Tricolor Acropora

Acropora valida

Also known as Valida Acropora, Tricolor Valida, Acropora variabilis, Acro

SaltwaterCoral

Tricolor Acropora (Acropora valida) — David Witherall and Lyka · CC BY 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature: 75–81°F (24–27°C)
pH: 8.1–8.4
Adult size: 9.8 in (25 cm)
Minimum tank: 40 gal (150 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Solitary
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Difficult
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Common
Reef safe: Reef safe
Origin: Indo-Pacific
Family: Acroporidae

Overview

Keep it in a stable, mature reef of 150 liters or more with strong light around 200 to 400 PAR and strong, varied flow, placed in the upper half of the rockwork. Steady alkalinity, calcium and magnesium matter more than any single number, and frags should be light acclimated gradually rather than placed high straight away. It is peaceful, so leave it growth room away from stinging neighbors.

In the wild

A branching small polyp stony coral with one of the widest ranges of any Acropora, from the Red Sea across the Indian Ocean to the central Pacific. It grows as compact corymbose cushions of short upright branches on reef flats and upper slopes, in strong light and steady water motion. The classic aquarium look pairs purple branch tips with a green to cream body, which earned it the tricolor name.

Good to know

Acropora valida was described by Dana in 1846 and sits in the family Acroporidae, the largest group of reef building corals. Older literature, especially from the Red Sea, often used the junior synonym Acropora variabilis for the same species. It is regarded as one of the hardier, more adaptable Acropora and is a frequent subject of aquaculture.

Did you know

The tricolor valida was one of the first Acropora to be farmed commercially at scale, and aquacultured lines of it have been in continuous circulation since the early days of coral aquaculture.