Flora & Fauna

Colourful LPS coral with large fleshy polyps available in virtually every colour combination. Aggressive — maintain space between it and neighbouring corals. Beginner-friendly.

Chunky, encrusting LPS with fleshy, colourful polyps in virtually every colour combination imaginable. Extremely hardy and popular among collectors. One of the best beginner LPS corals.

Blastomussa are large-polyp stony corals with fleshy, round polyps that inflate dramatically at night. They are tolerant of lower light and moderate nutrients, making them a good LPS choice for mid-level placement. They feed readily on meaty foods at night.

Candy Cane Coral (also called Trumpet Coral) is a hardy LPS coral with distinctly separate, trumpet-shaped corallites in green, teal, or cream coloration — often with contrasting stripe or dot patterns reminiscent of candy canes. It is one of the most forgiving LPS corals for new reef keepers, tolerating a wider range of light and flow conditions than most Euphyllia species. New heads bud readily with regular target feeding.

Delicate, daisy-like polyps arranged in a mat — each has eight feathery tentacles. Green, white, or brown morphs with attractive pink stems. Spreads readily over rock and creates a lush carpet effect. Great flow indicator coral.

Fast-growing soft coral with branching, finger-like lobes covered in feathery polyps. Sways gracefully in the current and grows rapidly — ideal for new reef tanks needing quick visual impact. Releases chemicals that may irritate nearby corals.

Unique scrolling, cup-shaped SPS that grows in convoluted plates rather than branches. More tolerant of lower light and flow than most SPS — a good entry point into stony corals. Yellow-green to brown.

Duncan corals are LPS corals with large, fleshy polyps that extend dramatically during the day and retract at night. They are peaceful, fast-growing, and feed readily on meaty foods. Colonies branch and multiply quickly under good conditions.

Dome-shaped brain coral with clearly delineated round polyps in greens, browns, and reds. One of the most common and adaptable LPS corals. Sends out sweeper tentacles at night — space accordingly.

Soft coral that grows into a branching tree shape. Prolific grower and propagator — commonly frags itself. Peaceful but its natural chemicals can inhibit nearby coral growth.

Leather corals (toadstool corals) are large, robust soft corals with a mushroom-like form. They are extremely hardy and grow quickly, making them popular with beginners. They periodically shed a waxy coating and close up temporarily — this is normal behaviour.

Large, fleshy-polyped LPS with smooth round corallites and vivid colouration. Extremely hardy and popular in mixed reef tanks. Inflates dramatically after lights-out to capture food. Accepts a wide range of conditions.

Iconic labyrinthine-patterned brain coral — the classic reef centrepiece. Hardy, slow-growing, and tolerant of moderate conditions. Green fluorescent under actinic lighting. A timeless display piece.

Mushroom corals (discosoma) are flat, fleshy soft corals available in a huge range of colours including green, blue, red, and metallic. They are excellent beginner corals, requiring low to medium light and tolerating nutrient-rich water better than SPS corals.

Free-living LPS with dramatic maze-like ridges and vivid colours — green, red, blue, and multicolour morphs. Placed directly on sand; inflates impressively at night to feed. One of the most beautiful reef centrepieces.

Large-polyped cousins of Zoanthids — drab tan-brown in the wild but cultivated morphs include greens, yellows, and reds. Hardy and fast-spreading. Contain palytoxin — handle with gloves. Excellent beginner coral.

Pulsing xenia is one of the most fascinating soft corals, rhythmically opening and closing its feathery polyps in a hypnotic pulse. It grows rapidly and can spread across rockwork quickly, so placement should be deliberate. Thrives in stable reef conditions.

Colourful mushroom coral covered in bumpy vesicles in shades of green, orange, and blue. Slower-growing than regular mushrooms. Hardy and great for beginners.

The Indo-Pacific cousin of Ricordea florida — single-polyp mushroom with vivid nodular texture. Some of the most wildly colourful colourations in the hobby: electric blue, neon orange, purple, and multicolour. Highly collectible.

Green star polyps (GSP) are one of the most popular beginner corals, forming rapid-spreading mats of bright green polyps. They are extremely hardy, tolerating a wide range of conditions. Their fast growth can become invasive, so placement should be considered carefully.

The toadstool coral is a large, distinctive soft coral with a stalk and a broad, ruffled cap covered in polyps. One of the most beginner-friendly reef corals, it tolerates a wide range of conditions. It periodically closes up and sheds a waxy film — normal behaviour.

LPS coral with trumpet-shaped polyps arranged in clusters. Hardy and fast-growing. Comes in green, blue, and gold. One of the best beginner LPS corals available.

Zoanthids (zoas) are colonial soft corals that form mats of individual polyps in an extraordinary range of colours and patterns, making them highly collectible. They are among the hardiest corals for beginner reef keepers and grow rapidly under good conditions. Some zoa morphs contain palytoxin; always wear gloves when handling.