Good Corals for the Beginner?

[FishmanJosh]

Ive just started a 20g Nano tank (reef) and was wondering if anyone had some good ideas of corals for a smallish tank like this? I have hermits, snails and an emerald crab (but dont worry about him nipping at the corals, my LFS was keeping him in their coral tank and said he was fine).

Thanks

 

[mazdaz]

I'm new to this, but against peoples advice, i put a mushroom polyp (a frag from my LFS) in my newly cycled tank. And its doing amazing. I'm feeding it micro plankton as its a new tank and obviously without all the nutrients needed, but after having seen polyps developing on my live rock (i belive they are button poylps or sea mats) I thought i'd take a chance. There are loads of different varietys to choose from.

 

[Caige]

I'm a 2yr newbie and the easiest and most beutiful coral I have is the "Bubble Tip"......... everyone loves it and I have nevver had a problem.

 

[melosu58]

What kind of lighting do you have?

 

[FishmanJosh]

I'm not too sure, as im a newbie but its either T5 or T4 and i have 4 individual bulbs - 2 blue and 2 white.

 

[match55]

green star polyps!!!!

 

[melosu58]

T5HO? (High output)

 

[FishmanJosh]

Possibly I will ask my LFS.

 

[pat8you]

If you have 4 bulb T5 fixture then you should be ok with most softies and LPS in a tank that size. I would try some mushrooms or zoanthids. Both are pretty easy and will adjust to a wide range of conditions.

 

[Zer0]

People have mad some great suggestions here.

For one thing, green star polyps(GSP) are a very hardy coral and probably the most easiest to care for in my opinion. Another nice and easy coral to care for are Xenias. They grow like weeds and are beautiful, and they also do pretty well in "dirty" water.

One thing though, if you have the proper lighting, pretty much any coral that does not need target feedings of phyto or zooplankton is not that hard to take care of. I think the hardest parts of the coral game is actually placing them accordingly. Some coral like lower parts of the tank and some like it high up, closer to the light.

There's a couple more coral that are pretty easy to care for, and i'll list them when i remember their names.

Hope you find some you like!