Aussie Highlighter Acropora
Aussie Highlighter Acropora is a standout SPS coral. Its neon yellow-green branches glow under blue light. With the right care, this coral becomes a bright centerpiece in any reef tank.
Understanding Aussie Highlighter Acropora
This coral comes from shallow, high-energy Australian reefs. It is used to strong light and heavy flow. In captivity, it needs similar conditions to keep its bright color and tight polyp structure.
Provide strong PAR in the 250–350 range at the coral’s level. Use high-quality LED, T5, or hybrid lighting. Place the frag high on the rockwork. Start lower and move it up slowly over 2–3 weeks. Sudden intense light can cause bleaching.
Flow should be strong and random. Aim for 30–50 times tank turnover per hour. Use two or more wavemakers facing each other. Avoid direct, laminar flow blasting the colony. You want polyps moving gently, not folding over.
Keep stable water parameters. Target these ranges:
- Temperature: 77–79°F (25–26°C)
- Salinity: 1.025–1.026 specific gravity
- Alkalinity: 8–9 dKH, with less than 0.3 dKH swing per day
- Calcium: 420–450 ppm
- Magnesium: 1300–1400 ppm
- Nitrate: 5–15 ppm, not zero
- Phosphate: 0.03–0.08 ppm
Use a reliable test kit or controller. Log results weekly. Watch for slow drifts before problems appear.
Placement, Feeding, and Troubleshooting
Place Aussie Highlighter Acropora in a mature tank. The system should be at least 8–10 months old. Avoid adding it to new, unstable setups. Start with a healthy frag from a trusted source. Look for strong color, good polyp extension, and no tissue recession.
Mount the frag on a clean, stable plug or rock. Use reef-safe super glue gel. Give at least 2–3 inches of space from other corals. Avoid aggressive neighbors like some LPS with long sweeper tentacles.
- Acclimate to light over 14–21 days.
- Acclimate to flow by starting in moderate areas, then moving higher.
- Quarantine new frags for 2–4 weeks when possible.
This coral gets most energy from light and dissolved nutrients. Still, light feeding helps growth. Twice per week, broadcast feed a fine coral food. Turn off return pumps for 20–30 minutes. Keep wavemakers on low to keep food suspended.
- Do not overfeed; watch nutrient levels.
- Skim efficiently to prevent algae blooms.
- Perform 10–15% water changes every 2 weeks.
Common issues include pale color, burnt tips, and tissue loss. Pale color often means too little nutrients or too much light. Slightly raise nitrate and phosphate, or lower PAR by 10–20%. Burnt tips can signal rapid alkalinity swings. Check dosing schedules and calibrate dosing pumps.
If you see base recession, act fast. Check for pests like Acropora-eating flatworms or red bugs. Dip the coral using an appropriate coral dip for 5–10 minutes. Improve flow around the base. Remove any detritus trapped near the skeleton.
With stable parameters, strong light, and clean flow, Aussie Highlighter Acropora rewards you. Its neon branches will grow into a bright, branching colony that lights up the entire reef.
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