Best Corals for a beginner?

[BigEZ77]

Honestly, I would say skip softies...you're likely not gonna want most of them down the road anyway. If you're the kind of newb that has done a lot of research and pays attention to water params, I think you'll likely be ok with LFS to start...much more colorful. I made the mistake in my early stage of believing LFS were beyond my reach and as such cost me a lot of money...i.e. traded them out for LFS soon enough anyway. If your tank is small, the last thing you want to do is have it overrun with xenia or gsp. However, if you keep them on an isolated rock, likely you will be fine. However, if you're the type of newb who researches a lot (like I did), you're likely to be fine with LFS....SPS is another story. Also recommend doing a search for "coral care chart", this will give you all type of information on flow and lighting requirements.

 

[BigEZ77]

PS. I started with a toadstool, kenya tree, zoas, palys and mushrooms. All I have remaining of softies is one Tyree toadstool and mushrooms. Tons of LFS and a couple easy care SPS (monti and pavona).

 

[HammerLover]

Soft corals are the most easy. Muhrooms, star polyps, cheap zoas, clove polyps and xenia are so easy. For LPS, open brains seem easy for me as well as cyarina

 

[OrQidz]

BigEZ I think you mean "LPS" and not "LFS"? As a type of coral anyway.

It really depends on what types of corals you like. I stick with mostly softies because I truly enjoy them more. It's handy that they are also the easiest to take care of. LPS is great too. My duncan coral is pretty foolproof.

The less invasive of the softies are mushrooms and zoas. Kenya tree is a nice steady grower without taking over everything. Xenia can really spread but it is fun to watch.

 

[ColoReefer970]

Second on the Duncan...not too tough and definitely more interesting than a mushroom

 

[Squidmotron]

For trying your first SPS, I recommend any Montipora. They are colorful, easy, and I honestly couldn't kill mine at all in the beginning no matter how much I screwed up.

The problem with GSP and Xenia is that they can easily become out of control weeds that dominate your tank. If you choose these, I recommend placing in an isolated rock structure that you don't mind gets covered by them and won't easily spread to the rest of the system. I also have GSP growing up the side of my overflow and I trim it very carefully back with a razor blade to keep it from reaching the rocks.

Honestly, I'm not sure I any photosynthetic corals are really "difficult", and I always wonder about the way we classify these things. Some corals have requirements that you have to know, understand, and provide things for (i.e., sufficient lighting). For some, it may be best if you have experience and a mature tank. But they are not "difficult" if you prepare yourself and have the knowledge.

 

[Reeferz412]

Mushrooms (discosoma), leathers, zoas are pretty straightforward and easy to care for, caulastrea, montipora cap is also pretty bulletproof with the right lighting, clove polyps, sympodium, briareum, anthelia... just to name a few. Stock up on what I mentioned above and you will have a low maintenance tank with a pretty large variety.