These two iconic Acropora are so closely related that for many years A. spathulata were thought to be thick versions of Acropora millepora on the top and exposed reef. Acropora spathulata was even called A. millepora by the most eminent…
Acropora horrida has so much aquarium potential
Some species of Acropora can go under the radar for many years until, during a dive, we pass by a large field of them, and wonder why this particular Acro is not in all reef tanks. Acropora horrida is quite…
Acropora tenuis is both the easiest and the hardest at the same time
With 25 years at the top of the industry, the most popular Acropora in our hobby cannot be dethroned. So what’s so special about it? This coral gives everyone mixed feelings. It has a tendency towards sudden death, but if…
Grafted Pikachu Acropora anthocercis is a rare sight
It’s the spawning season, and like every year, we spend many nights for months, doing night dives, and observing different spawning species. With coral spawning, there are many missed nights, where nothing is happening. Going from coral to coral, checking…
Russell Kelley Online Coral ID Workshop is back in January 2023
After overwhelmingly positive feedback from the previous workshops, the Online Coral ID Workshops are back, and now spanning 4 days. That’s 16 hours of Indo-Pacific Coral ID Training! Proper coral identification matters and this workshop will teach you all the…
Heliopora hiberniana is more common than we thought
Helioporacea is a pretty unique order of Octocorallia (soft corals), which was thought for a very long time to contain only one single species, Heliopora coerulea, the famous Blue Ridge Coral that incorporates copper into its skeleton. This coral is very…
Acropora awi is another deepwater beauty!
Acropora awi is a deep water Acropora that has been grown in Indonesian mariculture farms for quite a while. Nevertheless, it has never had the credit it deserves, probably due to misidentification, and its dull natural coloration. But after cooking…
The Mimic Anemone strikes again, this time pretending to be algae!
It’s not the first time we’ve written about the insane anemone, Phyllodiscus semoni, and its crazy ability to disguise itself in its environment, mimicking different species of corals such as Acropora, Porites, Tubipora, Sinularia, Algae, and even other anemones. And…
Giant Acropora tenuis spotted in Bali
We’ve been growing Acropora tenuis in their millions for over 20 years now and have been roaming Indonesian reefs for over 25 years. So we can say we’ve seen our fair share of tenuis, but there are some colonies that…
Grafted Millepora are not as rare as we thought
Grafted corals are the reef aquarium’s holy grail. They demand a high price tag and are highly sort after by many of us. Acropora millepora is the second most popular Acropora after Acropora tenuis, and a good, grafted millepora is…