Goniopora minor Care Guide
Goniopora minor is a small-polyped flowerpot LPS coral forming hemispherical or encrusting colonies, usually brown or green with pale tentacle tips.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Goniopora minor is a colonial stony coral of the family Poritidae, described by Crossland in 1952. Like other Goniopora it is a flowerpot coral with daisy-like polyps tipped by 24 tentacles. Colonies are hemispherical or encrusting, with circular calices 2.5-4 mm in diameter and thick walls; usually six thick pali contact one another to form a crown, and the septal structures are heavily granulated. Colour is brown or green, usually with distinctively coloured oral discs and pale tentacle tips. In WoRMS, Goniopora minor Crossland, 1952 is treated as a synonym of Goniopora pedunculata Quoy & Gaimard, 1833.
Taxonomy
- Family: Poritidae
- Order: Scleractinia
- Genus: Goniopora
- Scientific name: Goniopora minor
- Authority: Crossland, 1952; WoRMS note: treated as a synonym of Goniopora pedunculata Quoy & Gaimard, 1833
Habitat
The type locality is Low Islands on the Great Barrier Reef. The coral inhabits subtidal reef environments, especially lagoons, and is described as common. Goniopora corals generally favour lagoons and turbid water across the Indo-Pacific.
Reef parameters
- Type: LPS (large-polyp stony) coral, encrusting growth
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Specific gravity: 1.024-1.026
- Alkalinity (KH): 8-11 dKH
- Calcium: 400-450 ppm
- Magnesium: 1280-1350 ppm
- Lighting: 75-175 PAR (medium)
- Flow: low
Feeding
Goniopora minor hosts symbiotic zooxanthellae and is an active feeder like the rest of its genus. Spot-feeding with mysis and planktonic foods supports growth, and gentle flow not directed at the polyps allows them to extend fully.
Compatibility
The coral is reef-safe with fish and shrimp but moderately aggressive toward neighbouring corals, so it needs open space around the colony. A reasonably mature tank of about six months or older suits it best.
Goniopora minor Propagation Guide
Overview
Goniopora minor is a small-polyped, encrusting to colonial flowerpot coral in the family Poritidae. Like the rest of the genus, its daisy-like polyps each carry about 24 tentacles around a central mouth, distinguishing Goniopora from the twelve-tentacle Alveopora.
Reproductive Mode
Goniopora reproduces sexually through spawning, with captive observations of hermaphroditic egg-and-sperm release and planula larvae, and asexually through budding and fragmentation.
Fragging / Asexual Propagation
Because G. minor grows as an encrusting colony, propagation is done by cutting the encrusted base into sections that each retain living polyps, then mounting them. As elsewhere in the genus, outcomes vary and growers consistently recommend starting from fragged, aquacultured stock rather than wild colonies.
- Cut the encrusting colony into sections, each keeping live polyps.
- Mount the frags and let the cut tissue heal.
- Prefer fragged or aquacultured stock over wild-collected colonies.
Conditions for Propagation
Stable water with medium light and gentle flow, plus periodic feeding, supports recovery. Aquacultured frags settle into aquarium life more readily than fresh wild imports.
Common Challenges
Goniopora carries a documented history of slow decline in captivity. Improved aquaculture and fragged starter colonies have raised survival, but the genus stays demanding and benefits from stable, attentive husbandry.