Trumpet Coral Caulastrea Care Guide: Candy Cane Coral
Trumpet coral, also called candy cane, puts on a slow and steady light show as each polyp inflates into a glossy bauble at dusk. This trumpet coral caulastrea care guide from Gensou Aquascaping at 5 Everton Park compiles two decades of hands-on reefing with Caulastrea furcata, and explains why this LPS earned its reputation as a forgiving first stony coral for nano reefs across Singapore. The corallites branch as twin heads, splitting again as the colony grows, producing the candy-cane clumps that sell quickly at local swap meets.
Quick Facts
- Scientific name: Caulastrea furcata and C. echinulata
- Care level: easy, top-tier beginner LPS
- Lighting: PAR 80-150, moderate
- Flow: low to moderate, indirect
- Temperature: 24-26 C, alkalinity 8-9 dKH
- Growth: one new head every 2-4 months per corallite
- Typical Singapore price: $25-45 per head
Species Profile
Caulastrea belongs to the family Merulinidae. Each corallite houses one polyp on a stalk, and heads split mitotically rather than by budding. Colour morphs range from neon green to metallic blue-tipped, with the “Bizarro” and “Candy Apple” varieties commanding premium pricing even in Singapore’s competitive frag market.
Tank Placement
Trumpet coral prefers the lower two-thirds of the tank. On the sand is acceptable provided flow keeps detritus off the tissue. Space corallites so the sweeper tentacles, which extend 5-10 cm at night, do not touch other corals. Candy cane is moderately aggressive and will burn neighbours given the chance.
Water Parameters
Keep alkalinity 8-9 dKH, calcium 420-440 ppm, magnesium 1300-1400 ppm. Nitrate 3-10 ppm and phosphate 0.03-0.08 ppm promote colour and polyp size. Stability matters more than chasing perfect numbers; big shifts cause tissue recession at the base. Our calcium and alkalinity stability guide covers dosing logic in more depth.
Lighting
Moderate reef LED output is ideal. PAR of 80-150 at the polyp top brings out fluorescent pigments without bleaching. High-output Radion or AI Hydra units in Singapore nano tanks should be dialled to 40-60% at mid-height placement and a 9-hour photoperiod.
Flow
Low to moderate, indirect flow keeps the fleshy polyps inflated without whipping the tissue. A random flow pattern from a single gyre pump is sufficient in tanks up to 150 litres. If polyps stay deflated during the day, flow is too strong or lighting is too intense.
Feeding
This is where trumpet coral rewards attention. Each polyp captures meaty food readily, and weekly target feeding accelerates head splitting dramatically. Use mysis, chopped prawn, or LPS pellets dropped onto the extended feeding tentacles after the moonlight phase kicks in. A colony fed twice a week grows visibly faster than one left to photosynthesis alone.
See our target feeding corals guide for a practical nano-reef workflow.
Compatibility
Peaceful with clownfish, gobies, and reef-safe wrasses. Watch for butterflyfish and large angelfish that may nip the inflated polyps. Keep sweeper-tentacle reach clear of euphyllia and favia, which both produce their own nematocyst weaponry.
Propagation
Fragging candy cane is as simple as sawing through the skeleton between two heads with a tile cutter or Dremel, then gluing to a ceramic disc. Heal time is two weeks, and fraggers across Singapore routinely list single-head frags on Carousell for $15-25.
Common Problems
Brown jelly disease is the main risk. Triggers are sudden temperature drops, usually from aircon overnight dips past 23 C, or rough handling that tears the fleshy polyp. Remove affected heads, dip the colony in Lugol’s solution, and correct the underlying parameter swing.
Buying in Singapore
C328 Clementi, Colourful Aquarium in Thomson, and the Serangoon North cluster all stock candy cane on rotation. Look for extended polyps under shop lights, no exposed skeleton at the base, and matching colour across heads. Maricultured frags from Indo-Pacific farms adapt quickly to local tank water.
Related Reading
More LPS and reef-care reading from Gensou Aquascaping Singapore:
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Still Have Questions About Your Tank?
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