Description
Buy Neon Green Thin Stem Candy Cane Coral (Caulastraea curvata) in South Africa from Silkworm Shop in Johannesburg. This coral is supplied as a frag, with neon green thin-stem form.
About Candy Cane Coral (Caulastraea curvata)
The candy cane coral, also called trumpet coral, is a hardy large polyp stony (LPS) coral that grows as a colony of trumpet-shaped polyps on thin stems. It is one of the easiest LPS corals to keep, and its polyps swell and extend beautifully when fed. A fantastic choice for beginner reef tanks.
Coral care at a glance
- Common name: Candy Cane Coral (trumpet coral)
- Scientific name: Caulastraea curvata
- Type: LPS (large polyp stony coral)
- Difficulty: Easy – suitable for beginners
- Lighting: Low to moderate (roughly PAR 50–150). Avoid very intense lighting.
- Water flow: Low to moderate flow. Gentle movement keeps the polyps open and clean.
- Placement: Lower to mid section of the aquarium, in a shaded or lower-light spot.
- Temperament: Peaceful, but the polyps extend short sweeper tentacles at night. Leave a gap of about 5 cm (2 inches) from neighbours.
- Feeding: Photosynthetic, so it lives mainly off light. It also benefits from target-feeding small meaty foods such as mysis shrimp or finely chopped seafood once or twice a week.
Recommended water parameters
- Temperature: 24–27°C
- Salinity: 1.024–1.026 (35 ppt)
- pH: 8.1–8.4
- Alkalinity: 8–11 dKH
- Calcium: 400–450 ppm
- Magnesium: 1250–1350 ppm
Stability matters more than perfect numbers. Avoid sudden swings in alkalinity, temperature and salinity.
Acclimation recommendation
- Float the sealed bag in your aquarium for 15–20 minutes so the temperature matches. Keep the lights low while you do this.
- Dip the coral in a coral dip, following the dip’s instructions, to help prevent pests and hitchhikers. Use a separate container and never pour the dip or the transport water into your tank.
- Drip acclimate for 30–45 minutes. Place the coral in a clean container and slowly drip your tank water in, so salinity and pH adjust gently.
- Place the coral low in the tank in a lower-light spot, with gentle flow, away from its neighbours.
- Build up the light slowly. Leave it in the lower-light spot for the first 1–2 weeks, then, if it is happy, move it up gradually to its preferred position. Moving it into bright light too fast can bleach or burn it.
- Go easy on feeding for the first few days. Once the polyps are fully open and settled, start target-feeding.
Tips for success
- Place it once and leave it. Moving a coral repeatedly stresses it.
- Secure the frag on stable rock with coral glue or putty so it cannot be knocked over.
- If the tentacles stay retracted for more than a day, check flow, lighting and water quality, and keep it away from aggressive neighbours.
These are general care guidelines. Every aquarium is different, so always observe your coral and adjust to suit your system.
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