Candy Cane Coral
Caulastraea furcata
The trumpet coral, with rounded candy-striped heads; hardy and easy to frag.
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Min. Tank Size | 40 L |
| Temperature | 24.0–27.0 °C |
| pH Range | 8.1–8.4 |
| Max Size | 20.0 cm |
| Lifespan | Long years |
| Diet | Photosynthetic + feeding |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
Overview
The Candy Cane Coral (Caulastraea furcata) is the trumpet coral, with rounded candy-striped heads; hardy and easy to frag. It is a LPS (large polyp stony) coral rated beginner to keep.
This guide covers how to keep Candy Cane Coral thriving in a reef aquarium: lighting, water flow, placement, water chemistry, feeding, how it behaves towards neighbouring corals, and how to propagate (frag) it.
Care Level & Difficulty
LPS corals are a great middle step: hardier than SPS, responsive to feeding, but they need stable calcium and alkalinity to build their skeletons.
Lighting
Provide low to medium light for this coral. Good reef lighting brings out its colour; too much can bleach it, too little turns it brown. Acclimate any new coral to your lights slowly over a couple of weeks to avoid shock and bleaching.
Water Flow
Aim for low to medium flow. The water should keep waste and detritus from settling on the coral without blasting its tissue. LPS corals prefer gentle, indirect flow - strong direct current can tear their fleshy tissue.
Placement in the Reef
Place the Candy Cane Coral in the low to mid area of the reef, matching its light and flow needs. Give it room to grow so it does not shade or touch its neighbours.
Feeding
Like all photosynthetic corals it gets most of its energy from light via the algae in its tissue. It also captures food, so target-feed it with reef foods, mysis or coral pellets a couple of times a week for faster growth and better colour.
Aggression & Neighbours
This is a peaceful coral that will not sting its neighbours - just make sure faster corals don't overgrow it.
How to Propagate (Frag)
It is easy to frag: cut or snip a healthy piece and glue it to a frag plug or rock, and it soon grows into a new colony. Use coral glue or putty, work cleanly, and let cuts heal in stable water. Fragging is also how reefers trade and share corals.
Common Problems
Watch for 'brown jelly' infections, tissue recession and swings in alkalinity, which LPS corals are sensitive to. Stable Alk/Ca and gentle handling prevent most issues.
The golden rule for corals is stability - small, steady changes and consistent Alk, Ca and Mg keep them healthy.
Is the Candy Cane Coral Right for Your Reef?
The Candy Cane Coral suits beginner reef keepers and nano tanks. Provide low to medium light, low to medium flow and rock-solid water chemistry and it will reward you for years. Browse our marine fish and reef guides to build a balanced reef.
How to Tell Males from Females
Not externally sexed. Corals and most reef invertebrates are either colonial, hermaphroditic or spawn broadcast gametes with no visible external difference between individuals.
