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Oxypora sp Red Chalice
Unique piece - "What You See Is What You Get!"
What You See Is What You Get
Chalice corals are a wide variety of corals of different types that are grouped under the term "Chalice". Several different genera of corals are included, from Echinopora, Oxypora, Mycedium, and even Lithophyllon. As such, care will be more generalized than what is seen with other corals because these are very different corals that are all grouped together.
While the exact classification might be a murky topic, the impact of Chalice Corals on reefing as a hobby is notable. Chalices are one of the most desirable large polyp stony (LPS) corals. Their colors and patterns are often intensely fluorescent and can display stunning designs.
Location
In terms of natural distribution, chalice corals are found throughout the Pacific Ocean. Given their widespread distribution, one would assume they are readily available in the hobby, but lately, that has not been the case. At the time of this record, there was currently an import/export ban in Indonesia and Fiji, where many of these corals come from, so most specimens available in trade currently come from Australia.
Lighting
Moderate lighting levels around 100 PAR. Most chalices are adaptable to different lighting intensities, but the first priority should always be "not to blast the corals with too much light." It doesn't take much time to expose the corals to too much light, which can lead to bleaching and a rapid decline in health. It's much better to provide lighting intensity below the standard and slowly correct the situation, adjusting the light or the position of the chalice coral, rather than accidentally bleaching the coral with too much light and then trying to help it recover afterwards.
Chalice corals are quite consistent with their coloring. Of course, there is always some degree of variability and the occasional coral that MAY change color in noticeable ways, but overall, there's not much to gain by tinkering with the lighting of Chalice Corals. Moderate and consistent light, and then it's just letting the coral adapt to the lighting conditions on its own.
Many species of chalice corals are highly fluorescent under blue actinic LED lights and are true show-stoppers. Even with a t5 fluorescent tube lamp, some color can be lost, but chalices under actinic LED lighting display incredible colors.
Low light |
Low light is between 30 - 50 PAR per unit area |
Medium light |
Medium light is between 50 - 150 PAR per unit area |
|
Heavy light |
Intense light is above 150 PAR per unit area |
Water Flow
Moderate water movement is recommended.
If the flow is insufficient, you risk allowing debris to settle on the colonies, creating dead spots. Several species of chalice corals naturally form a circular colony, and there should be enough flow to sweep away anything that would otherwise settle in the middle. Too much flow and you risk having the coral fall off the rock.
Feeding
Chalices are considered photosynthetic corals, which means they have a symbiotic relationship with dinoflagellates that live in their tissues, called zooxanthellae. Zooxanthellae are the organisms that perform photosynthesis, but the coral benefits from feeding on the byproducts of photosynthetic activity, namely the simple sugars that are produced.
Although chalice corals derive much of their nutritional needs from the byproducts of photosynthesis, they are also capable of feeding. We try to feed the chalices with various types of foods, including frozen foods, pellets, among others. Chalices do not have pronounced polyp extensions, so their response to feeding can be difficult to visualize. Typically, these corals use a layer of mucus to capture the food and slowly put it into their mouths.
Feeding can be a hit or miss, so it's something you'll have to experiment with to discover which foods your Chalice prefers.
Aggression
Chalice corals are aggressive. Only a few varieties extend their tentacles, but any contact between the body of a chalice coral and another coral will be highly volatile.
