Non-photosynthetic corals

NPS Corals

NPS corals live without zooxanthellae and obtain all their nutrition from food. With their bright colours – from orange and red to violet – they are fascinating specialists for experienced reef keepers.

For specialists Bright colours Also for shaded zones
View NPS Corals

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Care at a glance

What NPS corals need.

NPS corals depend entirely on feeding. What matters is regular, targeted feeding, strong flow and efficient filtration that removes the additional nutrient load.

These details are intended as a guide. Always watch how each individual coral responds and adjust light, flow and placement as needed.

Difficulty

Demanding

NPS corals are suitable for experienced aquarists who can commit time to daily feeding and good nutrient control.

Light

No light needed

As NPS have no zooxanthellae, they need no light and can also be placed in caves or under overhangs.

Flow

Low to moderate

Strong, alternating flow supplies the polyps with food and keeps the surface clean.

Feeding

Recommended

Daily feeding with fine plankton, artemia nauplii or special NPS food is essential for survival.

Placement

Shaded

Overhangs, caves or shaded areas are ideal – algae have hardly any chance of overgrowing the colony there.

Growth

Slow to moderate

With a good food supply, Tubastrea and co. form new polyps and dense colonies over time.

More about NPS corals

What are NPS corals?

NPS stands for “non-photosynthetic”. Unlike most reef corals, they do not live in symbiosis with zooxanthellae and do not obtain energy from light. Well-known examples are the sun coral Tubastrea, Dendronephthya, Scleronephthya and numerous gorgonians. In nature, they often grow on cave ceilings, overhangs and in low-light zones with strong currents.

Buy NPS Corals – Vivid Colours Without Light

NPS corals are among the most colourful inhabitants of a marine aquarium. Intense orange, bright yellow, red and violet make species such as Tubastrea (sun coral) or Dendronephthya real eye-catchers.

Because they do not need light, they open up completely new aquascaping possibilities: caves, overhangs and shaded areas can be spectacularly showcased with NPS corals.

Keeping NPS corals

Success with NPS corals stands or falls with feeding. These animals take in all of their energy from food and should therefore be fed daily.

  • Temperature: 24–26 °C
  • Salinity: 34–35 PSU
  • KH: 7–9 dKH
  • Flow: medium to strong, alternating
  • Food: phytoplankton and zooplankton, artemia nauplii, rotifers, lobster eggs

Intensive feeding increases the nutrient load. A powerful protein skimmer and regular water changes are therefore especially important.

The right location

NPS corals feel at home in shaded spots, such as under overhangs, in caves or on the underside of rockwork. There they are less overgrown by algae and can open their polyps undisturbed.

Many aquarists even set up dedicated tanks or special areas for NPS corals so they can control feeding and nutrient levels optimally.

Tubastrea – the sun coral

The Tubastrea is the best-known and hardiest NPS coral. Its bright orange or black polyps open mainly during feeding and in the dark. With regular target feeding, it forms new heads over time.

Gorgonians and soft corals

Many non-photosynthetic gorgonians and soft corals such as Dendronephthya are also NPS. They need particularly fine food and strong flow and are considered a challenge for experienced reef aquarists.

Premium Reefing quality

Carefully cared for and prepared as well as possible.

Our corals are kept under stable conditions, carefully observed and only offered for sale once we are convinced of their quality.