Purple Montipora. Image by Than Thein/www.tidalgardens.com
CORAL Magazine readers are invited to nominate other “Bulletproof” Corals to add to this list and help build a database that helps other aquarists choose species that increase their likelihood of success in reefkeeping. Just use the Comment tool at the bottom of the page.
HARDIEST SPS CORALS by GENUS
Montipora ****
Seriatopora ***
Stylophora **
Pocillopora **
Pavona **
Turbinaria **
Cyphastrea **
[Chalice Corals] Echinophyllia, Mycedium, Echinopora **
Porites *
Leptoseris *
Acropora Half*
Best SPS CORALS by Species
“Corals that have been captive-grown for several generations prove a lot hardier then wild pieces.”
Roy Seine
MONTIPORA
“My various aquacultured Montipora have been easier to keep than many soft corals that most in the hobby consider to be ridiculously easy to grow.”
Anonymous
Montipora capricornis (Cap)
“Montipora caps are excellent beginner corals, don’t need much light, can handle mediocre water parameters and still grow fast.”
Oliver Van Moerbeke
Sunset Montipora
Elkhorn Montipora
Montipora millepora
Montipora confusa
Montipora undata
Montipora spongodes
Montipora digitata
“Sunset Montipora will survive the worse tank crashes, but digitatas not so much.”
“My Digi grows like a weed and has survived many tank swings.”
Daniel Murray
Sunset Montipora
Rainbow Montipora
STYLOPHORA
ORA Purple Stylophora
Stylophora milka
“i recommend starting with Montipora or Stylophora—Stylophora milka is a real survivor.”
Joakim Johansson
SERIATOPORA
Birdsnest
Birds of Paradise (ORA)
Guttatus Birdsnest, Seriatopora guttatus
“I have a Birdsnest that grew from a 3/4″ frag to a huge colony in two years. The Montiporas also seem invulnerable…”
David Cohen
POCILLOPORA
Pocillopora damicornis
“Pocillopora by far my toughest coral. It self sows in the tank and will grow virtually anywhere…high light, low light, in and out of current. No problems with pests or tissue recession.”
Doug Carbine
“I have Pocillopora growing everywhere in my reef tank, on shells of live snails, even on my powerheads!”
Gene Boyer
Rainbow Pocillipora (ORA): I have left this coral on the floor for several hours and tossed it back into the tank in the sand bed and it was back and happy in an hour or two with full polyp extension. This coral also regularly spawns in captivity. This is the Kenya Tree Coral of the SPS world.
Seth Solomon
PAVONA
Pavona frondifera (ORA Mint Pavona)
PORITES
CHALICES
Echinopora, Echinophyllia, Oxypora, Cyphastrea
Sprung’s Stunner Chalice, Echinopora lamellosa
PSAMMACORA
LEPTOSERIS
ACROPORA
Acropora yongei (Bali Green Slimer)
“Green Slimer is a good beginner Acro.”
Brent Hodson
Acropora valida (Tricolor Valida)
“ Tricolor valida is bombproof.”
Stephanie Thielemann
Acropora tenuis
Acropora lokani
“Cali Tort” Acropora
