Description
Anacropora are found in the Indo-Pacific off the shores of Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and on the Great Barrier Reef. However, the frags sold here are aquacultured by ORA. These corals are grown in aquariums instead of being collected from the ocean, which comes with benefits that we’ll discuss later.
Although it has a similar name as Acropora, Anacropora are more similar to montipora. They have widely spread out polyps without any corallites. They don’t require as much light as Acropora, though they can be kept under similar outputs. This is a great coral for anyone that wants something similar to Acropora without the sensitivity of Acropora. This Neon Green Anacropora from ORA is even easier to keep because it’s aquacultured.
Let’s go over the basic care requirements for this awesome coral so you can decide if it’s right for your aquarium. To start, we’ll talk about lighting. Anacropora can be placed under 100-300 micromoles of PAR or moderate to high light. Towards the lower end of that range, the coral with have deeper, richer colors with brown polyps. Under the upper end of that range, the coral with have a lighter, softer coloration. If you want to place this coral around the 200-300 micromoles of PAR range, make sure you acclimate first. Start the coral in lower light and gradually move it into higher light over a month or a few months. This will greatly reduce the risk of bleaching and color loss.
What about flow? Generally, Anacropora can be given medium to strong water movement. It doesn’t require as much flow as Acropora, but it will require stronger flow as the colony gets larger. Flow is important because it provides the coral with needed nutrients and base elements while also keeping the coral clean. If you have a large colony with too little flow, the inside parts of the coral won’t receive needed nutrients or base elements and will have detritus buildup.
Anacropora is an extremely fast growing stony coral. For this reason, it requires consistent elevated levels of calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium. You might be able to replenish these elements with water changes if you only have a few stony corals. As your corals grow and you add more, supplementation is often required via a calcium reactor, dosing, or kalkwasser. With a fast growing stony coral like Anacropora, you will need experience testing the base elements and adjusting your dosage accordingly.
As for your other parameters, things are pretty standard. Keep your nitrates around 1-5 ppm and your phosphates as close to 0.01 ppm as possible but not 0. Keep the temperature between 72-78 degrees Fahrenheit and stable.
Lastly, what are the feeding requirements for this coral? Like most corals, Anacropora gets most of its nutritional needs from the products of the zooxanthellae within it. For this reason, feeding is not required, and it’s small polyp size makes feeding rather futile. However, dosing your aquarium with live phytoplankton and amino acids will greatly benefit this coral and all your other corals.
Care requirements
Purchase Size: 1 – 2″
Placement: You can place this coral anywhere as long as its lighting and flow requirements are met.
Lighting: Medium to high.
Flow: Moderate to strong.
Parameters: 72-78° F, pH 8.1-8.4, salinity 32-35 ppt
Calcium: 350-450 ppm
Alkalinity: 8-12 dKH
Magnesium: 1,250-1,350 ppm
More Information
Aquacultured corals like this Neon Green Anacropora from ORA are better adapted to aquarium life and overall hardier than corals collected from the ocean. There is also a much lower chance that they will carry pests or diseases, though you should still dip and/or quarantine them in case. Want to know the best part? These corals are more sustainable and environmentally friendly!
