Favia sp.

Favia is a striking LPS coral whose individual corallites form a dense, often rounded or dome-shaped colony. The coloration varies greatly depending on the individual, and the same coral can display several different colors in the centers and edges of the corallites.

The name Favia is still commonly used in the aquarium trade, even though many Indo-Pacific corals previously classified under the genus Favia are now classified under genera such as Dipsastraea. The care requirements for these LPS corals sold under the trade name Favia are very similar.

Characteristics

• LPS coral with large and clearly distinguishable corallites
• Grows as an encrusting and gradually thick or dome-shaped colony
• Available in numerous different colors and patterns
• Moderately easy to care for in a stable reef aquarium
• Can form long sweeper tentacles and sting nearby corals

Care

Light: Moderate, approximately 100–150 PAR. Favia can also adapt to stronger lighting, but new corals should be acclimated to light gradually.

Flow: Moderate and indirect. Water movement should keep the coral surface clean without strong direct flow constantly pressing on the soft tissue.

Placement: Leave adequate space around it. Favia can use long sweeper tentacles, especially at night, which can harm other corals. A good starting point is a minimum distance of about 8–10 cm from other corals, but more space may be needed depending on the individual.

Feeding: Obtains a large part of its energy from its photosynthetic symbiotic algae-containing tissues and nutrients in the water. Separate feeding is not essential, but small, protein-rich coral food, mysis, or other suitable zooplankton-like food can support growth.

Recommended Water Parameters

• Temperature: 24–26 °C
• Salinity: 34–35 ppt
• KH: 7–9 dKH
• Calcium: 400–450 mg/l
• Magnesium: 1250–1400 mg/l
• Nitrate: 2–15 mg/l
• Phosphate: 0.03–0.15 mg/l
• pH: 8.0–8.4

More important than precisely aiming for a single value is maintaining water parameters as stable as possible.

Additional Information

• Scientific Name: Favia sp. / trade name
• Coral Type: LPS
• Origin: Indo-Pacific
• Difficulty Level: Easy–Moderate
• Light: Moderate, approx. 100–150 PAR
• Flow: Moderate, indirect
• Aggressiveness: Strong