Pillar Coral moved to Critically Endangered on IUCN Red List

The Pillar Coral (Dendrogyra cylindrus), has moved from Vulnerable to Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List after its population shrunk by over 80% across most of its range since 1990. The most urgent threat is from Stony Coral Tissue…

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…

Coral larvae successfully stained to track dispersal and settlement 

Researchers have used a harmless dye to stain coral spawn and track its dispersal and settlement on the reef. Christopher Doropoulos and George Roff of CSIRO Oceans & Atmosphere, Australia, developed the low-cost technique to provide a quick, simple, and…

Northern Star Coral shifts microbial communities while dormant 

A study led by the University of California has found that microbial communities within the Northern Star Coral, Astrangia poculata, shift while it enters dormancy, providing it an important seasonal reset. The work carried out by Assistant Professor Anya Brown…

Why 2022 has been the year of the Indonesian Torch Coral

Visit your local reef store this weekend and we can guarantee that several of the conversations you will overhear will be about Euphyllia glabrescens, the Torch Coral. Torches have always been popular because of their flowing tentacles and movement, but…

Coral-covered reefs mean starvation for parrotfish

The good folks over at Coral Sea Foundation have uncovered an interesting paper on parrotfish that challenges the existing norms on their role on the reef. Until now, Parrotfishes (Family Scaridae) were thought to be herbivores that eat algae and…

Stony coral ID guide launched at CITES CoP 19

A guide named “Identification of CITES-listed live stony corals in the aquarium trade” has been formally launched at the CITES CoP 19 meeting in Panama. The guide is the product of a research project led by the Centre for Environment,…

Bowers are UCA’s favorite coral of all

Homophyllia bowerbanki is a classy-looking member of the Lobophylliidae family that we obtain primarily from Australia. The combination of those larger than Lords corallites, collectible color morphs, and patterns to rival their H.australis cousins has made them popular with reefkeepers…

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…