Candy cane coral (Caulastrea furcata), also known as trumpet coral, is a hardy, beginner-friendly Large Polyp Stony (LPS).
Placement and Flow
- Tank Location: Place your candy cane coral on the sand bed or in the lower-to-middle thirds of the aquarium. Avoid placing it under intense, high-energy lighting, which can cause the polyps to shrivel or bleach.
- Water Current: Provide low-to-moderate, steady water movement. Avoid harsh, direct streams from powerheads; excessive flow causes the fleshy polyps to retract or lose their plump appearance.
- Spacing: Leave 2 to 3 inches of space around the colony. They can deploy sweeper tentacles at night that sting nearby neighboring corals.
Lighting and Water Parameters
- Lighting (PAR): Aim for a PAR level between 50 and 250, depending on your setup (lower ends like 50–75 PAR work well, though they adapt nicely up to 250 PAR).
- Temperature: 75°F – 80°F (76°–78° ideal).
- Salinity (Specific Gravity): 1.024 – 1.026.
- pH Level: 8.1 – 8.4.
- Calcium: 380 – 450 ppm.
- Alkalinity: 8 – 12 dKH.
- Magnesium: 1,200 – 1,400 ppm.
- Nitrates & Phosphates: Keep nitrates below 10–20 ppm and phosphates under 0.10 ppm.
Feeding
- Diet: While they get energy from light via symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae), regular spot-feeding accelerates growth and improves tissue fullness.
- Food Types: Offer frozen mysis shrimp, krill pieces, or specialized LPS pellets 2 to 3 times a week.
- Feeding Tip: Turn off your circulation pumps briefly during feeding so the food settles directly onto the open polyps.
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