Chalice Corals Care Guide

Chalice corals are one of my absolute favourites.  There are SO many different morphs available that they really could make a stunning display if you chose no other species but these.  I’ve never really fathomed why they aren’t as popular here in the UK market as they are in the rest of the world but I think we are catching on as to just how special these corals are.

Chalice Corals are almost like the lower light loving, aggressive LPS version of Montipora.  They come in a huge range of colours and patterns that can be eye poppingly bright and grow into large plates.   They tend to be collected from deeper waters so wild colonies prefer a shadier spot in aquariums.  As with all LPS it is extremely important not to light shock your new Chalice.  If your tank has particularly strong lighting it is worth ensuring that you acclimate the coral to the light slowly over a period of weeks/months.  Always start them off in a shady spot, out of direct lighting to avoid bleaching. 

Feeding our Chalice is one of my favourite jobs to do in the fish house.  They are pretty slow feeders so be prepared to leave all flow off for at least an hour but trust me it is worth it.  Dropping a few EasyReefs Easy LPS Pellet or Vitalis LPS Pellet onto their body will trigger them to extrude a net of mucus.  The mucus entraps the food and they then drag the whole net back into their mouths.  For a coral that looks like a static shelf when you slow things down and really look they are extremely dynamic.  Due to their shape they need a little help when it comes to getting rid of the products of their meal!  A moderate flow over the top of the colony will help to keep it free from detritus build up. 

Chalice Corals are classed as a ‘LPS’ or ‘Large Polyp Stony’.  In order to grow they need for Calcium, dKH & Magnesium levels to be stable.  As they grow they will use up these elements so testing and dosing either manually or with a calcium reactor/doser is essential.  Other important parameters to monitor are Phosphate and Nitrate.  Both of these need to be kept on the lower side, but not at zero.  Chalice Corals do not thrive in an extremely low nutrient water.

A last note about Chalice is make sure you have a period in the evening where you can view your tank under blue LEDS – this is the absolute best way to view them and their beautiful colours.