Floreana Coral

About

The Floreana Coral (Tubastraea floreana) is an ahermatypic cup coral native to the Galapagos Islands, one of the most isolated and ecologically distinct archipelagos on the planet. Unlike the majority of reef-building corals, it contains no symbiotic zooxanthellae, meaning it gets none of its energy from light. Instead, it relies entirely on capturing food particles from the water column, which shapes nearly every aspect of how you keep it in a reef tank. In the wild it occupies very shallow reef-associated zones, typically just a few meters down, often tucked into shaded overhangs or crevices where light is naturally reduced. That makes low-light positioning in the aquarium not just acceptable but correct. As a cup coral in the Tubastraea genus, it likely produces bold, fleshy polyps that extend to feed, particularly after dark or when food is introduced to the water. Because it depends entirely on direct feeding rather than photosynthesis, consistent target feeding with meaty foods is essential. Skip that and the coral will slowly decline regardless of how good your water quality is. This feeding dependency puts it in intermediate territory, not a beginner pick, but very manageable for a hobbyist who stays on top of a regular feeding routine.