Caring For Goniopora & Alveopora

Class: Order Scleractinia, Family Poritidae, Genera Goniopora and Alveopora

Care of Caring For Goniopora & Alveopora - This care sheet will help you understand how to look after Goniopora & Alveopora - you can find Goniopora & Alveopora in the LPS Corals section of our Mail Order Corals.

Common names: flowerpot coral, daisy coral, ball coral

Natural origin: Indo-Pacific

Sensitivity (Level 4): Until very recently, it was thought that Goniopora were impossible to keep alive in captivity. Thanks to recent research, new food products, and valiant efforts by some aquarists, these corals can now be kept in home aquariums with diligent and committed care. If you choose one of these corals, please be prepared to meet their demanding needs. Alveopora species tend to be slightly easier to care for.

Feeding: These corals have very specific and extremely demanding feeding requirements. I suggest you start hatching brine shrimp asap. Fresh, live, baby brine is a great food for them. Frozen baby brine shrimp also work well. Rotifers, oyster eggs, and other small, meaty foods are all good. But putting these in the tank is usually not enough. It is best to feed the corals under a "dome" of some sort or another (creature keepers work well). Having a DSB and/or refugium and feeding DT's phytoplankton is another good idea. This will increase invert populations. These critters, in term, produce larvae and such that can also feed the corals.

Lighting (Level 3 to 6): Lighting requirements are moderate. Careful acclimation to any new conditions is especially important for these unforgiving corals.

Water flow: These corals can thrive in lower flow areas of the tank.

Placement: These corals have long sweeping polyps that should be allowed to freely extend without hitting rocks or other corals that might damage them.

General: As stated, these corals are exceptionally demanding. It is highly recommended that any aquarist considering one do extensive research and reading on their care. If in doubt about having the time, patience and resources required to meet this corals needs, please choose a different coral. Be cautious of dyed corals. If the colony looks bright yellow or pink, it might be dyed.