Goniopora:
Perhaps one of the most loved of all the corals available for 
sale in the Marine Aquarium hobby. These 'flowerpot corals' with 
their long, sweeping flower-like tentacles catch the eye of most 
hobbyists sooner or later. 

Unfortunately, they are also perhaps the single most difficult 
coral to keep in captivity. The marine aquarium newsgroups are 
littered with questions from people wanting to know why their 
Goniopora no longer opens fully or why the tissue appears to be 
receding at the base. To date no one has been able to answer these 
questions conclusively. Whilst there is anecdotal evidence that 
some experienced aquarists have kept these corals successfully for 
more than 2 years, for most aquarists, even very experienced ones, 
it is more normal for the corals to 'disappear' in less than 
18 months!

For now, it would seem that the best thing we can do as aquarists 
is to simply stop buying these corals. Only then can we hope that 
the collectors will leave them where they belong and where they 
can live indefinitely. Perhaps in time we will have the anwers to 
the mystery, but until then please - 

"Don't Buy Goniopora!"

A personal opinion by Andy Dolphin.