new coral

[Blue Tang]

Hello again all, am i right in thinking that i should keep this coral away from any others that i may have because it will sting them? i forgot to ask what kind this one is , any help please? thanks, ps, also how many hours of lighting do you think is best as a rule of thumb? i have two 150, acadia halides, im just not too sure how long i should leave them on ?
Blue tang :?

 

[brandonberry]

That is a Goniopora. Unfortuately, that coral has a pretty low sucess rate in captivity. In my experience, it is more likely to be stung by other corals than to cause the stinging. It needs to be in an area of relatively low flow; at least no strong currents blowing on it.

If you do not have any supplemental lighting in addition to the halides, I would recommend 10-12 hours per day.

 

[Blue Tang]

thanks for the reply mate, mmmm, maybe i should think about doing a trade on the coral? do you have any corals that you can suggest that might be easier to keep ? thanks again for your help!
Blue Tang :?

 

[brandonberry]

There are lots of corals that are easier to keep. I'm not sure what is commonly available in Australia, but I would assume that pretty much the same thing would be available there as here in the US since most of our corals come from that general area. Most of the branching and plate forming Montiporas are relatively easy to keep. These are often labeled M. digitata and M. capricornis here in the US, though they may not all actually be these 2 species. Hydnophoras are easy to keep but tend to sting other corals that are placed within 2-3 inches of them. Most of the Euphyllias are easy to keep. Sarcophytons, Sinularias, and Neptheas are all leather corals that do well in captivity. If you want something similar to the Goniopora, Alveoporas, although still a little challenging, are much more hardy than Gonioporas. Galaxias also have a similar look and are really hardy. Many people say Acroporas are for more experienced hobbiests, but they are relatively easy to grow under the right conditions. Most all the mushroom corals and zooanthids are easy to keep as well. This should give you something to start with. There are many more.

 

[Blue Tang]

Thanks again , ill put some pics of my tank up and see what you think.i am going to see my local fish guy this week, he has a licence to collect fish and corals , that is where i got the coral from, he is a diver and uses nets to catch his fish . they are very healthy. ill ask him about the corals you talked about. thanks again , talk to you soon,
Blue Tang