Even experts on this species of coral ( Dendronephyta ) have not been able to keep these corals long term. They have very specific requirements for flow, food particle size and other environmental conditions we have been unsuccessful to replicate. The goniopora is a little less finicky but the most common species seen in stores - Goniopora dijboutiensis is the worst, that being the greenish round dome one. Anecdotally the reds are supposed to be somewhat hardier as are some of the branching species but most all fade around the one year mark. You will occasionally find exceptions to this but it is rare. Basically they are cheap, abundant, corals that people keep buying and sticking in their tanks to die over and over again. Having a goniopora slightly more than a year is about the best success most people have - if you can keep it alive for 5 or more years I'd say you have some of it's captive requirements figured out and should share.


PeeJ - I know it's hard not to impulse buy , but ask a question here or better yet get a couple of good books you can read up on some of the different species that are in the trade. Eric Borneman's Aquarium Corals is about the best single book reference and is fairly inexpensive. Reading that will save you from wasting a lot of money and killing animals in the future.