Jul 31, 2026General12 min read
Soft Coral Identification Guide
A practical guide to common soft coral types, including leathers, mushrooms, zoanthids, cloves, Xenia, and GSP.
Coral Guides
Coral identification articles
Browse the newest coral ID guides or narrow the list by reef category.
Jul 28, 2026General10 min read
Why Reef Store Coral Labels Are Often Wrong or Incomplete
Why coral shop labels can be inconsistent and how to verify names before making care or buying decisions.
Jul 24, 2026General11 min read
Can AI Identify Coral Accurately?
What AI coral identification can and cannot do, how to interpret confidence, and when a human verification step matters.
Jul 21, 2026General10 min read
Best Photos for Coral Identification
Lighting, angle, focus, scale, and context tips for taking coral photos that produce better human and AI identification.
Jul 17, 2026Beginner10 min read
Coral ID Checklist for Beginners
Ten practical things beginners should check before naming a coral from a reef tank or store photo.
Jul 14, 2026Beginner11 min read
How to Identify a Coral Frag Before Buying It
Use photo checks, seller questions, frag maturity, pests, and care fit to evaluate a coral frag before buying.
Jul 10, 2026Beginner10 min read
Unknown Coral in My Tank
A practical checklist for identifying an unknown coral in a reef tank before guessing from color or store labels.
Jul 7, 2026General11 min read
Coral Trade Names vs Scientific Names
What reef hobbyists should trust when vendor names, designer morphs, genus labels, and scientific names do not match.
Jul 3, 2026SPS10 min read
Cyphastrea vs Encrusting Montipora
How to tell Cyphastrea and encrusting Montipora apart by polyp spacing, surface texture, growth edge, and lighting response.