Arranging Coral In Your Salt-Water Aquarium
A few choice pieces of coral and a shell or two, if properly selected, will give the aquarium its basic beauty. Avoid loading your aquarium with excessive coral as this may cause much trouble. Chosen wisely, it will enhance your aquarium and even without fish, the salt-water aquarium artistically decorated with beautiful coral is a magnificent thing. When properly lighted it will handsomely decorate the finest of homes. The coral should be arranged so that it will provide hiding places for the fish so that they will feel secure. Rather than crowd the tank too much with coral, a few well chosen shells will furnish a snug, safe home for your fish. One or two choice pieces of coral, with a shell or two, should be sufficient for most aquariums, depending on the size of the tank. Then it will be a simple matter to siphon out uneaten foods without disturbing the fish.
All coral, shells, etc. must be absolutely clean and sterile before placing in the aquarium. Just because an object is snow white does not mean that it is clean. Coral should be soaked in fresh water at least two or three weeks before use. Then it should be rinsed thoroughly and if completely free of decaying odor, it may be dried, preferably in the sun. Then it may be used but with discretion. If your first aquarium was a failure it was probably due to improperly cleaned coral. Coral taken directly from the sea must be cured much longer. A minimum safety time would be from one to three months or longer depending on the size and type of coral being cleaned.
The only type of shells which should be used are shallow clam shells. These are quickly cleaned and seldom cause harm. The baby giant-clam shells of the Tridacna family are ideal as they make perfect homes for the marine fish. Pushed part way into the sand, they will leave several openings for the fish to enter or escape and it will furnish them with a dark, snug home. These shells may be obtained in any size, from an inch and a half to several feet long so they will fill the needs of any type specimen.
The best coral to use is the Staghorn, Elkhorn, Lace, or Cluster coral as these types are usually available and they are easily cleaned. They come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes and will fill nearly every aquarium need. The cluster coral is white with a beautiful brown base and it makes an attractive combination. Most of the corals will be snow white, when cleaned, with the exception of the Organ Pipe coral which is brick red. This type of coral is much in demand for it gives the desired color to an otherwise all white display. It is constructed of tiny hollow “pipes” which gives it an interesting appearance . However, because of its construction, it should be used with caution. Not more than one or two pieces should be used in the aquarium and these must be soaked and washed for at least a month to be certain that ail decayed matter is removed from their interior. This type of coral is relatively soft so that it can be easily hollowed out with an ordinary table knife, to make superb homes for your salt water pets.
Lettuce coral, Brain coral, Rose coral, etc. also may be used and they are extremely beautiful and interesting. However, because of their dense structure, they are quite difficult to cure and to be safe, they should be soaked in fresh water for at least six months before use. Then they must be inspected closely for decay and if there is still a foul odor present, they must be soaked even longer. The author has cured some exquisite specimens of Brain coral for as long as two years before finally considering them safe for the aquarium. Don’t let this discourage you however. If you have a favorite piece of Lettuce or Brain coral and would like it for your aquarium, by all means cure it! You can always set up your aquarium with one or two smaller pieces while waiting for it to cure. But don’t take a chance on it and put it in your marine aquarium until it is absolutely spotless and free from odor. You may lose your entire display.
