More info
Datasheet
| Care Description | Chalice Corals are a broad collection of corals that are loosely jumbled together. Several different genera of corals are represented ranging from Echinopora, Oxypora, Mycedium, and even Lithophyllon. As such, care requirements are going to be generalized more than other corals because these are very different corals that all get lumped in together. Please see below for more care tips for Chalice Corals. |
| Water Flow | Moderate |
| Temperature | 22.2°C / 71.96°F - 25.6°C / 78.08°F |
| Specific Gravity | 1.023-1.026 |
| Carbonate Hardness | 8-12 |
| pH | 8.1-8.4 |
General Description
Chalice Corals encompass a diverse array of coral genera, including Echinopora, Oxypora, Mycedium, and Lithophyllon, resulting in varied care requirements due to their different characteristics and appearances. The Snagglepuss Chalice, for instance, boasts a baby blue base with pink eyes, adorned with tiny sparkles resembling spilled glitter.
Demands and Hardiness
Chalice corals require moderate lighting, typically around 100 PAR for optimal coloration and health. While they can tolerate more intense light, exposure to over 400 PAR may negatively affect them. These corals have vibrant fluorescence visible under actinic LED lighting, with their best appearance often in winter. They thrive with moderate water flow to prevent detritus build-up and potential toppling due to their unique structure acting as a sail.
Lighting
The recommended lighting for Chalice Corals is moderate, around 100 PAR, to maintain their vivid colors and overall well-being. Extremely intense light exceeding 400 PAR can be detrimental to these corals, potentially causing color fading depending on the specific species. Actinic LED lighting highlights the impressive fluorescence of chalices, with their appearance typically more vibrant in stable home reef aquariums.
Water Flow
Moderate water movement is essential for Chalice Corals, as low flow can lead to detritus accumulation on colonies, creating dead spots. Conversely, strong flow poses a risk of toppling the corals due to their sail-like shape that catches excessive water currents.
Feeding
Chalice corals heavily rely on their symbiotic zooxanthellae for nutrition but demonstrate surprising aggression during feeding. They consume various foods like Mysis Shrimp, small critters, and pellets, despite not displaying pronounced polyp extension. While their feeding behavior may not be visually evident, time-lapse videos reveal their substantial food intake and responsiveness to diverse food sources.
Propagation
Chalice Corals are suitable candidates for propagation and aquaculture, with successful techniques involving cutting colonies into large sections, allowing them to heal before fragmenting them into smaller, frag-sized pieces. Certain varieties may propagate more efficiently than others, promoting higher survival rates during propagation efforts.
Localization & Habitat
Chalice Corals are commonly found across the Indo-Pacific region, inhabiting islands such as Fiji, Tonga, the Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef. Their diverse presence in these tropical waters reflects the adaptability and hardiness of these corals under varying environmental conditions.