Pocillopora Care

[darkdruid]

I got a bright green pocillopora frag today. It was a freebie from my favorite LFS. It seems it had fallen behind some rocks and was forgotten, so most of it is pretty much toast. But heck, it was free so I'm going to try to save it. I've talked to six different people and have gotten six different opinions on difficulty of care, lighting, and flow.

I have it halfway down in a 46 gallon bowfront directly under a 250 HQI 14k bulb and two 65 watt pc actinics. It's getting strong but indirect water flow. The PE on what's left alive is great, green and fuzzy. I've always heard with strong light and strong flow they grow like weeds, any suggestions? Also, any pics of pocilloporas in a tank? I see them in the shops all the time, but rarely in reefs.

 

[ptr13]

supposedly,they are very hardy and like any lps,loves light and flow. They are easy to care for and supposedly they grow anywhere like xenias but lps version of it My friend had a football size in his tank,sorry no pics though.

 

[graveyardworm]

I've had my ups and downs with them. They may be a little more on the easy side when compared to other sps but are still an sps and require stable parameters and good water quality. I think many sps'rs removed them from their tanks cause when they reach maturity they will spawn and plant babies all over the tank which compete for space. They will do well under many lighting schemes, too much flow will cause the polyps to retract, and a pocillopora without polyp is an unhappy one.

 

[stony_corals]

I'm assuming its a P. damicornis... there are other species of Pocillopora that are much more demanding, especially in terms of flow, like P. verrucosa and eydouxi. Like David said, good/stable alkalinity, low nutrients, good light, and you'll be good to go

 

[darkdruid]

It is a P. damicornis, sorry for not being more specific. It seems to be doing great.