Cup and Moon corals

[Rob Schwartz]

Hello folks hope everyone is having a great day!

I received yesterday 2 new corals; a cup (turbinaria I believe), and a moon. I did the usual research prior to order and found out that the cup corals come in a variety of different types and that they each require different forms of treatment and ability to care for.

I live in a small resort town and have a great relationship with an LFS a few hours away so I do trust what they send me.

Does anyone have any advice for a novice/intermediate reef keeper on these corals?

The cup is about 3" diameter, green colored with puckered looking polyps sporadically placed thoroughout the circular "Head" (Not very cup like but definitely round). By the way, does the top of the cup have to be faced completely upward or can it be at an angle facing the front viewpane of the tank?

The moon (Favites), I am told is a great beginner coral. Any suggestions for it's care. It came and had a few discolorations which I am told will require light and a pleasant home for it to re-generate. Is this accurate?

All water parameters are good, and I have just purchased DT's Phytoplankton for extra yummy coral nourishment.

Thanks for the help as usual,

Rob

[MalHavoc]

your Turbinaria coral sort of sounds like Turbinaria peltata or T. petula. They seem to prefer lower light levels, and will capture zooplantkton from your water, so what you're doing is good. You may also want to try and see if they will take mysis or brine shrimp in the evening or something.

Give them a squirt with a turkey baster (just tank water) to blow off any detrius that may settle on them. They produce a fair bit of mucus, so stuff has a habit to collect on them.

As for the favites coral. Lots of light, lots of water current, and the phytoplankton, and you should be fine.

Both of these corals are stony corals, so they will need Calcium and alkalinity supplementation from now on, but it sounds like you know that already anyway.

have fun, and good luck!

[Rob Schwartz]

Thanks Jason,

Does the cup have to be pointed upward or can it be angled so that it faces the view pane a little more?

Rob

[MalHavoc]

It can probably be angled towards the glass. It's not a coral that appreciates intense light, so it will probably even appreciate it.