Scientific Name: Goniopora sp.
Classification: LPS
Common Names: Flower Pot Coral, Goniopora Coral
Description:
Typically rounded or oblong colonies with polyps that have 24 tentacles. Similar species Alveopora, always has 12 tentacles. Color most often seen is green as seen in the 2nd picture on the left. Other more colorful variations exist including pink and purple as shown also.
Veron: Colonies are usually branching, columnar or massive but may be encrusting. Corallites have thick but porous walls and calices are filled with compacted septa and columellae. Polyps are long and fleshy and tentacles are normally extended day and night. Polyps have 24 tentacles. Different species have polyps of different shapes and colors.
Natural Environment:
Veron: Low to moderate current areas such as lagoons and often associated with turbid water conditions.
Care:
Hardiness: Goniopora is delicate and long term survival (>12 months) is probably less than 10%. Not recommended for the beginning hobbyist, although success is as much luck as skill at this point in our understanding of this coral. It does appear that the more colorful short tentacled specimens, like the purple one shown to the left are more hardy than the more common greenish brown versions with long tentacles.
Lighting: Seems to like moderate lighting in general. Brightly colored specimens seem to like the highest intensity lighting.
Water Current: Seem to prefer moderate water motion which keeps their polyps gently waving in the water current.
Temperature: Does well within a range of at least 77º to 84º F
Aggressiveness: Appears to be low.
Feeding: Goniopora is photosynthetic and does not take any known foods. The method of death when a specimen dies is usually a long period of decline that may be caused by nutritional deficiency. What is lacking is unfortunately so far unknown. Its natural habitat of turbid lagoons indicates that it may benefit from less than pristine water.
Supplements: Maintaining correct calcium and alkalinity levels is undoubtedly important for skeletal development
Tank Positioning: Best positioning is in moderate water flow, in a moderate to high light area of the tank.
