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 exhibit 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 corals previously classified under the Favia genus in the Indo-Pacific 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 defined corallites
• Grows as an encrusting, gradually thickening or dome-shaped colony
• Available in numerous colors and patterns
• Moderately easy to care for in a stable reef aquarium
• Can extend long sweeper tentacles and sting nearby corals

Care

Light: Moderate, about 100–150 PAR. Favia can also adapt to stronger lighting, but a new coral 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 sufficient space around it. Favia can extend long sweeper tentacles, especially at night, which can harm other corals. A good starting point is at least about 8–10 cm distance from other corals, but more space may be necessary depending on the individual.

Feeding: Obtains a large part of its energy from the photosynthetic symbiotic algae in its tissues and from nutrients in the water. Separate feeding is not essential, but small-sized protein-rich coral food, mysis, or other suitable zooplankton-mimicking 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 accurately targeting a single value is maintaining stable water parameters as much as possible.

Additional Information

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