It’s been a while since we started getting creative with aquarium ornaments and corals, but nothing makes you look twice more than an ornament with a tight skin of encrusting Cyphastrea. For a long time, ceramic skulls were the ornament…
Acid Trip Cyphastrea Just Melted My Brain
Ultra Coral Australia, the famous Australian coral business owned by master coral collector and farmer Nic Dos Santos, just showed us some pictures of a Cyphastrea coral that blew our mind! Multicolored Cyphastrea are quite a common sight. But this…
Leptoseris incrustans, shows real potential for holy grail
Leptoseris have been a popular aquarium coral for quite some time now. The orange colonies of ‘Leptos’ were among the first of this color in the reef aquarium hobby, followed by the brilliance of the ‘Jack o Lantern’ Leptoseris, ‘Tangerine…
Learn to Spot Encrusting Coral
Encrusting Coral Growth Form Corals grow in different growth forms to survive in different habitats, and the coral growth form which a most easily overlooked are the encrusting species. These corals creep along the rocks like a crust holding everything…
Special Considerations for Soft Coral Placement
In discussions of coral placement in reef aquaria, topics such as spacing between colonies, distance from the light source, level of water flow, sweeper tentacles, and coral chemical warfare (allelopathy) often predominate. But there are special considerations beyond these that…
The Best Beginner Small-Polyp Stony Corals
Upon entering the world of small polyp stony corals (or SPS), many people ask the magic question, “Which types are best for beginners?” In my opinion the most beginner-friendly choices are found in the genera Montipora, Pocillopora, Seriatopora, and Stylophora.…
Corals Gone Wild: Don’t Let Encrusting Polyps Take Over Your Tank!
I have a confession to make. When I mention my 75-gallon “reef tank” in my posts here at Saltwater Smarts, I’m not being entirely truthful in my terminology. When I first set up the tank almost 14 years ago and…
