By appointment only. Call or text (971) 374-4572 before you visit.

Add seaweed to any coral order for free standard shipping.

Reef shop ? Aquarium & pond care ? Salem, Oregon

Salem?s hidden reef.

Rare, aquacultured corals and live tropical fish, photographed exactly as they are, plus the hands-on care that keeps your tank or pond thriving.

Shop live corals Get a free quote

Visits by appointment. Call or text (971) 374-4572

  • WYSIWYG photos
  • Aquacultured corals
  • Livestock Protection Promise
  • Euphyllia glabrescensTorch coral
  • Plerogyra sinuosaBubble coral
  • Ricordea yumaRicordea
  • Cynarina lacrymalisCat?s eye coral
  • GonioporaFlowerpot coral
  • Euphyllia ancoraHammer coral
  • Lysmata amboinensisSkunk cleaner shrimp
  • Catalaphyllia jardineiElegance coral
  • Acanthophyllia deshayesianaDonut coral
  • Blastomussa wellsiBlasto
  • Trachyphyllia geoffroyiOpen brain coral
  • ClavulariaDaisy coral
  • StichodactylaCarpet anemone
  • TurboTurban snail

What brings you to the Cavern?

Shop

In the tanks now

We photograph every coral ourselves, under our own lights. The one in the picture is the one you take home.

Goniopora Garden: a frag plug crowded with red, yellow and violet flowerpot polyps
  • WYSIWYG
  • Tank-raised 1 yr+

LPS ? Frag ? ~1 in

Goniopora Garden

Goniopora sp.

Light
Moderate
Flow
Gentle

$385.00

Branching Banana Hammer coral with yellow-tipped hammer tentacles under blue light
  • WYSIWYG
  • Aquacultured

LPS ? Frag ? 1?2 heads

Branching Banana Hammer

Euphyllia ancora

Light
Moderate
Flow
Gentle?mod

$135.00

Skunk cleaner shrimp with a red and white back stripe and long white antennae on live rock
  • Reef-safe

Invert ? Cleanup crew

Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

Lysmata amboinensis

Light
Any
Flow
Moderate

$40.00

Cat Eye Bubble Coral with plump, yellow-rimmed bubbles
  • WYSIWYG
  • Aquacultured

LPS ? 2?3 in inflated

Cat Eye Bubble Coral

Plerogyra sinuosa

Light
Low?mod
Flow
Low?mod

$150.00

Turban snail with a ridged, spiraled shell resting in a hand
  • Reef-safe

Invert ? Algae grazer

Turban Snail

Turbo sp.

Light
Any
Flow
Mod?strong

$35.00

Daisy coral: green stalks topped with pale, star-shaped polyps
  • WYSIWYG
  • Beginner-friendly

Soft coral ? Fast grower

Daisy Coral

Knopia / Clavularia

Light
Moderate
Flow
Moderate

$135.00

Cynaria Ultra: a pink, fleshy cat?s eye coral with a violet center
  • WYSIWYG
  • Ultra grade

LPS ? 2?3 in inflated

Cynaria Ultra

Cynarina lacrymalis

Light
Low?mod
Flow
Low

$250.00

See all 26 pieces in the shop

Looking for something you don?t see? We can often find it. Tell us what you?re after.

Rare & one of a kind

The collector?s shelf

Showpiece corals from around the globe, aquacultured and photographed as they are. When one is gone, it?s gone.

Acanthophyllia with swirled red and green fleshy tissue

One of one ? 4?6 in inflated

Acanthophyllia

Acanthophyllia deshayesiana

Swirled red and green. The crown jewel of LPS.

$650.00

Ultra Goblin Goniopora with violet and white polyps around neon green centers

WYSIWYG frag

Ultra Goblin Goniopora

Goniopora sp.

Neon-centered polyps that pulse in the current.

$450.00

Shop all corals

Reef tank cross-section Light is strongest at the top of the tank and fades toward the sand, and flow is strongest at the top and calmest at the bottom. SPS corals sit on the top rocks, LPS corals on the middle rock, and soft corals and fleshy LPS on the sand. Acropora Montipora Torch Hammer Goniopora Ricordea Acanthophyllia Bubble TOP THIRD ? SPS MIDDLE ? LPS BOTTOM ? SOFT & SAND-BED LPS LIGHT
Light fades and flow softens with depth. Hover a zone to see who lives there.

Find your coral level

Every coral has its place in the reef.

Match a coral to the zone it loves and it will color up and grow. Start where your light, your flow and your experience fit.

  1. Top third

    SPS Small-polyp stony

    Bright light, strong flow and rock-steady water. Best once your tank has matured.

    Light
    High
    Flow
    Strong
    Care
    Advanced

    Acropora, Montipora

  2. Middle rock

    LPS Large-polyp stony

    Fleshy, flowing corals that like moderate light and gentle, indirect flow.

    Light
    Moderate
    Flow
    Gentle
    Care
    Easy?moderate

    Torch, hammer, Goniopora

  3. Bottom & sand bed

    Soft corals & sand-bed LPS

    Calm water and softer light. The forgiving place to start, and home to the fleshy showpieces.

    Light
    Low?moderate
    Flow
    Low
    Care
    Easy

    Ricordea, Daisy Coral, bubble, Acanthophyllia

Reef vitals

The numbers that keep a reef alive.

Stable water beats perfect water. These are the ranges we recommend for a thriving reef aquarium, and the ones we?ll check when we test your water.

A day in a healthy reef Illustration
Time14:00
pH8.20
Temp77.0?F
StatusIn range
Over 24 hours, pH rises from about 8.14 when the lights come on to about 8.36 when they go off, then falls overnight. Temperature holds between 76.5 and 77.3?F. Both stay inside the recommended bands.
pH climbs while the lights are on and corals photosynthesize, then drifts down overnight. Temperature barely moves. Both stay inside their bands.
Recommended ranges
ParameterRange
Specific gravity1.024?1.026
Temperature75?78?F
pH8.1?8.4
Calcium380?450 ppm
Alkalinity8?9 dKH
Magnesium1,300?1,450 ppm
Nitrate (NO3)10?30 ppm
Phosphate0.01?0.1 ppm
Nitrite (NO2)Undetectable
Ammonia (NH3)Undetectable

Not sure where your tank sits?

Bring a water sample to your visit. We?ll test it and message you the results.

Text us to book a visit

How we work

Healthy stock, honest photos, a promise in writing.

Live animals deserve a careful shop. Here is what you can expect from us before, during and after your order.

A carpet anemone on a frag rack in our tank, photographed under blue reef light
WYSIWYG

Photographed by us

Every coral is shot in our tanks. What you see is what you get.

Aquacultured first

Tank-raised corals settle in faster and leave wild reefs alone.

A care guide for each species

Lighting, flow, placement and feeding notes for the coral you bought.

Packed for the weather

Double-bagged in an insulated box, with heat or cold packs matched to your forecast.

Ask before you buy

Not sure a fish will get along with your tank? We?ll talk compatibility first.

Holds when you need them

Not ready for delivery yet? Ask us to hold your order.

Coral orders
2 weeks
Fish orders
5 business days

Livestock Protection Promise

If it doesn?t make it, we make it right.

When livestock we ship doesn?t survive its coverage window, we issue store credit for the purchase price. Send a photo inside the window and we?ll take care of the rest.

Covered for DeliveryDay 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5
InvertsArrive Alive Photos on delivery day
Saltwater fish3 days Photo or video within 3 days
Coral frags5 days Clear photo within 5 days

To make a claim, email coralcavern7@gmail.com with:

  1. A clear photo or video of the animal under white light
  2. A photo of your aquarium setup
  3. Your order number or packing slip

Keep frags on their plugs for 5 days, and don?t throw out or return anything until we?ve replied in writing. If a box arrives damaged, accept it and photograph everything. Shipping costs aren?t credited. The promise covers shipped orders, so please look pickups over with us before you leave.

Aquarium & pond services

We build it, move it and keep it beautiful.

Design, installation and steady maintenance for aquariums in homes and businesses around Salem, and now ponds too. Every quote is free. See every service in detail.

A built-in reef aquarium glowing in a modern living room at dusk

Start here

Design & consulting

Reef, freshwater or nano, planned around your room, your budget and the animals you love.

  • Equipment and lighting plans
  • Stocking lists that get along
  • Aquascape layout
  • Second opinions on existing tanks
Request a quote
A freshly aquascaped reef tank with white rock arches above an open cabinet and sump

New setups & moves

Installations & relocations

New tanks built clean, and established tanks moved without losing a fish.

  • Stands, sumps and plumbing
  • Lighting and RO setup
  • Cycling guidance
  • Moves across the room or across town
Request a quote
A gloved hand cleaning aquarium glass with a magnetic scraper

We come to you

Maintenance & cleaning

Scheduled visits that keep water stable and glass spotless.

  • Water changes
  • Glass, rock and algae cleaning
  • Filter, skimmer and pump service
  • Water testing and livestock checks
Request a quote
A long reef aquarium set into the stone wall of an office lobby

Homes & businesses

Commercial & residential

Lobbies, offices, restaurants and clinics get a tank that always looks its best. Homes get a reef without the chores.

  • Showpiece builds
  • Scheduled care plans
  • One point of contact
Request a quote
A backyard koi pond with water lilies, mossy stones and ferns

NewPonds & water features

Pond maintenance

Clear water and healthy koi through every Oregon season.

  • Spring opening and cleanout
  • Pump, filter and UV service
  • Algae control and water testing
  • Fall netting and winter prep
Request a quote

How a service works

  1. 1

    Tell us about it

    Send the quote form with a few photos, or just call.

  2. 2

    We talk it through

    A quick call or visit to see your space and your goals.

  3. 3

    You get a clear plan

    Scope, schedule and price, agreed before we start.

  4. 4

    We do the work

    Careful with your livestock and tidy in your space.

  5. 5

    We keep it thriving

    Regular visits, water testing and new livestock when you want it.

New: pond maintenance

Ponds, too.

Koi ponds and water features need the same steady hand as a reef. We clean, balance and care for ponds around Salem, season by season.

Book pond care
Tap the water to feed the koi. Pick a season to change the pond.
Colorado Sunburst anemone glowing orange on live rock Red-mouth elegance coral with yellow-tipped tentacles Bi-color Goniopora with teal-to-lavender polyps around yellow mouths

From our tanks, shot on our lights

About Coral Cavern

A small reef shop in West Salem.

Coral Cavern is Kate?s shop: a by-appointment reef room stocked with rare corals from around the globe, aquacultured frags, fish and cleanup crew.

Every visit is one on one, so there?s time for questions, whether it?s your first nano or your fiftieth frag. The same hands that pick and photograph the corals also design, install and look after aquariums and ponds across town.

?We specialize in rare and unique corals from all around the globe.?

Tank it easy.

What reefers say

  • ?I really appreciate Rick & Coral Cavern! I get all my corals, RO and saltwater here. Rick always has a great selection of healthy corals at a good price.?

    Josh P. Google review ? March 2025

  • ?Very knowledgeable. If you?re new, experienced, or just rebooting your tank come check them out.?

    Hai N. Google review ? December 2023

  • ?Awesome fish and customer service. Got my first albino crawdad from these guys.?

    Ruben C. Google review ? September 2024

Questions

Good to know before you dive in.

The things people ask us most. Anything else, call or text (971) 374-4572.

Can I just stop by?
We?re by appointment only. Call or text (971) 374-4572 before you head over and we?ll set a time and have your pieces ready.
Do you ship corals and fish?
Yes. Standard shipping takes 3?5 business days from dispatch. Add seaweed to any coral order and standard shipping is free.
What if something arrives dead?
Email photos inside the coverage window: 5 days for coral frags, 3 days for saltwater fish, delivery day for inverts. We?ll issue store credit for the purchase price.
Does the promise cover local pickup?
It covers shipped orders. For pickups, look your livestock over with us before you leave.
What does WYSIWYG mean?
What you see is what you get: the coral in the photo is the exact one we bag for you.
Can you hold my order?
Yes. We hold coral orders for up to 2 weeks and fish for up to 5 business days.
Can I cancel an order?
Yes. Choose store credit that?s good for a year, or a refund minus a 20% cancellation fee.
Can you find a fish or coral you don?t list?
Often, yes. Tell us what you?re after and we?ll let you know what we can get.
Which corals are best for a first reef?
Start with forgiving corals like Daisy Coral, Blastomussa or a Cat Eye Bubble Coral. Save SPS until your water is stable. Our first-corals guide has more.
Do you test water?
Yes. Bring a sample to your visit and we?ll message you the results.
Do you sell RO water and saltwater?
Yes. Ask for it when you book your visit.
Should I quarantine new fish?
We strongly recommend it. A cycled quarantine tank is one of the best investments you can make for a healthy reef.

Free quote

Tell us about your tank or pond.

Aquarium design, installs, moves, maintenance and pond care. Share a few details and photos, and we?ll reply with a plan and a price.

  1. 1Send the form. Photos help a lot.
  2. 2We reach out by phone or email with any questions.
  3. 3You get a clear plan and price, with no obligation.

Rather talk it through?

Call or text (971) 374-4572 coralcavern7@gmail.com

Free quote request

Aquarium service, maintenance, custom installs and pond care

How did you hear about us?
Would you like to receive updates, offers, and specials from Coral Cavern via email?
Upload images (optional)

We only use your details to reply to this request, and to send specials if you said yes.

Visit

Find the Cavern.

By appointment only. Call or text before you come, and we?ll meet you with your order ready.

Address 1341 Ranier Loop NW
Salem, OR 97304 West Salem
Get directions (971) 374-4572