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Elegance coral care

Catalaphyllia jardinei · Scleractinia (large-polyp stony coral)

Also called: elegance, Catalaphyllia, Aussie elegance

Checked against 3 sources on · reefcalcs editorial

Quick reference

Care level

Advanced

Tank size

We found no source giving a minimum. It expands to about twice its closed size in daylight, so leave room.[1]

Light (PAR)

Moderate (LiveAquaria); WetWebMedia's crew advise low to moderate for new imports[1, 2]

Flow

Low to moderate

Placement

On soft sand on the tank bottom, mouth and tentacles facing up, never perched on rock.[1, 2]

Temperature

76–81 °F (general reef range)

Salinity

35 ppt (SG 1.0264 at 25 °C)

pH

8.0–8.4

What is an elegance coral?

Catalaphyllia jardinei is a large-polyp stony coral whose whole specimens are free-living; WetWebMedia's crew recommend keeping it on soft sand or mud, mouth up.[2, 3] LiveAquaria says it swells to about twice its closed size during the day and recommends a soft sand-like substrate because rock irritates its fleshy underside.[1, 2] For years it was a hobby favourite; then imported specimens started dying in large numbers.[2]

Lighting for an elegance coral

LiveAquaria lists moderate light.[1] WetWebMedia's crew recommend low to moderate light and flow, and Steven Pro there suggests recent imports come from deeper water and melt down under bright reef lighting.[2]

Flow and placement

Low to medium (LiveAquaria).[1]

Feeding

LiveAquaria says it benefits from additional food daily, such as micro-plankton or brine shrimp;[1] WetWebMedia's crew suggest meaty foods about twice a week.[2] Julian Sprung, quoted there, argues the decline is not caused by starvation, so feeding alone won't save a failing coral.[2]

Aggression and spacing

LiveAquaria rates it aggressive: it stings corals close to it, so leave ample space.[1]

Tankmates

Give it the most room of any coral in the tank. WetWebMedia's crew also list fish nipping among the stresses on declining specimens.[1, 2]

Disease and quarantine

The decline. Contributors to WetWebMedia describe imported elegances receding to expose the skeleton, staying closed or puffy, showing white stringy filaments where flesh meets skeleton, and breaking down into brown jelly.[2] Suspected causes include bacterial infection (Sprung), collection and shipping stress, placement on rock, nipping fish and light or flow problems, and one crew member put survival without treatment at "very slim".[2] On selection, Bob Fenner says Australian specimens are far superior, and the crew warn that a swollen body with short, stubby tentacles usually means disease and that pieces broken off attached colonies fare worse than whole, free-living ones.[3] One crew member suggests avoiding the species unless you can get a captive-propagated one; LiveAquaria sells an aquacultured option.[3, 1]

Fragging and propagation

Aquacultured elegances are sold, which is the safest way to buy one.[1, 3] We found no reliable home fragging method.

Troubleshooting

Swollen body, short stubby tentacles

Likely cause: Often disease, per WetWebMedia.[3]

Fix: Don't buy it; if it's yours, quarantine and dip as WWM's crew suggest.[3, 2]

Tissue pulling back from the skeleton

Likely cause: The elegance decline: infection, shipping stress or wrong placement.[2]

Fix: Move it to soft sand, lower the light, check for nipping fish.[2]

Brown jelly on the flesh

Likely cause: Tissue breakdown and infection.[2]

Fix: Siphon it off and isolate the coral immediately.[2]

Neighbouring coral stung

Likely cause: Its strong sting.[1]

Fix: Give it much more space.[1]

Common mistakes

  • •Placing it on rock.[1, 2]
  • •Buying a puffy specimen with stubby tentacles.[3]
  • •Bright light straight away.[2]
  • •Too little space from other corals.[1]

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Equipment & food for this species

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Most LPS benefit from occasional target-feeding, and a dip on new frags catches hitchhiking pests before they reach the display.

CoralRx Pro coral dip

Dip for pests such as flatworms and red bugs on new corals. BRS says it contains no iodine or oxidizers.

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Polyplab Reef Roids coral food

Powder coral food. LPS / chalice / Goniopora staple.

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Salifert KH/Alkalinity test kit

The hobbyist standard for alkalinity testing.

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Julian's Thing target feeder

Target feeder for spot-feeding corals.

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Elegance coral FAQ

Why do elegance corals die?
Imported specimens have suffered a long decline; suspected causes include bacterial infection, shipping stress, placement on rock and light that's too bright.[2]
Should an elegance coral go on sand or rock?
Sand. LiveAquaria recommends a soft sand-like substrate because rock irritates its fleshy underside.[1, 2]
Are Australian elegance corals better?
WetWebMedia's Bob Fenner says Australian specimens are far superior, and crew members note they've been less prone to the disease.[3]
How much light does an elegance coral need?
Moderate according to LiveAquaria; WWM's crew suggest low to moderate for new imports.[1, 2]
Is the elegance coral aggressive?
Yes: it stings corals near it, so leave plenty of space.[1]

Sources

  1. LiveAquaria — Elegance coral (retailer care sheet)
  2. WetWebMedia — Elegance coral disease FAQs (Fenner, Sprung, Pro and crew)
  3. WetWebMedia — Elegance coral selection FAQs

Spotted something out of date? The corrections log lists every change we make.

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