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.

One of the best reef algae-eating snails — effective grazer of microalgae and diatoms on rock and glass. Conical shell with star-like ridges. Cannot right itself if flipped, so monitor after storms of flow.

Elegant black-and-silver with distinctive elongated fins and bold stripes. A mouthbrooder — the male incubates eggs in his mouth until hatching. One of the few marine fish regularly bred in home aquaria.

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.

Tiny, striking black and yellow banded snail. Buries in sand and hunts detritus and small worms — a useful sandbed cleaner. Larger specimens have been known to eat small sleeping fish, so use with caution.

Red and white striped with a distinctly humped back and movable rostrum. Often sold as a decorative marine shrimp; groups create beautiful colour in aquariums. Nocturnal — more active after lights out.

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.

Fast-growing macroalgae with flat, oval blades on creeping runners. Excellent nutrient export and refugium algae. Can go 'sexual' under stress — turning milky white and releasing gametes, causing a tank crash. Keep under 24h light or harvest regularly to prevent this. Widely available and very effective.

Small, elongated shell snail that works the sand bed, glass, and rocks. Excellent algae grazer and detritivore. Reproduces readily and stays small.

The most popular refugium algae in the reef hobby — tumbling masses of stiff, wire-like bright green strands. Grows rapidly, exporting nitrates and phosphates as it's harvested. Provides a habitat for copepods and amphipods that migrate into the display tank as live food. Extremely hardy.

Bold red-and-white shrimp that sets up cleaning stations on reefs, removing parasites from fish. Reef-safe, peaceful, and fascinating to observe.

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.

Striking red-and-white banded shrimp with long white antennae. Acts as a cleaner shrimp on wild reefs. Keep only one pair — males fight.

Deep blue body with orange-yellow sides and purple highlights. Hardiest of the dwarf angels. Generally reef-safe but may nip soft 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.

Feathery, fern-like fronds on creeping runners — arguably the most attractive Caulerpa species. Works well in display refugia where its ornamental appearance is on show. Fast-growing nutrient exporter. Same caveats as other Caulerpa: harvest regularly to prevent sexual reproduction.

A sand-sifting powerhouse — plows through the sandbed consuming detritus, algae, and uneaten food. Lively and active, with eyes on stalks. The name comes from its aggressive response when flipped.

Striking blood-red with white-spotted antennae — one of the most beautiful marine shrimp. Acts as a cleaner shrimp, setting up stations where fish visit to have parasites removed. Best kept in pairs.

Elegant dartfish with a fiery orange-red tail and white-to-yellow body. Shy but beautiful. Tends to jump so a tight-fitting lid is essential.

Vivid red with black dorsal markings and outline — perches atop gorgonians and Acropora waiting to ambush prey. Completely reef-safe with corals but will eat small shrimp. Charismatic and bold.

Bold yellow body with intricate brown-and-white facial patterning. Has venomous spines so handle carefully. Outstanding algae and nuisance weed grazer.

Creeping runners bearing upright branches tipped with small spherical beads — resembling tiny bunches of grapes. One of the most vigorous nutrient-exporting macroalgae; grows rapidly in refugia. Can go sexual and crash if left unharvested for too long. Listed as invasive in the Mediterranean.

The quintessential schooling reef fish — shimmering apple-green in open water above Acropora. Incredibly hardy and peaceful. Best kept in groups of 6+ for the most natural look.

Attractive calcified green macroalgae with segmented, coin-like lobes. Grows upright and anchors into sandbed or live rock. Naturally calcified — contributes to calcium demand. Fish tend to leave it alone. Adds a natural look to the display tank and provides nutrient export.

Wiry, reddish-brown branching macroalgae that tangs and rabbitfish readily consume. Grows quickly and provides excellent nutrient export in refugia. Attaches loosely to rubble and rock. One of the most palatable macroalgae for herbivorous reef fish — can be offered directly as live food.

Feathery, pinkish-white tufts of jointed calcified branches — a beautiful encrusting coralline relative that forms soft mats on rockwork. Provides habitat for tiny amphipods and copepods. A common and welcome hitchhiker on Mediterranean and Atlantic live rock. Tolerates cooler water than most corallines.

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.

Brown tang covered with fine yellow-orange spots. Excellent detritivore and algae grazer. More peaceful and compact than most tangs. Great reef fish.

The go-to algae control fish for reef tanks — relentlessly grazes film algae and hair algae off rocks and glass. Camouflaged brown-grey with warty skin and charismatic perching behaviour.

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.

Instantly recognisable by its elongated snout and white body with red grid pattern. Perches in gorgonian sea fans and black coral, propping itself on its fins. Bold and long-lived in captivity.