Caring for Pectiniidae (Chalice Coral)

Class: Anthozoan, Order Scleractinia, Family Pectiniidae, Genera Echinophyllia, Oxypora, Mycedium and Pectinia

Care of Pectiniidae (Chalice Coral) - This care sheet will help you understand how to look after Pectiniidae (Chalice Coral) - you can find Pectiniidae (Chalice Coral) in the Small Polyp Stony Corals section of our Mail Order Corals.

Common names: chalice coral

Natural origin: Indo-Pacific

Sensitivity (Level 2 to 3): Though not exactly beginner corals, most are tolerant and forgiving. Please note that they have delicate skeletons that break easily. Handle with care.

Feeding: Most species feed at night with long feeding tentacles. They generally have impressive prey capture ability and can feed on a variety of finely chopped sea foods, mysis and brine shrimp.

Lighting (Level 3 to 6): Though adaptable, moderate lighting is preferred. The ideal lighting for any particular coral will depend on the species and the depth and clarity of the water where it was collected or cultured. As with any zooxanthellate coral, coloration can change in response to changing lighting conditions. As always, sudden changes in lighting conditions can result in bleaching. Be sure to acclimate properly.

Water flow: Relatively gentle, but constant flow is ideal. Be sure that debris and sediment do not collect on the coral.

Placement: These can be aggressive corals. Please place with care, leaving several inches of free space around each specimen. They should also be placed at a slant to help keep the coral free of debris.

General: Members of this family are copious mucus producers and are probably not good candidates for smaller tanks less than 15 gallons. In small volumes, excessive coral mucus can cause fowling of the water and threaten the health of the whole tank.