Description
Scroll corals, or Turbinaria, originate from the Indo-Pacific. They are mostly collected off the coasts of Australia and Indonesia. However, this Purple and Yellow Scroll coral is aquacultured by ORA. Instead of being collected from the ocean, this coral is grown in aquariums and then fragged to be sold to hobbyists such as yourself. Aquacultured corals come with many benefits that you can read about below.
Turbinaria are stony corals with a plating growth from. These plates can develop into many different structures depending on the lighting and flow. Large colonies will develop a foliaceous or floral appearance as the plates swirl. This purple and yellow turbinaria has a purple base with yellow mouths. A yellow growth edge may develop as well.
Turbinaria has a moderate care level. While it is not the most ideal coral for new hobbyists, it is still reasonable. Hobbyists who have had success growing other stony corals, especially Acropora and Montipora , won’t have any issues keeping this coral.
This coral prefers medium to high light. Under intense lighting, the coral may display richer colors, but moderate lighting is perfectly acceptable as well. Acclimating the coral to the lighting is important for reducing the risk of bleaching and color loss, especially if you are going to put it under intense lighting. Having full spectrum lighting will improve the coloration as well.
The growth form of this coral encourages detritus buildup, which can lead to die-off. To prevent this, place the coral in moderate to strong water movement. Closely observe the coral for any waste buildup and increase the flow if there is any. It is crucial that you provide enough water flow so that waste cannot settle on the coral, but it is also important to ensure that the coral is not blown off the rock. The plating structures can act as a sail for the water, causing the coral to lift off the rock. Don’t make the flow so strong that the coral is pushed off the rock. Properly securing the coral to the rock will help too.
Turbinaria requires elevated and stable levels of calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium. Again, if you have experience growing stony corals, this shouldn’t be an issue. Stony corals, such as this one, use these ions to create their skeleton structures. As your corals grow, the ions in the water will become depleted. Depending on how many stony corals you have, you may need to use a calcium reactor, kalkwasser, or two-part dosing system to maintain consistent levels. However, be careful not to overdose, as large swings are very stressful and harmful to corals.
Turbinaria is a photosynthetic coral, so feeding is not required. Although, additional feeding may result in more vibrant colors, faster growth, and greater overall health. You may have to experiment to determine what food is best for your Turbinaria, but you can’t go wrong with dosing live phytoplankton and amino acids. If you want to feed dry or frozen foods, ensure that the nutrient levels don’t get too high while doing so.
Keep the nitrates around 1-5 ppm and the phosphates as close to 0.01 ppm as possible but not 0. This is just a general guideline, as you can certainly have success outside of this range. Maintain a stable temperature of 72-78 degrees Fahrenheit.
Care requirements
Purchase Size: 1 – 2″
Placement: Bottom to middle. The large plating formation of this coral may shade corals below, so avoid placing it above other corals.
Lighting: Medium to high.
Flow: Moderate to strong.
Parameters: 72-78° F, pH 8.1-8.4, salinity 32-35 ppt
Calcium: 350-450 ppm
Alkalinity: 8-12 dKH
Magnesium: 1,250-1,350 ppm
More Information
Because the Purple and Yellow Scroll coral from ORA is aquacultured, it is significantly more adapted to aquarium life than corals coming from the ocean. Aquacultured corals are hardier and easier to care for. They are also far less likely to carry pests and diseases, though dipping and quarantine is always recommended regardless of where the coral comes from. Additionally, aquacultured corals are sustainable and environmentally friendly. You can decrease the impact our hobby has on natural reefs by choosing aquacultured corals!
