Observations on an unknown acropora copepod parasite

We hate discovering coral parasites of any kind in our aquariums but at the very least there’s a modicum of surprise and intrigue when we encounter something new. The last time this happened we were dealing with the unusual Skeleton Erosion…

Observations on unusually colored Acropora in the Flores Sea

During the Fluval Sea Flores Expedition we came across a couple of specimens of unusual, bicolored Acropora colonies. It’s always surprising to meet with a single coral harboring two very different color patterns throughout the colony. We don’t exactly know the correct…

Green Acropora solitaryensis being exported from Australia

Acropora solitaryensis was once the name of an Acro so exalted, merely uttering its name around reefers would be a cause for silence. Back when all we had were fuzzy sticks, the plating Acro was the holy grail of SPS…

Meeting the classic Acropora abrolhosensis on a reef in Flores

The eraser tip shaped branch ends of Acropora abrolhosensis are iconic to our memory of the early days of SPS coral keeping. A nice fuzzy staghorn A. abrolhosensis is one of the most classic and recognizable corals that many reefing pioneers ever grew…

Rare Acropora robusta sighted in extreme flow environment

Acropora robusta is an interesting, thick branching staghorn coral which also happens to grow crazy fast in a high energy reef tank, especially when it is provided with “maximal” speeds for an aquarium. Often confused for Acropora abrotanoides, the main feature which…

The glorious colony shape of Acropora plumosa

Another day brings another interesting writeup on a notable stony coral we encountered on the Fluval Sea Flores Expedition. Like any good card-carrying Acropora lover we have perused all the pages of Corals of the World and distinctive species like Acropora pichoni…

The second unknown Acropora discovered on the Fluval Sea Flores Expedition

One of the most exciting outcomes we could have hoped for on the Fluval Sea Flores Expedition is to encounter some corals that have never been seen before. Early on we observed not one but two species of Acropora the likes of which…

Unknown Acropora species discovered on the Fluval Sea Flores Expedition

If we had one greatest hope for the Fluval Sea Flores Expedition, it was to find some new, undescribed, and otherwise unknown species of marine life, with stony corals topping our wish list. Wouldn’t you know it, on just the…

The Bali Shortcake is a new rosey colored Acropora latistella

The Bali Shortcake Acro is a color form of Acropora latistella with a unique tricolor appearance that originated from Bali, although the species is widespread in the whole Indo-Pacific region. It is red along the lower part of the branches then become bright yellow…

Handmade acropora ‘supercolonies’ intentionally spawned in an aquarium

The story of what Jamie Craggs and friends have accomplished with their ‘manufactured’ mother colonies is nothing short of astounding. Working at the Horniman Museum and Aquarium, in less than 12 months they went from frags, to sexually viable colonies…