Candy Cane Coral

Caulastraea furcata

Care Level Easy — great beginner LPS
Lighting Low to moderate
Water Flow Low to moderate
Placement Low to mid rock
Aggression Peaceful
Coloration Green, brown, or teal with striped heads

Overview

The Candy Cane (or Trumpet) Coral forms clusters of rounded polyps on trumpet-shaped branches, often with candy-striped coloration that glows under blue light. It is hardy, fast-growing, and peaceful — an excellent beginner LPS that quickly multiplies into an eye-catching colony.

Care & Placement

Give low-to-moderate light and gentle-to-moderate flow. Place low-to-mid on rockwork with room to spread. Well-fed candy canes bud new heads readily and form dense clusters.

Feeding

Photosynthetic and an eager feeder — target-feed meaty foods (mysis, chopped seafood) once or twice a week and it will pump out new heads quickly.

Propagation

Very easy to frag — snip individual heads off the branching skeleton with bone cutters and glue to a plug.

Cautions

Peaceful, though it can extend short feeder tentacles at night — give a little space. One of the most forgiving and rewarding beginner LPS.