Chalice Coral Care: Lighting, Feeding and Color
Chalice corals are prized for their bold, fluorescent colors and patterned eyes. They grow slowly, but a healthy chalice colony can become the showpiece of a reef tank.
What is a chalice coral?
"Chalice" is a common name for several LPS corals, including Echinophyllia and Oxypora. They grow as encrusting or plating colonies with contrasting "eyes" (mouths) spread across the surface.
Lighting
Chalices do best under low to moderate light, roughly 75 to 150 PAR. Too much light can wash out their colors or cause bleaching. Many of the most striking color patterns develop under moderate, blue-heavy lighting.
Flow
Moderate, indirect flow keeps detritus from settling on their flat surfaces. Avoid strong flow pointed directly at the colony.
Placement and spacing
Place chalices low to mid-tank on a flat surface where they can spread. Many chalices extend sweeper tentacles at night that sting nearby corals, so leave several inches of space around them.
Feeding
Chalices get most of their energy from light but will accept small foods like reef roe or powdered coral food. Target feed in the evening when feeding tentacles are visible. Browse our fish and coral food, or read How to Feed Your Corals.
Growth and color
Chalices are slow growers, so patience pays off. Stable alkalinity, calcium and lighting keep colors strong. Sudden changes in light or water parameters often show up first as faded color or receding edges.
Warning signs
- Receding tissue at the edges: often stress from shipping, light changes or a parameter swing.
- Fading color: usually too much or too little light.
- Damage from neighbors: check for stinging from nearby corals at night.
Browse our chalice coral collection.
