TankBud

Alveopora coral

Alveopora

Also known as Flowerpot Coral, Daisy Coral, Flower Coral

SaltwaterCoral

Alveopora coral (Alveopora)
Ryan Boren · CC BY 2.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–81°F
24–27°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
7.9 in
20 cm
Minimum tank
11 gal
40 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Medium
Rarity
Common
Reef safe
Reef safe
Family
Acroporidae
Origin
Indo-Pacific, including Fiji, Tonga, the Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef

Overview

Moderate light around 50–100 PAR suits it well, and it tolerates more current than Goniopora, doing best in medium to fairly brisk flow that keeps its short tentacles swaying. Place it low to mid in the tank, out of any direct jet. It is generally considered hardier and more forgiving than Goniopora, though it still benefits from occasional feedings of powdered plankton or small mysis and brine shrimp a few times a week rather than needing daily target feeding. It has no sweeper tentacles and will not sting or bother its neighbors.

In the wild

Alveopora grows on protected reef flats and lagoon slopes through the Indo-Pacific, often nestled among rubble where gentle to moderate current keeps it clean. Each polyp carries a ring of thick, short tentacles that stay extended most of the day, giving a colony the same fuzzy, flower-like look as its close look-alike Goniopora. In the aquarium it does best low to mid, on the sandbed or lower rockwork, where it can react to passing current without being battered.

Good to know

Despite the strong resemblance to Goniopora, Alveopora was moved out of the family Poritidae and into Acroporidae once molecular studies showed it is genetically closer to Acropora and Montipora than to its old flowerpot neighbor. The easiest way to tell the two apart by eye is tentacle count: Alveopora carries 12 short, blunt tentacles per polyp, while Goniopora carries 24 longer, wispier ones. It hosts zooxanthellae for the bulk of its energy but also captures fine food particles from the water column.

Did you know

Alveopora and Goniopora look close enough to fool most reefers at a glance, but genetically they are not even in the same coral family, with Alveopora's closest relatives turning out to be the SPS staples Acropora and Montipora.

Common questions

What size tank does an Alveopora coral need?

An Alveopora coral needs at least 11 gal (40 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does an Alveopora coral need?

An Alveopora coral is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.

How big does an Alveopora coral get?

An adult Alveopora coral reaches about 7.9 in (20 cm).

Related species