LPS (often grouped with SPS)
Scroll coral
Turbinaria spp.
Also sold as Cup coral, Pagoda coral

- Type
- LPS (often grouped with SPS)
- Care level
- Beginner to intermediate (thin, convoluted forms harder)
- Light
- 100 to 250 PAR (medium)
- Flow
- Medium
- With neighbours
- Peaceful
Safety: handling scroll coral
Low hazard
How do you care for scroll coral?
Placement
Mid, room to spread
Flow
Moderate
Feeding
Optional; polyps feed at night typical, check
Growth
Fast for a stony coral typical, check
Water quality
Hardy; one guide suggests nitrate about 1 to 5 ppm and phosphate near 0.01 but not zero typical, check
How much light does it need?
Sources put it at about 100 to 250 PAR, measured where the coral sits. No figure was published for this coral itself, so this is the usual range for its group. Start a new coral at the low end and raise it over weeks.
Sits between LPS and SPS norms. typical, check
Which neighbours are safe?
Non-aggressive typical, check
Room to grow
Fish
Fish known to nip this group of corals, or small enough to be caught by it.
Take care (9)
- Lawnmower blennyLawnmower blenny may nip LPS corals, more so when underfed.
- Bicolor blennyBicolor blenny may nip LPS corals, more so when underfed.
- Tailspot blennyTailspot blenny may nip LPS corals, more so when underfed.
- Coral beautyCoral beauty may nip LPS corals, more so when underfed.
- Flame angelfishFlame angelfish may nip LPS corals, more so when underfed.
- Cherub angelfishCherub angelfish may nip LPS corals, more so when underfed.
- Foxface rabbitfishFoxface rabbitfish may nip LPS corals, more so when underfed.
- Moorish idolMoorish idol may nip LPS corals, more so when underfed.
- Copperband butterflyfishCopperband butterflyfish may nip LPS corals, more so when underfed.
Other corals
Corals that can harm this one if placed too close.
Take care (10)
- Hammer coralHammer coral stings neighbours up to about 15 cm away at night; keep the scroll coral out of reach.
- Frogspawn coralFrogspawn coral stings neighbours; keep the scroll coral out of reach.
- Torch coralTorch coral stings neighbours; keep the scroll coral out of reach.
- GalaxeaGalaxea stings neighbours up to about 15 cm away at night; keep the scroll coral out of reach.
- Horn coralHorn coral stings neighbours; keep the scroll coral out of reach.
- Fire coral (not Acropora millepora)Fire coral (not Acropora millepora) stings neighbours; keep the scroll coral out of reach.
- Bubble tip anemoneBubble tip anemone stings neighbours; keep the scroll coral out of reach.
- Mini maxiMini maxi stings neighbours; keep the scroll coral out of reach.
- Carpet anemones (Haddon's, giant)Carpet anemones (Haddon's, giant) stings neighbours; keep the scroll coral out of reach.
- Ritteri anemoneRitteri anemone stings neighbours; keep the scroll coral out of reach.
Invertebrates
Invertebrates that may nip corals when hungry.
Take care (3)
- Emerald crabSome emerald crabs nip corals when hungry.
- Peppermint shrimpSome peppermint shrimps nip corals when hungry.
- Camel shrimpSome camel shrimps nip corals when hungry.
These checks follow the reasons fish and invertebrates clash: same species or genus, similar shape, mouth size, temperament, food, burrows, tank size and the order they are added. Individual animals differ; every source agrees on that.
Pests, dips and quarantine
Few
General dip
No dip reliably kills pest eggs, so a dip lowers the risk rather than removing it. Inspect new frags with a torch after lights out, including the underside and the plug.
Sources
Last checked . How we check
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