Favia sp.

Favia is a striking LPS coral, with individual corallites forming a dense, often rounded or dome-shaped colony. The coloration varies greatly depending on the specimen, and a single coral may exhibit several different colors in the centers and edges of its 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 distinctly separated corallites
• Grows as an encrusting colony, gradually becoming thick or dome-shaped
• Available in numerous different 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, around 100–150 PAR. Favia can adapt to stronger lighting, but a new coral should be acclimated to the light gradually.

Flow: Moderate and indirect. Water movement should keep the coral's surface clean without strong direct flow constantly pressing against 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 specimen.

Feeding: Obtains a large part of its energy from its symbiotic algae-containing tissues through photosynthesis and from 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–medium
• Light: Moderate, around 100–150 PAR
• Flow: Moderate, indirect
• Aggressiveness: High