Branching, wall, octospawn. Gold, green, purple. The classic centerpiece LPS.
Indo, Aussie, JF, Holy Grail. The most-collected LPS in the modern hobby.
E. divisa. Branching forks with split tentacles. Hardy, fast-growing.
Aussie and Indo. Long polyp daisy-flower expression. Once "death coral," now reef-keepable.
Lordhowensis (Micromussa) and bowerbanki. Named morphs with vibrant color blocks.
Mycedium, Echinophyllia, Oxypora. 500+ named morphs, premium tier.
Open Brain (Trachyphyllia), Closed Brain (Lobophyllia), Maze Brain. Centerpiece floor pieces.
Long Tentacle, Short Tentacle, Cycloseris. Free-living, motile, sand-dwelling.
Duncanopsammia axifuga. Hardy, fast-growing, accepts feeding aggressively.
Aussie Scoly, Indo Scoly, Master Scoly. WYSIWYG single-polyp specimens, premium pricing.
Modern Cat's Eye coral. Dramatic single-polyp expansion.
Plerogyra. Day bubbles, night sweepers. Dramatic visual.
LPS sits between soft coral and SPS in difficulty. Most LPS species tolerate moderate parameter swings (alkalinity 7-10 dKH), modest light (100-250 PAR), and gentle flow. Notable exceptions:
For full reef parameters and dosing methodology, see the SPS husbandry framework (most parameters apply to LPS at the lower end of the band).
Recommendations on this page cross-checked against the following authoritative references and our internal vendor + breeder database.
Whatever specific topic brought you here, four fundamentals govern long-term aquarium success: water quality, parameter stability, biological filtration, and species-appropriate husbandry. Skip any one and the others struggle to compensate.
Water quality: ammonia + nitrite at zero, nitrate under 30 ppm freshwater + 10 ppm reef. Test weekly with API or Salifert kits. Use our water parameter checker to score your readings against your tank type.
Parameter stability: stable wrong parameters beat fluctuating ideal parameters. Most fish tolerate a wide pH range if it's stable. Sudden swings of 0.4+ pH or 5+°F kill fish faster than chronic suboptimal values. Use temperature controllers (Inkbird) + automated dosing for consistency.
Biological filtration: the bacterial colony on your filter media + rock + substrate is the engine. Never replace all media at once. Use our filter turnover calculator to size correctly.
Species-appropriate husbandry: research adult size, territoriality, diet, and tankmate compatibility before purchase. Use our tank stocking calculator + compatibility guides.
How long does an aquarium take to set up? 4-6 weeks for full cycling + first stocking. Use our cycle ETA calculator + how long does cycling take.
What's the best aquarium for beginners? 20-gallon long. Big enough for parameter stability, small enough for budget + space. See beginner picks.
How often should I do water changes? 25-30% weekly. See water change frequency Q&A + water change calculator.
Why does my fish keep dying? 5 leading causes: uncycled tank, wrong species pairings, no quarantine, undersized tank, neglected water-change schedule. See full diagnosis.
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