Cornucopic Coral

About

The cornucopic coral (Cornularia cornucopiae) is an unusual find in the hobby, hailing from the Mediterranean Sea and surrounding European marine waters rather than the tropical Indo-Pacific reefs that supply most of what we keep. That alone makes it interesting to anyone who appreciates less common livestock. It belongs to the family Cornulariidae, a group of stoloniferan soft corals that form colonies of individual polyps connected by a creeping base mat. Each polyp extends from a tough, horn-like tube, which is where both the genus name and the common name get their inspiration. In terms of care, this coral sits comfortably in the beginner-friendly category, asking for moderate light and moderate flow without the fussiness that comes with many other coral groups. Because it originates from temperate Mediterranean waters, reefers keeping it should pay attention to the temperature ranges their system runs, since truly tropical conditions may not suit it as well as a slightly cooler setup would. It is considered reef safe, posing no threat to neighboring corals or invertebrates. Source material on this species in captivity is relatively thin, so connecting with other keepers who have direct experience with it is worth the effort before diving in.