Carnation coral (non-photosynthetic)

Care at a glance

The carnation coral is one of the most spectacular corals on the reef: a tree-shaped colony in vivid pink, red or orange with translucent branches full of white polyps. This too is a non-photosynthetic coral; it lives entirely on plankton drifting past.

In the aquarium it is notoriously difficult: it needs a continuous supply of fine food and strong flow, and most colonies waste away within a few months. Only someone running a purpose-built system with automatic plankton dosing should consider it.

Good to know

• Hard to wean onto dry food
• Filter feeder — needs fine suspended food
• Needs a mature, stable tank

Related species

• Chili coral (non-photosynthetic)Nephthyigorgia sp.
• Rhodactis mushroomRhodactis sp.
• Blue ridge coralHeliopora coerulea
• Pectinia coralPectinia sp.
• Bowerbanki coralHomophyllia bowerbanki
• Merulina coralMerulina sp.