Posts in category: LPS Corals

Introduction – Big Polyp Larger calcareous corals having fleshy polyps are known as stony corals. The quantity of light, flow, and whether or not the corals are feeding all affect how far out their tentacles extend. To keep any other species at a safe distance, the majority of LPS corals generate lengthy sweeper tentacles. This article will discuss the 5 most famous LPS corals that can brighten up your aquarium.

5 examples of LPS Corals

1. Hammer Coral – An classic large polyp stony coral (LPS corals) that have been a mainstay in the hobby for ages are hammer corals. They occur in various hues and growth styles and are present on all Pacific reefs. Some hammer corals form a wall formation, whereas others form branching. Either kind makes a great centrepiece coral for such a reef aquarium. Hammer corals that resemble Euphyllia can be found throughout the Pacific Ocean’s tropical waters. They are frequently taken from the Indopacific islands of Fiji, Tonga, the Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
2. Frogspawn Coral – The Frogspawn Coral, also known also as Wall, Octopus, Grape, or Honey Coral, is another LPS coral. One of its frequent names is “frogspawn” because of how conspicuous its polyps are day and night and how they resemble a pile of fish or frog eggs. Its colouring ranges from green to brown to tan. It would look excellent in any reef tank, given its appearance and colours. Although relatively challenging to maintain, it is a well-known coral that will flourish in the right circumstances.
3. Torch Coral – The Indo-Pacific reefs are the origin of the torch coral, Euphyllia glabrescens, and LPS coral. The fleshy polyps of the torch coral grow from a calcareous (stony) foundation in long, flowing strands. These corals have a torch-like appearance in waters with a moderate flow. According to reports, torches may survive in various water environments, from murky (turbid) seas to crystal clear water with blazingly bright light. This implies some degree of adaptation and simplicity, which is perhaps why these corals make excellent starter corals.
4. Acan coral – One of the most exquisitely colored coral species is acanthastrea corals, sometimes referred to as acan coral or acan lords. They are LPS corals. They come in various colours like violet, red, emerald, turquoise, orange, brown, rust, light tan, and light grey. In the south Pacific, notably in the region surrounding the Philippines and Hong Kong, acan corals are found in depths of up to 30 metres. Acan coral feeds primarily at night in the water. They do, however, get used to the daily routine in the aquarium and will continue eating when you give them food.
5. Candy cane coral – The Torch, Trumpet, Bullseye, or Candy Coral is another name for the large polyp stony (LPS) coral Caulastrea Candy Cane. Its skeletal structure is made up of helical stems with stars at each tip, as indicated by the genus name Caulastrea, which is a combination of the Latin kaulos (stalk) and aster (star). The beautiful translucent green to teal and brown Candy Cane Coral from Tonga has hefty circular polyps that are a vibrant yellow, green, or blue with brown, with each tip being white.. Its colourful polyps will distinguish it from most other corals in actinic light.

These are the 5 best examples of LPS corals that can accentuate your aquarium’s beauty and charm. However there are many more, but these 5 are the most commonly used and bred species of LPS corals.

Introduction – One of the most exquisitely colored coral species is acanthophyllia coral, sometimes referred to as acan coral or acan lords. They are large polyp stony (LPS) corals. They come in various colours, including lavender, red, green, turquoise, orange, brown, rust, light tan, and light grey. The family contains numerous species with various names. And many claim that growing them is among the simplest LPS coral processes. When you combine the two, you have the ideal LPS coral, albeit with a few minor issues to handle.

Guide to taking care of Acan Corals –

You probably can’t wait to go through the many links explaining acan coral care because many different corals and patterns are available. And that is up to you, particularly if you have prior knowledge of LPS corals. However, if this is your first-time handling invertebrates, you may choose to read the entire essay to make sure you understand everything, just to be safe.

1. Placement – The optimal site for an Acan coral is six inches away from nearby corals in an area with moderate water velocity and light intensity. Too much light or water flow will harm the coral. Other corals closer than 6 inches will suffer harm from acans. This coral must also be placed in an area with medium water movement and lighting. (Just right – not too much and not too little) You don’t want the water flow to become so high (as with small polyp stony (SPS) corals) as you wind up shredding their fragile flesh because, as you should keep in mind, it IS a large polyp stony coral.
2. Feeding – Acan coral is thought to be photosynthetic, which means that at least some of its energy comes from the commensal zooxanthellae that inhabit its tissue. Additionally, they take certain nutrients out of the water column.

• When you have fish in your tank, this will assist in maintaining the level of nutrients under control. But how many nutrients do these two processes generate? It is insufficient to keep your acans alive. They eat animal flesh. That indicates that they desire MEAT. Therefore, you must feed your acans.
• The acan coral will stretch its polyps to collect prey when it is time to eat, including copepods, Artemia, chopped fish, or even processed foods.
• The tentacles will happily slurp something down as long as they can capture it and drag it in. You’ll think they’re a pleasant addition to your aquarium as fast feeders! Plan to specifically feed your acans once or twice a week to maintain their good health.

3. Compatibility – Most other species get along well with acan coral. Their ability to tolerate their coral neighbors mostly depends on their available area. You risk coral warfare if you place it adjacent to other corals or let a green star polyp colony develop next to them. The acan coral will bring beauty to your marine aquarium if given enough room to flourish and grow. In principle, 4 inches (10.2 cm) is the magic number.

Thus, you can keep an acanthophyllia coral in your fish tank by following the steps above.

Frogspawn Coral

The frogspawn coral is most often a stony-coat type. They are widespread of the stony coats.

Description/Quick facts:

Small, low branches are typical. Stony coats are the most common type.

It can be bright green, brown, or a mixture of the two. Colours vary depending on location and lighting. When threatened or under stress, the frogspawn coral will secrete a slimy substance that looks much like frog eggs hence its name. This slime is used to repel predators. Easy to grow in captivity.

Size:

Usually, small colonies make up large colonies. It can grow to over 120 cm or 3 feet in diameter.

Lighting: Moderate lighting.

Moderate lighting is needed for its zooxanthellae to thrive, but it can grow well in low lighting if it is not deprived of light for too long. It will not lose its colour without light, but it will be white in colour without light, and the colony will die if it is kept in darkness for too long. The frogspawn coral grows best when the lights are left on 12 hours a day and not on 24 hours a day; however, they do fine with lights on 24 hours a day too.
Water Temperature: Keep between 72-78 degrees.
Feeding: The frogspawn coral feeds by piercing its tentacles through the water and emitting mucus from its gills. It can also feed on plankton and other small particles floating in the water column from the time it is small until it reaches a size where it can feed on larger food items such as mussels, copepods, shrimp, etc.

Hammer Coral

The hammer coral is also a stony-coat type and typically shares many of the same characteristics as the frogspawn coral, such as location, rainforest colouring (meaning it will be green), and some health concerns.

Description/Quick Facts:

The hammer coral is a very large polyp and can grow over 4 feet in diameter. They exist in various colours, such as purple-red, green, yellow, and blue-green. The hammer corals are considered some of the most beautiful corals on this list due to their coloration and size.

Size:

Usually large colonies. Usually make up a large colony. It can grow to over 4 feet in diameter.

Lighting:

Moderate lighting is needed for its zooxanthellae to thrive, but it can grow well in low lighting if it is not deprived of light for too long. It will not lose its colour without light, but it will be white in colour without light, and the colony will die if it is kept in darkness for too long. The hammer coral grows best when the lights are left on 12 hours a day, not 24 hours a day.

However, they do fine with lights on 24 hours a day too. Water Temperature: Keep between 72-78 degrees.

Feeding:

The hammer coral feeds by extending its tentacles into the water and funnelling plankton into its mouth. It will also feed on small organisms floating in the water column, including other corals and small shrimp or fish. It also feeds on mollusks, slugs, amphipods, copepods, and other prey items for their environment, such as bivalves.

Hammer Coral vs Frogspawn Coral

The frogspawn coral is most often confused with the growth form of a hammer coral. The hammer coral grows in clusters of slender branches which resemble a hammer. However, the frogspawn coral is more likely to grow in colonies (i.e., “clumps”) than the hammer coral. It is also more likely to have high, complex branching patterns than the hammer coral.

Euplillia

Euplillia is a type of coral. It is a stony-coat polyp found in all tropical and warm ocean environments. They are found in shallow, rocky reef environments, which makes them ideal for aquarists who want to keep corals indoors. The euplillia coral is similar to the frogspawn and hammer coral, but is longer, kinkier, and sturdier.

LPS coral

The Frogspawn and Hammer corals are examples of LPS coral species. They are characterised by their long branches that hang down from the centre of their colony. Plus, they cover much more surface area than the other types of corals. They have similar considerations as the other polyp stony types, where they like to be in shallow waters, warm water, and high-light environments.

Hammer Coral vs Frogspawn Coral: Final thoughts

Many people often confuse a Frog spawn coral with a Hammer Coral, but there are major differences between them.

A Frog spawn coral is more commonly found in the rainforest and brightly coloured than a Hammer Coral, typically found in shallow water reef environments.

Another major difference is that a Frog Spawn Coral will have “egg-like” structures protruding from its surface.

On the other hand, a Hammer Coral will have long branches that hang down from the centre of its colony and cover much more surface area than the other types of corals listed here.

The Difference Between Branching and Walling Hammer Corals

It can be challenging to differentiate between the two types of hammer corals. The branching hammer coral is also called the “tree” or “condenser”. This is probably because it has a bushy appearance that resembles tree branches. The walling hammer coral does not branch out and looks like an individual column.

Hammer coral

The hammer coral, also known as the dish, fan, or platter coral, has a flat and rounded base. The top of the coral has plates or “roofs” that rise and stand perpendicular to one another, forming a “hammerhead” shape.

Branching hammer corals

There are many different varieties of branch hammer corals that have branches that grow out from the main structure in various ways.

Branching types can be classified by their branching pattern and by how their stipes’ growth. They are often found in shallow waters near shorelines and have branching structures that are easy to recognize.

The different patterns are referred to as horn coral, candy cane coral, umbrella coral, pinwheel coral, and so on.

Walling hammer corals

The walling coral is a large, flat-topped, thick-bounded coral that branches out in a random pattern. The look of this coral closely resembles that of common table salt.

The walling coral is known for its ability to form a broad, flat top surface in warm water. The coral will grow to a size where its surface area is more significant than its burrowed volume.

A walling coral’s surface area is maximized when the water temperature is relatively low (sub 20 degrees Celsius). Similarly, the water current is relatively still (sub 5 mm/hour). The more time passes between feeding bouts, the greater the distance their branches can grow past one another, creating an extensive surface area. A walling coral can form a series of large overlapping plates carried away by currents.

Branching and Walling Hammer Corals

Walling corals also have thick skin, adding to their surface area. This coral type is a great competitor for the settlement of other organisms. 

When the water temperature increases or the water current picks up, this coral will shed its wall-like structure and return to growing branches that help maximize surface area in these warmer conditions.

Many branching corals are more sensitive to changes in current flow and light intensity on their surfaces than other types of coral. Branching corals living in low-light environments will not grow as brightly coloured as they would if they were located in a higher-light climate.

The true difference between these two types of corals lies in their growth habits. The branching variety grows by extending outwards from its base, while the walling type grows outwards from its base like a normal coral would.

The most striking difference between these corals is that walling corals have solid, angled walls. 

The branches of a branching hammer coral fan out in nearly all directions. The walling coral, on the other hand, has its stipes grow more at an angle towards the surface. The branches of both corals cover their surface as they extend outward. However, the coral’s branches do not. 

Another significant characteristic of both types is that they exist as colonies – a collection of many polyps who work together to feed, grow and reproduce.

Final thoughts: 

The final point is that every type of coral has advantages and disadvantages in each growth aspect. Some varieties are faster than others in acquiring nutrients from their food source, while others are more sensitive to changes in water flow and light intensity.

Introduction to How to Care for Torch Corals

Known as Euphyllia glabrescens, the Torch coral is classified as a large polyp stony (LPS) coral genus. Well-known for its long and flowing polyps that originate from a hard base. In calm water current, these corals display fleshy tentacles with round bright-coloured tips – like a torch. Other examples of corals in the same genus are the Frogspawn (Divisa) and the Hammer corals (Ancora).

Torch corals are popular LPS corals for hobbyists and beginners because they are straightforward to keep.

This article will share some of the most relevant details about torch corals, including how to feed them and tank requirements.

Quick Facts

• Common Names: Torch
• Scientific Name: Euphyllia glabrescens
• Care Level: Easy, beginner-friendly
• Water Flow: Moderate
• Light Intensity: Moderate
• Aggression: Semi to highly aggressive

Feeding Torch Corals

Like most LPS corals, Torch corals keep a symbiotic relationship with the zooxanthellae they host in their bodies. This way, they can convert light energy into sugar. While Torch corals can live fine with this feeding from the zooxanthellae, experts say manually feeding them might make sense too. However, in all you do, do not overfeed the corals.

Do I need to feed them?

It’s an optional choice. But, it’s your responsibility to keep the water in pristine condition.

Feeding Torch corals is not complex; you can simply spray the food directly at the animals. If you want their rapid growth and improved health, you may feed them with Mysis shrimp, vitamin-enriched brine shrimp, and plankton.

Avoid overfeeding so that the leftover particles do not contaminate the water.

Water Parameters

Tank Size

Since Torch corals are semi-aggressive, you should keep them away from other corals. Moreover, they can grow so big that they might disturb neighbouring corals. A tank size of about 20 gallons might do the trick.

Temperature and pH

Temperature: keep the temperature between 76 to 83 degrees Celsius

pH: between 8.1 to 8.4

Placement in a Saltwater Tank

By now, you already know that Torch corals are semi-aggressive in nature. So, in terms of placement in a saltwater tank, never keep in close range with other coral species.

You want to place them where they are comfortable – where they can get moderate lighting and water flow. An ideal placement can be in the lower sections of a tank, either directly on a substrate or the surface of live rock.

Water Flow

Torch corals prefer moderate water flow. You can tell if the water flow is vital when you notice the coral polyps are not extending correctly. Additionally, if the corals do not open up, that’s another sign of a strong current.

Lighting (75 to 150 PAR)

Strive to keep lighting moderate for the best growth rate and coloration. However, do not expose Torch corals to high light intensity as this would cause them to bleach.

Preferably, use lighting from metal halides but be careful so the intensity isn’t too high. Interestingly, Torch corals can tell you when light intensity is too high or not favourable. The lighting is probably too high if you notice they do not change their colours.

Finally, Let’s Discuss Common Problems with Keeping Torch Corals

Polyps Not Opening

If you ever encounter such a problem with your corals, you need to check the following:

• Is the water flow generated by the powerheads moderate?
• How about the water parameters?

Solution: the first thing you want to do is to test the water parameters and be sure you’ve got the proper measurements. If you’re seeking expert help, the best thing you can do is to be 100% transparent.

Also, check if nothing irritates the coral inside the tank. An excellent example of this is Aiptasia anemones.

Brown Jelly

Usually, this is noticeable as a brown jelly-like infection. This may be a result of poor water quality or overfeeding.

Solution: separate the coral from the tank to a different environment. Then, dip into an iodine solution to cure the infection. Alternatively, frag the healthy branches to save the coral colony immediately.