Caring for branching rainbow goniopora

[flintcore]

I've recently picked up a rainbow branching goniopora at a good price, despite always being hesitant about them in the past. It's been doing pretty well so far, but I'd love to hear from anyone with experience keeping them. I've got a mixed tank with mostly SPS, plus some softies and LPS that are all thriving, so I'm hoping to get some advice on the best way to care for this new addition. Any tips would be appreciated - here's a pic of it in my tank right now.

[flintcore]

Just wanted to bring this back up and see if anyone has any experience with rainbow branching goniopora.

[felinxo]

I've got a few rainbows in with my other gonis, and they're all doing alright. Heavy feeding seems to be the way to go for mine, plus they like a good current and some decent lighting - medium to high works for them. That one you've got looks nice, by the way, nice nub on it.

[flintcore]

Thanks for the info, I appreciate it. I was just going off what the seller called it, never had a goni before so figured I'd just roll with it.

[zeno9]

That's indeed a branching goniopora, not super common but I've come across a few. I've got 13 gonis in my 65-gallon tank, been keeping them for over a year now. Care-wise, they're pretty similar to other LPS, but I do make sure to feed them - experts seem to agree that feeding's key to their success, though I've seen people get away without it too. For me, gonioporas have become a favorite, and I think it's all about finding that sweet spot for each one. I've found medium light and flow work well, and direct feeding with zooplankton and phytoplankton every 1-2 weeks seems to do the trick - some of them go crazy for food, while others don't react at all. Some types can be super finicky, while others are a breeze to keep. Yours looks like an Aussie goniopora, judging by the smaller polyps and more tentacles - I've got a similar piece, but it's orange, and it's doing great. With all the food options out there these days, you can pick whatever's easily available in your area. Good luck, and congrats on the new addition!

[flintcore]

Thanks zeno9, that's a huge relief - I was worried I'd made a mistake buying it. I do spot feed my corals once a week, just as a general health boost, but I've never targeted a specific coral before. To be honest, I've had weeks where I've forgotten to do it, so I was getting a bit anxious about whether I'd made a bad purchase.

I've never seen a branching goniopora before this one, so I'm really curious - would you be willing to share some pics of yours? Or maybe point me in the direction of a good resource for learning more about them? I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks again for the advice, it's been a big help.

[flynix]

I've had my fair share of goniopora in the past, even bragged about my success with them on here before. However, I've come to realize that the short-polyped ones just don't seem to make it. I've had a few of them die on me, which makes me think that there must be some unique care requirements for these specific types of gonis compared to the more common ones.

[zeno9]

I've got a few pics of my gonioporas to share - the orange one at the bottom I think is the same type as yours, and I've found them to be pretty hardy.

Here's a full tank shot so you can see where they're placed in my tank.