Corals that you would recommend or not recommend for a beginer

[BarbH]

Hopefully by the end of the summer I will be starting to add corals to my tank. I was wanting to hear from others what corals would you recommend or not recommend for someone starting out. I know that some corals out there that are considered to be beginner corals like gsp some people don't recommend because of the fact that they do tend to grow quickly and can be considered to become a nusiance. So what would you recommend and why? I am looking at recommendations in LPS and softies, thanks

 

[setsmard]

cant go wrong with some zoanthids, or some leathers.

 

[BarbH]

zoas are definitly on my list

 

[Loki]

Zoas would be a good one. I also love acans, zoas, blastos, a good frogspawn, and some zoas

 

[63vette427]

Zoas, frogspawn, hammers...

 

[fsu1dolfan]

I have a Torch and Hammer that have made it through anything and everything in my tank. Plus they a nice looking corals the way they move in the tanks flow.

Stay away from Hairy mushrooms...I had one a friend gave me when i first started my tank. I though it was so cool and it mulitpled a ton...but it got HUGE and very difficult to remove since every little piece left on a rock became a shroom. I ended up having to give away rock.

 

[cdness]

I would say frogspawn, hammers, and torches for easy LPS.
Zoas and palys are typically pretty easy.
Leathers you can't go wrong with, but keep in mind the chemical warfare they bring with them so run some carbon.
Xenia and GSP are very attractive ut can be an issue if on the main rock stricture. I see no issue with them when they are isolated on their own rock.
If you want to go SPS, birdsnest corals and Montipora caps are easy too.

 

[chort55]

AVOID xenia, kenya trees and gsp IMO..... ADD SPS lol But if you want Kenya Trees I have 1 that is bigger then a softball that has never dropped anything off it, I'm just tired of looking at it and it is in my SPS dominated tank taking up real estate. I also have a rock with devils finger leather, neon green toadstool, and a purple shroom on it that I have been considering parting with but haven't posted yet.... if your interested pm me I see your in MI so maybe we could work something out.

Frogspawns, Hammers, torches are all pretty easy. Mushrooms/ ricordia's are pretty cool, and offer nice color, leathers are simple. I haven't noticed any issues with the chemical warfare w/ my leathers and sps even in my 12g nano that I am not running carbon on (although it is recommended). I like acans as well, but my flame angel did too.

 

[wysiwyg]

i ersonally love my zoas/palys and my kenya tree coral just for the simle fact that they are so hardy. only downside is they spread like weeds my kenya tree went from one tree i know have 6

 

[BarbH]

Thanks guys keep them coming. On zoas any particular ones to keep away from that seem most likely to melt?

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[63vette427]

Anything that is considered higher end. The higher end stuff are general tougher to keep.

Thanks guys keep them coming. On zoas any particular ones to keep away from that seem most likely to melt?

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[weaponsofmassdesign]

I recommend Acans. They're nice with big polyps and come in all kinds of colors.

 

[dmatt88]

Good advice all around. Just go slow. Maturing a tank n learning water husbandry techniques takes time.

....... I'm Matt

 

[Loki]

I haven't had any zoas melt. I think melting seems to happen more with smaller frags. If possible try to get 3+ polyps.

 

[Engineergoby]

Branching Hammers are easy and look great swaying with the current. Duncans are pretty easy and are really fun to target feed, same with Acans.

 

[shells4]

Lots of good suggestions. Brains are also easy to keep and can add alot of color. Suncorals are easy and really colorful as well, but you have to be willing to take the time to feed them every 2 or 3 days.

 

[aslmx]

Candy canes and duncans. If I can grow them ,anybody can. Be careful with mushrooms and yellow polyps. They get out of hand.

 

[buddythelion]

Every expensive zoa, like about $30pp and up are more likely to melt. I'd start with some nice but fast growing zoas, like Sunny Ds, Candy Apple Reds, Red and Blue Hornets, Tequila Sunrises, Oxides. At least with those you can always sell them to help fund your hobby because they're nice enough looking to be in demand.