ORA Blue Lagoon Acan Coral

Quick facts

Handling caution: Sweeper tentacles can sting skin and neighboring corals; wear gloves when fragging to avoid irritation from coral slime

Identity

Also known as

Blue Lagoon Micromussa; ORA Acan Lord

Synonyms

Micromussa lordhowensis

Environment

Saltwater

Native to

Australia, Indo-Pacific, Lord Howe Island

Habitat

Sheltered reef slopes and lagoons with moderate light and gentle to moderate water movement

Sourcing

Both

Conservation

Not Evaluated

Care

Care level

Moderate

Coral type

LPS

Temperament

Semi-Aggressive

Growth form

Colonial polyps

Adult size

1 – 6 in (2.5 – 15 cm)

Spread

12 in (30 cm)

Growth rate

Slow

Placement

Low, Middle

Water

Temperature

76 – 80 °F (24 – 27 °C)

pH

8.0 – 8.4

dKH

8 – 10 dKH

Salinity

1.025 – 1.026 SG

PAR

50 – 125 PAR

Flow

Low-Moderate

Light

Low

Reef care

Nutrient preference

Medium

Alk/Ca uptake

Medium

Target feeding

Beneficial

Give it room

5 in (13 cm)

Colors

Green, Teal, Purple, Orange, Red, Cream, Multicolor

Feeding & breeding

Diet

Photosynthetic

Foods

Frozen, Zooplankton, Coral food, Micro-pellets

Propagation

Fragging

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Care guide

Overview

Suited to reefkeepers who want a fleshy focal coral without SPS-level demands, this aquacultured strain shows fleshy polyps in green, teal and purple tones broken by sandy white stripes. Each head inflates broadly under low to moderate light, retracting after dark to extend short feeding tentacles. Give it isolated placement, since neighboring colonies can be stung.

Care

Acan Lords adapt well to typical reef tank conditions once alkalinity, calcium, and salinity are kept stable, making them a reasonable choice for reefkeepers past the total beginner stage. Low to moderate lighting in the 50-125 PAR range paired with gentle, indirect flow keeps the fleshy polyps inflated and prevents bleaching or retraction. Sudden swings in alkalinity or salinity are poorly tolerated, so gradual acclimation to a new tank or new placement is recommended.

Placement & acclimation

Mount frags or colonies on stable rock in a low to mid position, either on a shaded ledge or near the sandbed, and avoid placing directly on the main rockwork where it can overgrow neighbors. Acclimate to lighting gradually by starting at the lower end of the PAR range and increasing over one to two weeks, using a screen or shortened photoperiod initially. Drip acclimation over 30-45 minutes is advisable for new arrivals to adjust to tank salinity and parameters.

Feeding

Zooxanthellae supply a portion of daily energy, but regular target feeding drives better growth and color saturation. Offer small meaty foods such as mysis, chopped shrimp, or fine coral pellets once or twice a week after the lights dim, when the short feeder tentacles extend. Some keepers also broadcast-feed fine plankton or powdered foods to supply nutrients across the whole colony.

Neighbors

Give at least 4 to 6 inches of clearance from other stony corals, since this species extends sweeper tentacles at night and can sting nearby colonies. It is best kept away from more delicate SPS and other slow-growing LPS that cannot recover quickly from stings. Placement on an isolated rock or ledge rather than directly on the main reef structure limits contact as the colony spreads.

Fragging

Colonies frag readily by cutting between polyp centers with a coral saw, bandsaw, or bone cutters once several heads have formed. Wear gloves and safety glasses, since the coral produces significant defensive slime and mucus when cut. Fresh frags should be kept in lower flow with stable parameters until tissue has recovered over the cut edges.

Pests & problems

Excess light commonly causes bleaching, faded coloration, and chronic polyp retraction, so a colony that stops opening should be moved lower in the tank before other causes are investigated. Unstable alkalinity or handling damage can lead to tissue recession or bacterial brown jelly infection, which is best managed by fragging away the affected polyps and improving flow. Pests such as flatworms or nudibranchs occasionally target Acan colonies and warrant a dip on arrival or during quarantine.

Sources

1. Introduction To Acan (Micromussa lordhowensis) Care | Reef Builders
2. We take a look at Micromussa lordhowensis – Essex Marine Aquatics
3. Bright Eye Micromussa Acan Coral Care Guide | Top Shelf Aquatics
4. Acan Coral Care: Fragging, Mates, Tank Flow and Light

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