When starting out your journey with a new reef tank, you will undoubtedly wish at some point to add corals to it. Corals bring so much life and colour to a reef tank and with careful consideration, they will make your reef tank look amazing. However, to avoid wasting time, effort and money, it’s important to carefully select the right corals if you are a beginner.

Your Local Fish Store (LFS) is where most people will buy their corals from(although some buy online), so it’s a great idea to go along to your local LFS with a few corals in mind, just so you have a basic understanding of what each coral looks like and if it will suit your tank. In this article, I have listed a few corals that I have had experience with and can recommend to anyone looking to add their first corals to their new reef tank.

1. Mushrooms

These are probably the most easiest type of coral to add to a reef tank. They are very hardy(probably the hardiest of all corals) and can survive a wide range of water parameters. Mushrooms belong to the Soft variety of corals and come in many different colours. They also grow fairly quickly under normal water and light conditions, but are better suited to lower lit areas of a tank. So, positioning is key, as mushroom corals tank over tanks if left to their own devices.

• Colours: green, blue, purple, red…
• Compatibility: good (but can grow on top of others)
• Growth Speed: 4/5

2. Green Star Polyps

A favourite of many first-time reef tank owners is Star Polyps. It’s a relatively cheap coral and can be found in most(if not all) LFS’s. The most common variety is Green Star Polyps and consists of individual star shaped polyps that grow from a white/purple foundation. This coral can grow very quickly and so it’s important to position it in an isolated location to prevent it from over-running your reef tank. This coral look’s great where there is a flow in your tank and has the appearance of grass blowing in the wind.

• Colours: green
• Compatibility: good (but can grow on top of others)
• Growth Speed: 5/5

3. Zoanthids

The sheer number of colour combinations makes these corals a must-have for virtually every reef tank owner, not just beginners. There are in fact over a 100 different varieties of zoanthids. Choosing this type of coral does actually come with some degree of risk however. Some types of zoanthids contain an extremely toxic neurotoxin, so extreme caution is needed when handling them(especially when fragging them). Your LFS should be able to advise you on which zoanthids they have are safer for beginners.

• Colours: various
• Compatibility: average
• Growth Speed: 3/5

4. Pulsing Xenias

A great choice for a beginner is a Pulsing Xenia, they will wave about in the flow of a tank opening and closing their polyps. They can be a little sensitive to water conditions, but don’t let that put you off trying them out in your reef tank. Many reef tank owners have them in their tank to indicate if there is an issue with the water parameters, so as well as looking great, they have a very useful purpose. The growth of these corals can be incredibly fast, so you will definitely have to keep them under control.

• Colours: white, pink, tan, gray
• Compatibility: good (but can grow on top of others)
• Growth Speed: 5/5

5. Candy Canes

Candy Can corals come in a limited range of colours, but don’t let that put you off as they can really pop when positioned correctly in your tank. Their appearance consists of alternating stripes on their polyps, which is how they get their name. They are best postioned anywhere that has low to moderate water flow. As they grow, they form clusters not unlike trumpets.

• Colours: brown, yellow, green, orange, purple
• Compatibility: average
• Growth Speed: 2/5