ECC Luminescence Anacropora

Quick facts

Handling caution: Skeleton is thin and brittle and can cut skin if handled carelessly

Identity

Also known as

Briar coral; Neon Green Anacropora

Environment

Saltwater

Native to

Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Indonesia, Great Barrier Reef (Australia)

Habitat

Shallow lagoons and reef flats with soft substrates and turbid, nutrient-tolerant water

Sourcing

Aquacultured

Conservation

Not Evaluated

Care

Care level

Moderate

Coral type

SPS

Temperament

Peaceful

Growth form

Branching

Adult size

1.5 – 12 in (3.8 – 30 cm)

Spread

18 in (46 cm)

Growth rate

Fast

Placement

Middle, High

Water

Temperature

76 – 80 °F (24 – 27 °C)

pH

8.1 – 8.4

dKH

7.5 – 12 dKH

Salinity

1.025 – 1.026 SG

PAR

100 – 300 PAR

Flow

Moderate-High

Light

Medium

Reef care

Nutrient preference

Medium

Alk/Ca uptake

High

Target feeding

Beneficial

Give it room

6 in (15 cm)

Colors

Green, Cream, Brown

Feeding & breeding

Diet

Photosynthetic

Foods

Coral food, Zooplankton, Phytoplankton

Propagation

Fragging

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Care guide

Overview

ECC Luminescence Anacropora is a branching SPS colony with neon green tissue and red-tipped polyps along each branch. Like other Anacropora it grows fast, forgives minor water quality swings better than Acropora, and needs open placement with strong flow to develop full, dense branching.

Care

Anacropora is often recommended as a stepping stone into SPS keeping, sitting between Montipora and Acropora in difficulty. It tolerates minor swings in alkalinity, calcium, and nutrient levels better than most small polyp stony corals, and it does reasonably well even in systems with slightly elevated nitrate and phosphate. The skeleton is delicate and brittle, so placement should avoid areas where the branches can be knocked by fish, powerheads, or maintenance tools. Because growth is rapid, regular monitoring of alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium is important to keep pace with skeletal deposition.

Placement & acclimation

Mount frags on a stable rock or plug in an open area with room to spread, since this species tends not to fuse strongly to its base and can shift if flow is too strong. Acclimate new colonies starting near 100 PAR and increase gradually over several weeks toward the target range to prevent bleaching. Elevated placement with strong but not turbulent flow generally produces the best branch density and coloration.

Feeding

Most nutrition comes from photosynthesis via its zooxanthellae, but supplemental feeding of fine zooplankton or coral foods can support faster growth and denser branching. Broadcast feeding in the tank at night, when polyps extend fully, tends to work better than direct target feeding on the fragile branches. Stable trace elements and dissolved nutrients also feed the colony indirectly by supporting a healthy symbiotic algae population.

Neighbors

Give colonies generous clearance from neighboring corals since the fast horizontal growth can quickly encroach on adjacent frags and the branches are too fragile to compete physically. Anacropora is not particularly aggressive with sweeper tentacles, but nearby corals with long sweepers or stinging capability can damage its thin tissue. Fish that peck at coral tips or bulldoze rockwork are a greater risk to this species than to sturdier SPS.

Fragging

Colonies frag readily by cutting branches with a coral saw or shears once the colony has established a healthy growth pattern. Fragged pieces can be mounted directly onto plugs or rubble and typically encrust and resume branching within a few weeks under stable conditions. Because the skeleton is thin, cuts should be made cleanly to minimize tissue damage and reduce the chance of infection at the cut site.

Pests & problems

Bleaching can occur if a frag is moved into high light too quickly, so gradual acclimation over two to three weeks is recommended for new additions. The brittle branches are prone to breakage during shipping, aquascaping, or fragging, and broken tips can lead to tissue recession if flow or water quality is poor. Watch for typical SPS pests such as red bugs, flatworms, and Acropora-eating nudibranchs, though Anacropora is less commonly targeted than true Acropora.

Sources

1. ORA Neon Green Anacropora Coral - Bulk Reef Supply
2. ORA Neon Green Anacropora | AlgaeBarn
3. Anacropora Coral Care Guide - Lighting, Flow & Growth
4. Anacropora Coral Care - Tidal Gardens

Varieties in the catalog

ORA Neon Green Anacropora Coral

More SPS corals

JF Fox Flame AcroporaORA Australian Orchid BerryORA Green Marshall Island Gem Acropora CoralORA Hawkin's Blue Echinata CoralORA Indo Purple Tip Acropora CoralORA Juicy Grape Acropora