species of corals. Acroporas, montiporas, and seriotopra to name just a few, all these have very small polyps and thin flesh covering a calcerous skeleton. These corals have many differnet growth patterns, some growing branches, while others may be encrusting. With the increase of knowledge, the improved equipment and the better understanding of reef eco-systems, these corals that were once thought to be near impossible to keep are now kept with a great deal of success. Certain species are even refered to as weeds. Europeans claim to have been keeping these for a decade with great success. But its only been in the last 5 years that sps have been available here in the US. Pioneers in this area have passed on their information and success stories. Minimum Requirement of Reefkeeping In my own experience, over 90% death of my coral/anemone are caused by low pH (pH<8.00) and lack of calcium. Lack of food, water movement and light will not easy to cause death. Of course pollution may be also the main reason cause death, such as Ammonia and Nitrite pollution. A pH meter is very very important for coral/anemone keeping. Regular calibration for pH probe is also very very important (every month). pH meter with alarm function will be much better. Coral Farming By Gordon Terpenkas Ever wanted to have your tank pay for itself in both enjoyment and money? If you farm corals it can do this. Coral farming is a relatively simple process that anyone can learn to master in a short period of time. In this article I will describe how to grow Mushroom type corals and SPS (Small Polyp Stony) corals. Materials: -Reef-Friendly Super Glue (available at most stores that sell saltwater fish) -Unused Aragonite rock -Mushroom or SPS coral -2 bowls of tank water -scissors -paper towels Mushroom Coral Mushroom coral is probably the easiest coral to grow because it has a somewhat leathery texture and it is very hardy. You start off by selecting the 'mother' polyp. This polyp should be healthy looking and should be living in your tank for at least a month before cutting. Cut in your tank with VERY sharp scissors 6 sections on the disk part of the coral. Do not cut all the way through the coral, the sections should be attached still. Allow the coral to heal for 3 weeks. Next, prepare the aragonite. Apply a small patch of glue to where you will be placing the cutting. Smooth it out and allow it to dry. Next, cut off every other section of the coral and place it in one bowl of aquarium water. Apply a blob of glue to the primed spot on the rock. Next, take out a section of coral from the bowl, blot all the water off with paper towels and place it in the glue. Once you have finished your rock, put it back in the tank or in the other bowl of water. When you are done making your rocks, place them in the tank near rocks with coraline algae, and in a moderate speed current. The coral takes about a month to start taking over the rock. Remember, coral grows quickly and spreads quickly so give it some room on the rock. SPS Corals SPS corals are grown in the same way except they can be cut and used the same day. Follow the steps for Mushroom corals only you will need more glue (after you have primed the aragonite) to attach the cutting and they need to be in a good current. They also take a little longer to get growing. If you would like more info on farming corals, please see

Aquarium Technique Learn from ‘The Modern Coral Reef Aquarium’ A coral reef aquarium is not necessarily difficult, neither to establish nor to run, but unfortunately this specialized branch of aquarium keeping offers plenty of opportunities for making fatal mistakes along the road. It is always fascinating to watch live rocks and to inspect them for "new" organisms first imported as "stowaways". Even after years unknown creatures might appear: Unicellular animals, sponges, hydroids, star polyps, corals, flatworms, threadworms, bristle worms, peanut worms, copepods, sea spiders, snails, mussels and brittle stars are but a few of the many interesting animals you can find. Corals in the Reef tank. What They Are and How They Live. by J. Charles Delbeek M.Sc. One of the main components of most reef aquariums today are live corals. Unfortunately, for the average hobbyist, the availability of these animals is not matched by the information available concerning their biology and care. Too often hobbyists know more about who manufactures their aquarium equipment than about the basic biology or the proper identification of the animals they are striving to keep. Without this information it makes it difficult to provide the optimum conditions that will allow them to grow and reproduce. Corals & Anemones Although many people mistake corals and anemones as plants, they are actually animals. They are part of an ancient and simple group of animals known as cnidaria. Jellyfish are also a member of this group. These animals are characterized by a symmetrical body, usually with stinging tentacles, and a central mouth. A coral structure is actually composed of hundreds or thousands of these tiny animals growing together as a colony. These tiny coral polyps are the builders of the reef. Their tiny calcium shells have accumulated over thousands of years to form the largest living structures in the world.  A reef tank can contain shellfish, crabs, anemones,seahorses,coral and many other invertebrate.  Saltwater Marine Animals     Setting up the Salt Water Aquarium. If you set up the reef tank, you will not be able to use copper in the water. Copper in very small amounts, which must be maintained with a testing kit, will prevent parasites from attacking your marine fish. Once copper is introduced into a tank it can never be used for invertebrates. QUESTION: We are considering setting up our first reef tank. We purchased a 120 gallon tank, we were wondering what type of lighting and filter-system you would recommed. Also how much live rock would we need? How should we go about getting it started? ANSWER: A reef tank more than any other tank is equipment intensive. The organisms that will inhabit a reef tank require conditions that a fish only tanks often can not create. First you must decide what kind of organisms you want to be your main creature. The type of organisms you choose to keep will greatly influence the type of equipment you will need. For instance corals will require a very high intensity lighting. Another example would be if you are mainly interested in anemones, rear filters would be hazardous to their health by threatening to suck them into the intake. The traditional reef tank consists of a variety of mobile and non mobile invertabrete with a relative small population of fish. The fish in a reef tank must be species that have no ill effects towards the types of invertabrete you plan to keep. Remember the Ocean is a vast LANDSCAPE OF ONE CREATURE PREYING ON THE NEXT. You must minimize this natural selection among creatures by researching the behavior and perimeters each creature possesses and select only those creatures that can coexist. This wont be easy, especially if you plan to use large quantities of live rock. Live Rock often contains many different organisms in its many holes and pours, and not all of them are harmonious. For example, Mantis Shrimp are often found in live rock and they can be especially hard on other crustaceans you plan to keep. Bristle worms are also a common problem, they will literally eat some of your sessile invertabre alive, such as clams and tube worms, and even smaller fish can be eaten alive, especially if the fish are of the hiding type and are in close contact to the live rock. The next big consideration is what type of filtration are you going to use. Dry filtration probably creates the best water quality but can have its drawbacks as well. The nitrifying bacteria live in a separate tank than the organisms thus decreasing the chance of out of control bacterial infections. However dry filtration must be monitored closely so that the sump does not overflow or run dry. Some organisms can cause blockage to the flow, especially if they are inadvertently drawn into the prefilter. A fine mesh screen around the prefilter will minimize such an occurrence. A protein skimmer and ozinizer would be other helpful additions to a reef tank. Most Corals especially have a very low tolerance to nitrates, so any equipment that can increase your filtering efficiency would be suggested. a reef tank can be a costly venture, but replacing these creatures can be even more costly, so it is best to get the best equipment you can afford before you start populating. If you have any further questions please feel free to ask me any question. "The Aquarium  Doctor" Lighting:...Actinic for corals ..........50/50 for anemones and a few corals Filter: Wet dry For a reef tank is best Live Rock: 30-40 lbs of live rock per 50 gallons would be a good starting amount Live Rock N Live Sand and Invertebretes Gorgonian Corals & Sponges FOR REEF AQUARIUMS Coral and Sponges Your First Reef aquarium: How to Create a Miniature Coral Reef System at Home. by J. Charles Delbeek B.Sc., B.Ed., M.Sc. Creative Reefs was setup to provide people with some of the basics to reefkeeping. The water parameters are recommended, based on personal experience and recommendations from reefkeepers from around the world. Our marine reef aquariums have been setup now for 3 years and are thriving. We want to share our experience and provide some answers to problems you may also have along the way. Lighting First, the spectrum of light produced should not contain high amounts of red or yellow. Second, they should contain sufficient amounts of blue light. Third, they should not overheat the aquarium. Fourth, they must not emit ultraviolet light in large amounts (if they do, then the light fixture should have proper UV shielding). And fifth, they should provide adequate intensity for the depth and types of animals you will be keeping. When dealing with fluorescent lamps, most meet the above criteria. However, beware of using so-called "plant lights" as they contain too much red in their spectrum and may promote the growth of undesirable microalgae. If you are using 8 or more lamps then you can use one such light to enhance colours if you wish, but they must not form the majority of the lighting. The use of metal halide lighting (specifically HQI, mercury quartz iodide) has increased greatly in the last few years. Again the same criteria mentioned above apply to these bulbs. To help ensure this, the colour temperature of the bulb should be over 5000 Kelvin and the colour rendition index (CRI) should be over 90. These values are usually printed in the literature or ad copy of the bulb. When used properly, these bulbs give excellent results but they tend to be more expensive than fluorescents. Recently 6500 K HQI lamps have appeared on the market and so far these appear to be giving superior results even without the use of additional actinic lighting. Metal halides have a tendency to overheat aquaria if placed too close to the water surface and/or when they are vented poorly. When using such bulbs the lamps should be at least eighteen inches above the water surface. Fisheye View Innerspace Adventures Corals are not the only animals on the reef that utilize coupling of plant and animal tissue. Clams, anemones, jellyfish and nudibranchs also host zooxanthellae. Reef building Corals are assisted by single celled plants called zooxanthellae which live within their tissues. The zooxanthellae utilizes the waste products from the animal metabolism and provides the Coral with most of its nutrition as a bi-product of its photosynthetic process. This beneficial relationship between plant and animal is known as symbiosis. Corals have the ability to extract calcium carbonate from the water and secret a limestone skeleton--one of the strongest substances known to man. Each polyp is a self-contained Coral animal, contributing to and sharing in the health of the entire colony. Stony Corals- these help build the coral reefs, and the animals which form these corals belong to the same family as jellyfish and sea anemones. Most of them are colonial, and all secrete a hard skeleton made of calcium carbonate. The animals are called polyps and form the outer living layer of the coral skeleton. Rose Coral or Cauliflower Coral- the most common Pocillopora in Hawaii, the colonies form cauliflower-shaped heads about 10-20 inches in diameter and are found at depths up to 100 feet. This coral, ranging from brown to pink in color, prefers wave-agitated environments. Lace Coral- this coral is delicate and fragile forming small, bushy clumps up to about six inches in diameter. They consist of fine branches covered with calices and are usually found in protected areas and inner portions of large reef flats. Sunlight is important for lace coral so it's rarely found below 30 feet. Color ranges from light brown (shallow water) to dark brown (deeper). Finger Coral- has finger-like branches and shallow snowflake-shaped calices. Exists in wave-protected areas like bays or deeper reef slopes in depths of about 150 feet. Color of live finger coral ranges from light brown to light yellowish-green. Giant Finger Coral- resembles moose antlers, with distinct thick pipe-like branches. This species is found in depths of 35- to 120-feet, and live colonies are brown and usually darker than other Pocilloporas. CORAL RHYTHMS AND CAPTIVE SPAWNING Modern captive coral reef aquaria can support long term healthy maintenance of many tropical reef corals. Asexual reproduction has occurred for many corals in modern reef aquariums. Captive propagation of corals is proceeding slowly. Asexual reproductive methods include fragmentation, budding, fission, and colonial proliferation. Corals currently being asexually propagated consist of numerous soft species (Orders Actiniana, Corallimorpharia, Zoanthiniaria and the entire Subclass of Octocorallia) and a few stony corals (Order Scleractinia). When captive ecosystems include a simulated natural environmental variables, some stoney and soft corals sexually reproduce. FEED YOUR CORALS IT IS THE NATURAL WAY Corals can obtain food in a variety of ways. Reef-building corals rely on the photosynthetic products of zooxanthellae for the majority of their nutrients. However, corals also capture zooplankton for food. Corals are suspension feeders. They utilize two main methods of prey capture: nematocyst adhesion and mucus entrapment (Sebens and Johnson, 1991). Nematocysts on the tentacles and mesentarial filaments can be used to sting prey and move it into the mouth. Some corals will trap prey in sticky mucus on their tentacles and move the prey into the mouth using the mucus and cilia. Prey size is correlated to polyp size (Sebens and Johnson, 1991). Keeping Corals: Fact or Fiction? by J. Charles Delbeek M.Sc. Be very careful about overfeeding your coral i.e. feed SPARINGLY at least until you get a feel for how much the coral can eat. An occassional feeding of live baby brine shrimp or one of the better liquid foods, may be appropriate for some specimens but not others. Reef-safe Fish There are many suitable fish for a reef tank, before buying one do a little research, find out their diets and habits and decide if you can provide the proper home and whether your willing to tear your tank apart if it decides to nip at your corals. The Saltwater Marine Reef Aquarium Saltwater Aquarium Guide                 Algae In The Saltwater Aquarium Despite many claims to the contrary, the only way to control algae in the aquarium is to control the conditions that foster its growth. Primarily, these are water chemistry and the nature and amount of light falling upon the tank. NATURAL ALGAE CONTROL FOR REEF AQUARIUMS Geothermal Aquaculture Research Lab Coral Reef Ecology Home Page LINKS TO DISEASES    Pictures Of Reef Tanks   Setting up the Salt Water Aquarium. There are many types of fish to choose for the Reef tank....  •Reef Fish, The Gems of The Sea M WELCOME SPECIAL MEMBERSHIP Andre's Aquarium Club Ask all your aquarium related questions NOW only $9.95

Leather Coral The Sarcophyton corals Sarcophytons are polytrophic, meaning they get nutrition from multiple sources. Because the polyps of these corals do not possess strong nematocysts, prey capture is restricted to microplankton, and it is likely aided by mucus secretion and ciliate absorption. Trapped particles are carried from the highly efficient filter feeding tentacles into the polyp mouth by ciliary action. More likely to be a significant source of nutrition to these corals is direct absorption. Sarcophytons are quite capable of substantial uptake of nutrients direct from the sea water into their cells. Finally, all known Sarcophytons are symbiotic, and have large numbers of zooxanthellae in their tissues. Although many octocorals are very brightly colored, members of the toadstool leather corals are quite drab by comparison. They are usually brown or cream colored, owing to the large number of symbiotic dinoflagellates contained near their surface. Some species may be yellow or lemony cream colored, and those commonly available in the hobby are most likely collected from the waters around the island kingdom of Tonga. Propagating these corals from "cuttings" from a larger coral is not difficult to do as you will find out by reading this article. Hobbyists may have come across short articles about this propagation procedure but may not have had a real and complete set of instructions on how to do so. In addition, the precautions that should be taken may not have been outlined either. Bubble Coral Scientific name: Plerogyra sinuosa This coral has large polyps with gray or bluish gray bubblelike vesicles. At night it extends long tentacles to capture food. These can also sting other corals. When moving the bubble coral, be careful not to pierce the fleshy polyp, or bacterial infections may occur. (Source: Scott Michael, author of Reef Fishes, Microcosm Press) Degree of difficulty: relatively easy Compatibility: This species may sting other corals with its feeding tentacles, which are extended at night. In the wild it is often a host to commensal shrimp. Food: feeds on plankton; symbiotic algae in tissues provide a vital source of nutrition; its diet in captivity should include occasional pieces of table shrimp Habitat: The bubble coral requires a hard substrate and moderate water current. LIVE ROCK REEF RESEARCH PROJECT  1321 Warm Springs Ave.   Boise Idaho 83712 U.S.A.  WORLD PETSTORE.COM     For Supplies at Discount Prices   Aquarium Supplies and Equipment  ANDRE'S Choice Fish And Equipment. All livestock is shipped overnight. SALTWATER FISH ORDER YOUR SALTWATER FISH HERE! Order coral and other invertebrate! Alive Arrival Guarantee: We guarantee every fish, clam, coral and invertebrate that leaves our tanks will ARRIVE ALIVE at its destination and will STAY ALIVE for at least 5 days after leaving our system. Please read our Guarantee .               The foundation of a good tank is a well read tank keeper. You can find these books and others like them easily at Amazon.com. You can even order them directly from this page! A Practical Guide to Corals for the Reef Aquarium, Puterbaugh and Borneman, Crystal Graphics Publishing, 1996, ISBN 0-945738-99-4. ORDER NOW!   The Reef Aquarium, Volume 1, Delbeek and Sprung, Ricordea Publishing, 1995, ISBN 1-883693-12-8. ORDER NOW! Marine Atlas, Volume 1, Baensch and Debelius, Tetra Press, 1994, ISBN 1-56465-113-4 (U.S.A. only), ISBN 3-88244-051-1 (For other countries). ORDER NOW! The Book of the Marine Aquarium, Dakin, Tetra Press, 1992, ISBN 1-56465-102-9. ORDER NOW! The Marine Aquarium Reference, Systems and Invertebrates, Moe, Green Tutle Publications, 1992, ISBN 0-939960-05-2. ORDER NOW! The Marine Aquarium Handbook, Beginner to Breeder, Moe, Green Turtle Publications, 1992, ISBN 0-939960-07-9. ORDER NOW! The Reef Tank Owner's Manual, Tullock, Aardvark Press, 1992, ISBN 0-945777-06-X. ORDER NOW! Reef Fish Identification, Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas, Humann, New World Publications, 1994, ISBN 1-878348-07-8. ORDER NOW! Reef Coral Identification, Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas, Humann, New World Publications, 1994, ISBN 1-878348-03-5. ORDER NOW! Reef Creature Identification, Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas, Humann, New World Publications, 1994, ISBN 1-878348-01-9. ORDER NOW!

Elegance Coral Scientific name: Catalaphyllia jardinei This large and beautiful coral is often mistaken for an anemone because of its long tentacles. It ranges in color from white to brown, but most are green with pink-tipped tentacles. It is one of the most durable of the hard-coral species. When moving this coral, be careful not to pierce its fleshy polyp, or bacterial infections may occur. (Source: Scott Michael, author of Reef Fishes, Microcosm Press) Degree of difficulty: relatively easy Compatibility: This is not an aggressive coral. It is often nipped at by certain fish species (including pygmy angelfish and tangs) that normally do not harm corals. It will eat small fish that get caught in its tentacles. Food: feeds on plankton; symbiotic algae in tissues provide a vital source of nutrition; diet should include meaty foods, such as pieces of shrimp Habitat: This coral requires a tank with a sand bottom and a slight to moderate water current. Aggressiveness: This coral sends out sweeper tentacles that can be quite strong. They will expand a surprising amount so leave plenty of room (at least 6 inches) around this coral. faqs.org/faqs/aquaria/reefkeeper Common to Scientific Name Cross Reference...Coral Relative Aggressiveness of Commonly Kept Reef Invertebrates ...LEAST AGGRESSIVE Goniopora Coral Hardiness: Goniopora is delicate and long term survival (>12 months) is probably less than 10%. Not recommended for the beginning hobbyist, although success is as much luck as skill at this point in our understanding of this coral. It does appear that the more colorful, short tentacled specimens, like the ones shown to the right are more hardy than the more common greenish brown versions with long tentacles. Lighting: Seems to like moderate lighting in general. Brightly colored specimens such the one to the right seem to like the highest intensity lighting. This specimen is kept 24" under 400W 10K MH lamps. Water Current: Seem to prefer moderate water motion which keeps their polyps gently waving in the water current. Temperature: Does well within a range of at least 78º to 82º F Aggressiveness: Appears to be low. Feeding: Goniopora is photosynthetic and does not take any known foods. The method of death when a specimen dies is usually a long period of decline that may be caused by nutritional deficiency. What is lacking is unfortunately so far unknown. Its natural habitat of turbid lagoons indicates that it may benefit from less than pristine water. Supplements: Maintaining correct calcium and alkalinity levels is undoubtedly important for skeletal development Tank Positioning: Best positioning is in moderate water flow, in a moderate to high light area of the tank. ORDER Coral HERE Aquariums Chillers Coral & Shells Filter Systems Gravel-Coral-Puca Lighting Livestock Protein Skimmers Software Make Selection Purchase your Fish and Supplies here! M "The Aquarium Doctor" Aquarium Doctor The Aquarium Doctor is a Member of Andre's Aquarium Club Question, I just bought a yellow tang about a week ago, I am almost sure it has ich. Does this condition with the tang pose a problem with my corals and clams? Answer, Ich usually does not effect invertebrates. Be careful as to not use the wrong type of medication since you have corals. Many medications are harmful to invertebrates. Fish -Vet has a product called No-Ich that is very effective at curing Ick in Marine tanks without effecting corals and invertebrates, it contains no copper. You can order this excellent medication on Andre's store page. Saltwater Ich Aquarium Doctor M North Coast Marine North Coast Marines was started by a hobbyist, for the hobbyist. Highest quality livestock and hardware are available at wholesale prices. Free advice is generously given. We don't have the overhead of the so called "superstores", so we don't have to pass it on to you, the hobbyist. We won't sell any livestock or hardware that isn't compatible with your system, and we won't try to sell merchandise that isn't necessary. We offer both fresh and cured live rock from around the globe at prices that will surprise you. Large lot pricing is available. Special orders-no problem!           If you are a member of Andre's Aquarium Club, you will receive a 5% discount on your order.( Be sure to mention the club when you start the order.)