Okay, so, a few weeks ago I got into this whole flowerpot coral thing. I saw some pictures online, and I was like, “Whoa, these things are beautiful!” So, I started doing some digging to see how hard they were to take care of. Turns out, it’s a bit of a mixed bag, but I was feeling adventurous, so I decided to give it a go.
First thing I did was hit up a few local fish stores. I found a couple of decent-looking specimens, but they were kinda pricey. I ended up finding a smaller one that looked healthy and was more in my budget. I brought it home and got to work setting up a spot for it in my tank.
I made sure to put it in a spot with medium light. These guys don’t like it too bright or too dark. Then there’s the water flow. You want it gentle but enough to keep things moving around. I played around with my powerheads for a bit until I found a sweet spot where the coral’s tentacles were swaying nicely, not getting thrashed around.
Feeding Time!
Next up, feeding. Man, this part was a bit tricky. I tried a few different things, some liquid coral food, and even some tiny bits of brine shrimp. It took a while for the coral to get the hang of it, but eventually, I started seeing those little mouths open up and grab the food. It was pretty cool to watch.
- One of my flowerpots was a real pain about eating at first.
- I tried some zooplankton and phytoplankton.
- Then I tried frozen food like cyclops and rotifers.
- And finally, I offered it live food, baby brine shrimp.
- It is eating now, but it took a long time.
- I made it a point to check the water a lot.
Over the next few weeks, I kept a close eye on things. I did regular water changes, checked the water parameters like a hawk, and made sure the coral was getting enough food. It was a bit of work, but seeing that little flowerpot sway in the current made it all worth it.
Now, I’m not gonna lie, there were a couple of times I thought I might lose it. One time the water got a little cloudy, and the coral started to retract. I panicked a bit, did a big water change, and thankfully it perked back up. But it’s definitely not a “set it and forget it” kind of coral. You gotta stay on top of things.
All in all, it’s been a learning experience. Would I recommend flowerpot corals to a beginner? Maybe not. But if you’re willing to put in the time and effort, they’re really rewarding. Mine’s still small, but it’s growing, and it’s one of the coolest things in my tank.
