(Euphyllia glabrescens)
Common Name: Aussie Gold Torch Coral
Order: Scleractinia
Family: Euphyllidae
Origin: Great Barrier Reef
Category: LPS
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Aggressive
Lighting: Medium
Waterflow: Medium
Placement: middle
Colors: Yellow tentacles with white tips
Growth Speed: Slow
What Is the Aussie Gold Torch ?
The Aussie gold torch coral is one of the rarest and most sought after of all the torch varieties. Unlike other torch corals and even their euphyllia cousins hammer corals, frogspawn and octospawn they are a relatively hard to keep in captivity.
This is the most sensitive of all the torch corals and the hardest to keep alive let alone grow. It is also one of the most expensive torch varieties.
Aussie Gold Torch Colour and Growth Pattern
The Aussie Gold Torch coral stands apart from all other torch coral varieties by its coloration. Many other high end torch varieties are hard to tell apart and their names can vary from vendor to vendor and even country to country. The Aussie Gold Torch Coral however is never confused with any other variety because of its distinct fat polyps, gold color and white tips.
There really isn’t another torch coral like the aussie gold torch coral. Like all torch corals they grow in a branching pattern where a single head will pinch and separate into two heads.
Ulinlike other torch corals this species grows painfully slow and is very hard to propagate in reef tanks. They have a powerful sting that will kill just about any other coral they touch.
Position them somewhere where they will have room to grow without stinging other corals.
Aussie Gold Torch Coral Habitat and Care
The aussie gold torch is found only in Australian and the great barrier reef. It used to be plentiful but climate change and over harvesting have led to a massive decline of wild populations. This has led to a huge price increase for these torches in the aquarium trade. Because of their rarity they are always sold per individual head. They used to sell for about $80-100 per head but not can go for anywhere between $400-500 per head !
Like all torch corals they require moderate flow and moderate light. Flow is really the key to keeping torch corals happy. Too little flow and they can get covered in detritus and are subject to bacterial infections. Too much flow and they can’t open leading to starvation and death.
Like other LPS corals, Gold Torch corals will consume alkalinity and calcium in order to build their stony skeletons, so it is important to monitor levels of these elements, and also magnesium, to ensure the health of the coral long term. Torch corals are all photosynthetic so they are able to meet their energy needs by utilizing aquarium lighting but they can also be fed an LPS pellet food or other meaty foods if desired. Feeding will increase the growth rate of the coral and may improve coloration.
Aussie Golden Torch Coral Propagation
The growth pattern of this torch is unlike most other torches. The heads grow in large clustered bodies, whereas most torch grow in longer skinnier branches. This is the single hardest torch coral to frag because of its structure. Its hard to cut in between the heads because they are so tightly knit together and connected by connective tissue. From personal experience I have killed many of these torch corals simply from attempting to frag. I have never seen anyone grow out a large colony of the aussie gold torch in captivity. The gold torch is at a high risk of infection after frsgging.
Summary
We recommend only trying to keep this torch coral if you are a very experienced reefer with expansive knowledge on water chemistry.
As previously mentioned this is the single hardest torch coral of all the different varieties to keep !
Recommended Parameters
• Salinity 1.024
• Alkalinity 9.0
• Calcium 450
• Magnesium 1500
• No3 ~10
• Po4 ~0.06