These type of corals will always be challenging but with a few simple steps can grow into a large softball full of polyps. It is possible to expose them to too much light, and depending on the Goniopora you get and the requirements of the specific colony in your tank. If you see signs of bleaching, try moving your coral to a more dimly lit area of the tank. Bleaching is when the color starts to fade from a coral and can occur when a coral is exposed to too much light, or experiences a rapid increase in light intensity without a suitable adjustment period.
You should place Goniopora colonies in areas where they can spread their tentacles without coming in contact with other corals. This coral does not get along well with others, and will try to sting and kill any other coral in its vicinity, especially LPS corals such as Hammer.
Goniopora is pretty sensitive and can be closed for a number of reasons. Water flow that is too high or the wrong level of light intensity may be the cause. These corals also tend to curl up if touched by food particles from direct feeding. They may also stay closed if you have fish that are constantly rubbing against them. It can also take a few days for Goniopora to reopen once placed or moved in a tank, so you may just need to give it some time to get comfortable.
Goniopora coral is largely photosynthetic. Like many corals, they have a symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae, a marine algae that lives in the soft tissues of corals and helps them convert light into glucose, glycerol, and amino acids in order to meet their nutritional needs.
Most Goniopora will need additional feeding, though. They usually do well with very small particles of food like phytoplankton, oyster eggs, and sometimes brine shrimp. You can also try a liquid food specifically designed for these corals. Since Goniopora tend to retract easily, it's usually best to introduce food a little ways away from the coral so the water stream will carry it to the polyps instead of injecting the food directly above the heads.
