Caulastrea curvata – Candycane Coral

Caulastrea curvata, also known in the aquarium hobby as Candycane/Trumpet Coral, is a hardy and easy-to-care-for LPS coral. It forms a branching calcareous skeleton with round polyps developing at the ends. The polyps swell during the day, giving the coral its characteristic, distinctly differentiated appearance.

The genus Caulastrea includes several similar species found in reef aquariums. The most common ones include, for example, Caulastrea furcata, Caulastrea curvata, and Caulastrea echinulata. These species resemble each other in appearance and are often sold under the same name in aquarium stores.

Caulastrea corals occur in several color forms. The most common colors are green, turquoise, and brown, often with a contrasting center. In some individuals, the colors can be particularly bright and fluoresce strongly under blue aquarium lighting. In the aquarium hobby, spectacular Ultra color forms are also known, where the colors of the polyps are more intense than usual.

In a reef aquarium, Caulastrea usually thrives in the lower or middle part of the aquarium, where lighting is low to moderate and flow is gentle to moderate. Under good conditions, the coral grows new polyps by budding, and the colony size can increase quite rapidly.

Features

branching LPS coral with round polyps

distinctly differentiated trumpet-shaped polyp structures

often bright green or turquoise coloration

easy to care for and hardy species

grows new polyps by budding

Care Requirements

Characteristic Recommendation

Difficulty easy

Lighting low – moderate

Flow low – moderate

Placement in aquarium bottom – middle

Growth rate moderate

Good to know

Caulastrea often responds well to targeted feeding with, for example, Mysis shrimp or other small meaty foods. Feeding can accelerate the formation of new polyps and coral growth.

Suitability

well suited for reef aquariums

generally compatible with fish and invertebrates

an excellent choice even for beginners