Start your first reef tank with these beginner-friendly corals. Zoanthids, mushrooms, LPS, and care tips.
meerwasser · 9 Min. Lesezeit · corals, reef, beginner, LPS, soft corals
Ready to add corals to your reef tank? Start with these hardy, beginner-friendly species that tolerate a wide range of conditions.
Soft Corals:
LPS (Large Polyp Stony):
SPS (Small Polyp Stony):
Beginners should start with soft corals and easy LPS.
Essential:
Keep low:
Stable parameters matter more than "perfect" numbers!
Type: Soft coral (colonial polyps)
Difficulty: Very Easy
Lighting: Low-Medium
Flow: Low-Medium
Cost: €10-30 per frag
Why great for beginners:
Feeding: Photosynthetic (doesn't require feeding)
Tip: Some Palythoa species produce palytoxin — always wear gloves when handling!
Type: Soft coral
Difficulty: Very Easy
Lighting: Low-Medium
Flow: Low
Cost: €10-40 per mushroom
Why great for beginners:
Feeding: Photosynthetic (optional: mysis shrimp occasionally)
Tip: Don't place in high flow — they prefer calm water.
Type: Soft coral (mat-forming)
Difficulty: Very Easy
Lighting: Low-High (adapts!)
Flow: Medium-High
Cost: €15-30 per frag
Why great for beginners:
Feeding: Photosynthetic
WARNING: Can overtake tank! Keep on isolated rock if you want to control spread.
Tip: Prune regularly by peeling off mat edges.
Type: Soft coral (branching)
Difficulty: Very Easy
Lighting: Low-Medium
Flow: Medium
Cost: €20-40
Why great for beginners:
Feeding: Photosynthetic
WARNING: Drops branches that float and attach elsewhere — can spread uncontrollably!
Type: Soft coral
Difficulty: Easy (but can be finicky)
Lighting: Medium
Flow: Medium
Cost: €15-30
Why great for beginners:
Quirk: Can crash suddenly in some tanks (sensitive to iodine levels). Either thrives or dies — no middle ground!
Feeding: Photosynthetic
Type: LPS
Difficulty: Easy
Lighting: Low-Medium
Flow: Low-Medium
Cost: €30-60 per head
Why great for beginners:
Feeding: Benefits from feeding (mysis shrimp, reef roids 2×/week)
Tip: Give it moderate flow — too much and polyps won't extend.
Type: LPS
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Lighting: Medium
Flow: Medium
Cost: €40-100+ per head
Why great for beginners:
Feeding: Benefits from feeding (mysis, brine shrimp 2×/week)
WARNING:
Tip: Hammer, Frogspawn, and Torch can usually be placed together (same genus).
Type: LPS
Difficulty: Easy
Lighting: Low-Medium
Flow: Low-Medium
Cost: €25-50 per frag
Why great for beginners:
Feeding: Benefits from feeding (small meaty foods 2×/week)
Type: Soft coral
Difficulty: Easy
Lighting: Medium
Flow: Medium-High
Cost: €30-80
Why great for beginners:
Feeding: Photosynthetic
Quirk: Periodically sheds waxy coating (looks sick, but it's normal shedding behavior).
Tip: Give it space — grows big and can shade smaller corals below.
Type: LPS
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Lighting: Low-Medium
Flow: Low
Cost: €50-100
Why great for beginners:
Feeding: Benefits from feeding (mysis, brine shrimp 2×/week)
WARNING:
Tip: Prefers low, indirect flow (high flow can damage bubbles).
High light (top third of tank):
Medium light (middle third):
Low light (bottom third or shaded):
Start corals low, move up gradually if they need more light.
High flow:
Medium flow:
Low flow:
Watch coral polyp extension — if polyps stay closed, adjust flow!
Leave 3-6 inches between corals to prevent:
Photosynthetic corals (Zoas, GSP, Mushrooms):
LPS corals (Hammer, Duncan, Candy Cane):
How to feed:
Always dip new corals to kill pests (flatworms, nudibranchs, Aiptasia).
Dip products:
Procedure:
Wait 3-6 months after cycling before adding corals (stable tank = stable parameters).
Test weekly:
Stability > perfection.
Chemical warfare is real! Leave space.
Too much flow damages tissue. Watch polyp extension.
Don't obsess over exact PAR. Observe coral response — if polyps extend and color is good, light is fine.
Best beginner corals:
Start with 2-3 soft corals, master water stability, then add LPS.
Once you can keep these thriving for 6+ months, you're ready for SPS!
Coral keeping is addictive — start slow, learn, and enjoy the reef journey!