Black Clowns

Scientific name: Goniopora sp.
Common Name: Flower Pot Coral, Ball Coral, Daisy Coral, Sunflower Coral
Classification: LPS
Origin: Indonesia
Care Level: Difficult
Temperament: Aggressive
Lighting: High
Waterflow: Medium to High
Ideal Placement: Bottom to Middle

General Information: The Red Goniopora is a large polyp stony (LPS) coral often referred to as Goniopora, Flower Pot, Ball, Daisy, or Sunflower Coral. The flower names refer to its appearance when all of its polyps are opened. It takes on the visage of a bouquet of flowers. The red form is a bright red color, and illumination by actinic lighting will highlight its true beauty. Once open, the Red Goniopora is a gorgeous hard coral with free-flowing short polyps. It is aggressive, and ample space should be provided between itself and other neighboring corals. Its polyps can extend far past its base into the reef aquarium, where they can sting other species of corals. Clownfish, will often play in its polyps if no anemone can be found in the reef aquarium. This may actually be detrimental to the coral.

Goniopora sp. require near perfect water conditions, the proper trace elements and the habitat must match its requirements. In general, the Red form of the Flower Pot Coral does better in an aquarium than other Gonipora sp. However, any damage to the meaty section of the Goniopora almost always means a lost specimen.

The symbiotic algae zooxanthellae hosted within its body provides the majority of its nutritional requirements from photosynthesis. It should be fed phytoplankton or brine shrimp daily.