Trending vs Classic Corals: What’s Best for Your Reef Tank?
Corals come in all shapes, colors, and personalities, but when it’s time to stock your reef tank, you might start wondering why some corals cost a fortune while others seem surprisingly affordable. Why do classic corals with no flashy names go for a fraction of the price of their trending counterparts? Is there something wrong with filling a tank with only classic corals? And when should you start considering trending corals for your tank?
The answer depends on your goals, your budget, and how you enjoy the hobby. Some reefers love following coral trends and collecting the newest named varieties. Others prefer the simplicity and reliability of old-school favorites. The truth is, most reef tanks look best with a thoughtful mix of both.
What Makes a Coral “Classic”?
Classic corals are the backbone of many successful reef tanks. These are the types of corals you can find in just about any fish store, usually labeled by their species name rather than a flashy brand or collector tag. Think frogspawn, hammer corals, leather corals, trumpet corals, green star polyps, or pulsing xenia, just to name a few.
Just because they’re considered common doesn’t mean they’re boring. Many classic corals are hardy, grow well, and look incredible when given the space to form large colonies. A classic red montipora cap, for example, can form large plates that create natural overhangs and add literal layers to your reef. Like many classic corals, it grows quickly, which means you can start with a small frag and still fill out a large area of your aquascape without spending a fortune.
Classic Green Frogspawn Coral
What Defines a Trending Coral?
Trending corals are the ones you see blowing up on social media, popping up at shows, and getting talked about by name. They often come with collector-worthy titles like “Homewrecker,” “Utter Chaos,” or “Warpaint Scoly.” These corals tend to be vibrant, eye-catching, and oftentimes pricey.
Part of the appeal is their uniqueness. Trending corals often feature multiple colors in a single polyp, intricate patterns, or rare color combinations. They’re fun to photograph, especially up close with a macro lens, and they’re always a popular coral to show off on social media or to your reefing friends.
Why a Mix of Both Works Best
A tank full of nothing but high-end named corals can start to feel overwhelming. If everything is trying to steal the spotlight, nothing really stands out. That’s where classic corals earn their place. They provide contrast, structure, and flow, helping your centerpiece corals shine.
Frogspawn and hammers, for example, are often used as “filler” corals, but they’re anything but boring. A large colony of a soft coral or LPS can add motion and depth to a tank that helps the vibrant pops of a high-end Acro stand out even more.
The Role of Trends in Coral Care
Believe it or not, coral trends can also influence the overall health of the hobby. When a specific coral group becomes popular, such as Euphyllia, Acans, or Tenuis Acros, it draws more attention to the care those corals require. For example, it wasn’t until the torch coral craze that brown jelly disease began receiving serious attention from the reefing community at large. Before that, most people simply accepted a dying coral as a lost cause. Now, the community talks about treatments, coral dips, and ways to prevent it.
Trends also help support aquaculture. When there is strong demand for a coral, aquaculturists have more incentive to grow and propagate them. This helps reduce pressure on wild reefs. The rise of captive-bred clams is a great example. Just a few years ago, they were difficult to find. Today, they are widely available in a variety of colors and sizes, thanks to ongoing improvements in breeding practices.
You Don’t Need the Latest Coral to Build a Beautiful Reef
It’s easy to get caught up in chasing the newest coral release, but you can build a stunning reef without ever touching a collector piece. Some of the most impressive tanks are filled with everyday corals grown into massive colonies. Big trumpet colonies, green hammers, and classic plating montipora can be just as jaw-dropping as a frag rack full of high-end names.
In fact, a tank full of healthy classics often has more personality and flow than one built strictly around small frags of trendy coral. These classics also tend to grow faster and are easier to care for, which helps create a more stable and mature-looking reef.
Build the Reef You Love
Whether you lean toward trending or classic corals, what matters most is how your tank makes you feel. Some reefers chase trends because they love the community and excitement of finding something new for their coral collection. Others are drawn to the natural look of mature colonies and softies swaying in the current. Both are valid, and the best reef tanks usually bring a little bit of everything together.
So don’t stress about what’s hot right now. Choose corals that make you excited to sit in front of your tank, camera in hand or not. In the end, the most important thing is that your tank brings you joy, not just likes on social media.
Adam has been reef keeping since 2010 and got his start on the Bulk Reef Supply Customer Service team. He believes the best tanks are built around what you enjoy, not what’s trending. Adam is especially interested in simplifying the hobby, exploring the latest gear, and helping others focus on long-term success over chasing perfection.
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