The Hellfire Torch Coral is an Indonesian torch coral colour morph that is very popular among hobbyists and collectors. It has long flowing tentacles similar to other Indonesian torch corals and grows in a branching structure. What sets the Hellfire Torch Coral apart are its colours. Its tentacles are half gold, half purple with a green stripe near the base. The tips of the tentacles are either pink or purple and it is widely considered to be one of the most colourful torch corals. They are a colonial coral and grow through splitting, with a single head slowly dividing into two. Like all LPS corals, they grow a stony skeleton made out of sodium bicarbonate.
The Hellfire Torch Coral is found in shallower waters than many other varieties of torch corals, generally in water between 6 and 10 meters in high flow environments. They are most common on reef slopes. They are native to the waters of Indonesia and are also sometimes available as aquacultured specimens. Hobbyists have a number of different options for torch coral placement in a home aquarium. They can be placed on the sandbed on either a frag disc or a piece of rock, but are more often placed on the main rockwork. Whether they are placed on the sandbed or the rockwork it is important to give them lots of space, as they pack a powerful sting. Many hobbyists place a variety of different coloured torch corals together to create a “torch garden”.
Like other torches, the Hellfire Torch Coral requires moderate levels of light and flow. Flow should be sufficient to cause the tentacles to sway and move in the current but not so strong that they stay retracted. Strangely, insufficient flow can also cause the tentacles to remain underinflated.
Hellfire Torch Corals are photosynthetic and are able to use aquarium lighting to meet their energy needs. Spot feeding will likely increase the growth rate and can cause the coral to appear plumper and display more vibrant colours. Vitalis LPS Food is a good choice for hobbyists who wish to feed their torch corals.
It is fairly easy to frag any torch coral with the right equipment. Once there is a clear separation between heads, a bandsaw can be used to cut off the desired number of heads. Thinner heads can also be cut with coral cutters. It is worth considering an iodine dip after fragging to reduce the likelihood of infection.
The Hellfire Torch Coral is extremely popular among reefers and it is easy to see why. All torch corals provide beautiful movement in reef tanks but the Hellfire Torch is truly a standout.
