Best corals for first timers

[Bitcoin Reefer]

Agree with above.... Don't listen to the naysayers. For a first coral gsp and even xenia are great options and they are stunning to watch "take over" your tank

Ya I absolutely love my GSP and Xenia. Just put them on a rock by themselves on the sand so they don’t spread where you don’t want them to. They’re great for first year of reefing because they’ll actually grow and you’ll feel some success. I’m 2 years into reefing and so many of the coral I’ve bought barely grow at all or even have died. Those two are great!

Also add simple plating Montipora + Kenya Tree to the list. I have heard of some brown Kenya tree that grow too fast, but my neon green Kenya tree is absolutely beautiful, decently fast growing, the photo is after 1.5 years. When it drops baby’s I just glue them to that same rock as parent colony to keep them all together.

 

[blaxsun]

A: Whatever you can afford to replace.

 

[legalreefer1]

Monti-cap. Stuff has grown easily under any light and all water conditions that I've thrown at it lol! My wife still says it was one of her favorites so I just picked up some more.

Hammer or frogspawn always grew well for me and were hardy.

I can keep acros alive but not hammers :/

 

[Grog]

Purple Stylo is a great easy coral, has that 'stick' look, its purple, grows fast, and can tolerate some bad conditions. Way underrated coral IMO, and very forgiving.

 

[smorrow]

Looking for some beginner coral in the Boston area where is a good place

 

[smorrow]

Looking for some beginner coral in the Boston area where is a good place

 

[Spare time]

Looking for some beginner coral in the Boston area where is a good place

Love the reef has a lot of cheaper corals to try.

 

[hootiewhoo]

where do you live? i’m in los angeles and giving away some beginner coral frags if you want to message me! Green Star Palyps and Zoas

Do you still have any available??

 

[smorrow]

Do you still have any available??

Sorry I have been busy but I live in Boston

 

[exnisstech]

Torches, Frogspawns, Lobo/trachy, pocilopora or whatever they’re called

Lol I've managed to kill all of those. I gave up on the open meaty lps like lobo, trachy, acantho, cynarina etc. I've had all of the ones I mentioned and they thrive for a couple of years then wither away for unknown reasons. It always just a single piece not a mass die off.
I'm over 8 years in and have some acros doing nicely but still can't keep a torch alive.

For beginner sps I've had very good luck with garf bonzai, myagi tort, and pretty much any color monti cap. I like leathers also. Pretty hardy, add a bit if movement and they normally don't over run a tank like some of the softies like gsp, xenia, shrooms etc.

 

[twnturbo]

Ya I absolutely love my GSP and Xenia. Just put them on a rock by themselves on the sand so they don’t spread where you don’t want them to. They’re great for first year of reefing because they’ll actually grow and you’ll feel some success. I’m 2 years into reefing and so many of the coral I’ve bought barely grow at all or even have died. Those two are great!

Also add simple plating Montipora + Kenya Tree to the list. I have heard of some brown Kenya tree that grow too fast, but my neon green Kenya tree is absolutely beautiful, decently fast growing, the photo is after 1.5 years. When it drops baby’s I just glue them to that same rock as parent colony to keep them all together.

I love the look of that stuff & plan on getting some in my new reef set up thanks

 

[EricR]

I vote take the "easy coral" suggestions and decide which appeal to you, personally, then try.
Each type of coral seems to work differently in different tanks.
(Maybe even different individual coral of same type in same tank)

For my tank, easiest have been (all soft corals):
Ricordea Florida mushrooms
GSP (green star polyps)
Sinularia

*would've said zoanthids for the first year but then something changed

I also have one Duncan that's gone from a small single head to about 6 heads bigger than the original,,, but another that seems to be withering,,, so I don't know

 

[apb03]

I would recommend Leathers, Zoas, Cyphastrea, Leptoseris, Mushrooms and Stylophora.

I think it's best to stay away from Hammers, Torches, Frogspawnand other flow/light sensitive stuff like Acans and such until you have a bit more mastery of nutrients lighting and flow, and the tank is 4-6 months old.

 

[Northern Flicker]

Lol I've managed to kill all of those. I gave up on the open meaty lps like lobo, trachy, acantho, cynarina etc. I've had all of the ones I mentioned and they thrive for a couple of years then wither away for unknown reasons. It always just a single piece not a mass die off.
I'm over 8 years in and have some acros doing nicely but still can't keep a torch alive.

For beginner sps I've had very good luck with garf bonzai, myagi tort, and pretty much any color monti cap. I like leathers also. Pretty hardy, add a bit if movement and they normally don't over run a tank like some of the softies like gsp, xenia, shrooms etc.

Garf Bonsai is, in my opinion, the perfect mix of stunning and easy. Showstopper and easy to keep, great combo.

Probably not a true beginner coral but definitely a nice first step into sticks. Teal birdsnest another good one in that category.