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Goniopora Corals

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by Albert J. Thiel, Thiel Technologies

www.athiel.com

As you know, this coral goes by so many different common names that I will dispense with them. Everyone knows what Goniopora looks like and if you do not you may wish to consult a good book. It appears in just about every book on corals I know of.

The original article appeared in the Marine Reef Newsletter that we published. Presently that newsletter is in suspended animation so-to-speak. Subscribers who were owed issues can get a 3 month NetClub subscription in lieu.

Goniopora sp. corals are considered hard to keep and the exact reasons for the high failure rate are not quite fully understood but, often, bacterial disease is at the top of the list.

It is also my feeling, and those who have kept them for some time, that the coral's requirements are somewhat misunderstood and that tank conditions that may be appropriate for many other corals may not been for Goniopora.

Let me try and summarize some recommendations that you may wish to consider and take into account when you keep a specimen. I do not have all the answers by any means so read as much as you can find on this coral. It is touchy but can be kept.

Below are some thoughts and some facts:

  • The coral is not really all that demanding on the water quality. Surprisingly enough it does well in murky waters and in water that is high in organic material. Perhaps 'overskimming' is a problem as that may deprive the coral of much required nutrients
  • Use your normal iodine dosages and keep them at recommended levels
  • Use a complete additive to provide additional nutrients
  • Depending on where it came from it does better under either intense or medium light conditions
  • It requires good strong current from various directions so that the tentacles wave in the water and are in constant motion. This is very important, keep it clean of food stuff and other detritus so no bacterial infections start
  • It feeds mostly at night
  • Plankton needs to be present for it to be able to feed. You may wish to add live plankton from time to time. You can obtain this from AWC or from Florida Aqua Farms and other places.
  • Detritus settles easily between the long tentacles. This is not good at all and will quickly lead to problems
  • Any detritus that settles in between the tentacles must be removed either by the water current or by blowing it out with a water jet (e.g. power head pump output).
  • If detritus, especially of organic nature remains hidden within the tentacles it will decay and give rise to anaerobic activity and often leads to bacterial infection
  • Brown Jelly disease described in another article on our site is a very common sign of the above. You may wish to read that article and apply the recommendations given there to your Goniopora
  • The main polyp can extend quite a bit and is then very fragile. The slightest rub by another motile animal can damage the polyp which can then easily become diseased
  • Scratches by other animals in the tank (e.g. urchins) or pieces of rock that fall on the coral can be enough for an onset of disease
  • Bristle worms need to be eradicated as they will damage this coral (use a Six-Line wrasse for instance)
  • If the coral is not affected by a bacterial disease, a fungal one is another cause for the loss of specimens. This is typified by white paste developing on the coral (looks like toothpaste)
  • Give the coral plenty of room as it can extend/expand considerably
  • Keep other stinging corals well away from your Goniopora
  • It does not do well close to Euphyllia corals. The mucus from Euphyllia may sting it and lead to disease and eventual loss of the coral
  • Position it towards the middle of the tank. They seem to do better there
  • If the coral refuse to extend its polyps it may either be receiving too much PAR or not enough. Move the coral around to locations with either more or less light and determine whether it does better
  • Do not touch the main polyp with your hands. This appears to cause negative reactions in my experience
  • Anemones should be kept at a good distance from them as well
  • It needs strong current! The tentacles need to sway in all directions.
  • From time to time blow the coral clean with water so that mucus and detritus are removed.

Albert Thiel

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