What are Corals?
Technically, corals themselves are living organisms, that are made of tiny animals called coral polyps and are usually classified as either hard corals or soft corals.
Hard Corals aka Stony Corals, are compromised of 2 types - Large Polyp Stony (LPS) and Small Polyp Stony (SPS) - referring to the size of the polyp.
LPS coral is great for beginner-level hobbyists and veterans alike, featuring unique colors, shapes and sizes, usually found as either plate like, or branching corals. All LPS corals have a hard or stony skeleton created by aragonite, and often formed into cup-shaped structures called corallites, and is covered by a thin layer of tissue called the coenosarc. The foot of the polyps then grow from the coenosarc on these colonial corals, or attached directly to the substrate connected by a pedal disc. The rate that this occurs depends on the species. Some varieties of LPS such as Favites can grow very quickly while some massive LPS like Scolymia can take years to grow an inch.
LPS coral get all of there nutrients through a process known as photosynthesis, and will also feed on small meaty foods found in the water column, such as zooplankton. As well, Large Polyp Stony Corals benefit from clean water and a consistent source of calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium. Our selection of LPS corals for sale includes a huge variety of species to choose from, including rainbow LPS coral, Favia coral, Alveopora, Cyphastrea, and much more.
SPS coral, is a favorite among experienced coral hobbyists. They can be found in a variety of unique colors, shapes and sizes, usually found as either plate like, or branching corals. All SPS corals have a hard or stony skeleton created by aragonite, and often formed into cup-shaped structures called corallites, and is covered by a thin layer of tissue called the coenosarc. The foot of the polyps then grow from the coenosarc on these colonial corals, or attached directly to the substrate connected by a pedal disc. The rate that this occurs depends on the species. Some varieties of SPS corals can grow very quickly while some other varieties take seemingly forever to show any growth.
As well, due to its skeleton, SPS coral frags require a consistent source of calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium to thrive. They also require a good amount of light and high-water flow compared to LPS. Also, SPS are generally considered more difficult to keep than the LPS or soft corals and are not recommended for beginners.