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[edit] Goniopora Difficulty: Extremely Difficult Light: Medium Aggression: Medium: Far-reaching sweepers Hardiness: Very Poor Growth Rate: Medium Availability: Common

Goniopora

Introduction

Goniopora is a beautiful but elusive coral in the reef aquarium hobby. The varying species typically range in color from brown, to bright green, red, or blue. Members of this genus are hard corals that form domes or branches with recessed coralites and long flowing polyps extending from the coralites. Each of the polyps of Goniopora have 24 tentacles, while its relative Alveopora have 12 tentacles per polyp. Goniopora is considered an especially difficult coral with only a few tricks known that may possibly work to keep it long term.

Common Names

Goni, Flowerpot,

Scientific Names

There are many color variations of Goniopora. All should be avoided by all but the most advanced reefkeepers.

Goniopora

Hardiness

Extremely difficult to keep long term. Julian Sprung argues that Goniopora need adequate levels of Manganes and Iron so that they do not suffer from Oxygen toxicity, created by their zooxanthellae.

Others are now showing success at fragging and aquaculturing these corals by feeding fine small particle foods such as oyster eggs and cyclopeeze in lower flow areas. See Justin Credabel's articles in Reefkeeping ( http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-10/nftt/index.php) and Advanced Aquarist (http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/10/aafeature2 ), as well as Julian Sprung's article in Advanced Aquarist (http://advancedaquarist.com/issues/dec2002/invert.htm)

Flow

Goniopora do best with medium strength and indirect flows that keeps their polyps moving, but not too vigorously.

Lighting

Goniopora typically do best under Florescent lighting although they will often do relatively well under Metal Halide.

Placement

Placing your goniopora on a steady rock is important. These corals are notorious for never recovering if they get damaged in a fall.

Feeding

Although it will not probably come from calories and it remains to be proven, feeding will probably be found to be the single most important factor that will allow us to keep Goniopora long term. Feeding Goniopora foods rich in Manganese such as Cyclops and having adequate levels of Iron in your aquarium from feeding seaweed will probably be what ultimately leads to long term success with Goniopora.

Propagation

The first step is to be able to keep Goniopor for over a year. We are a long ways away from being able to reproduce this coral. Alveopora on the other hand can be grown and propogated.

Aggression

Most species of Goniopora, especially the most common species Goniopora stokesi,have long reaching polyps that are capable of stinging their neighbors. While Goniopora can reach corals far away, the stings are not too powerful.

Availability

Goniopora are widely available from suppliers although many fish stores will not bring them in because they are considered by most to be too difficult.

Other Issues

The largest problem with Goniopora is seeing the polyps pull in over the course of six to twelve months and having the colony eventually crash. A lack of Manganese and Iron are probably two of the major factors involved in the demise of most Goniopora. Additionally, Goniopora stokesi is by far the most difficult Goniopora that is widely imported and for a long time it was the most commonly imported Goniopora. There is also a blue Goniopora species as well as a red goniopora that are being imported. People are having much better luck with these varieties. Advanced hobbyists who are actively pursuing a cure to the Goniopora problem should only keep Goniopora.

   Article originally contributed by Barry Katz of Kahuna Corals

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