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Favites sp. Candy Corn WYSYWIG
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Favia and Favites
When it comes to diversity, it's hard to think of a group of corals more visually diverse than Favias and Favites. These brain-shaped corals develop multiple growth forms and come in almost every imaginable color and pattern.
See below for additional care tips for Favias and Favites
Location
Favites are found on Indo-Pacific islands, including Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands, and the Great Barrier Reef.
Lighting
Moderate to high lighting works well. Favites don't change coloration much based on light intensity or type, unlike many other LPS corals. However, they may require a longer acclimation period to intense lighting.
Low light |
Low light is between 30 - 50 PAR per unit area |
Medium light |
Medium light is between 50 - 150 PAR per unit area |
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High light |
High light is above 150 PAR per unit area |
Water Flow
We recommend keeping the coral in a relatively low-flow area of the aquarium. Too much flow may stress this species and prevent full polyp extension.
Feeding
Like most corals, Favias and Favites rely heavily on their zooxanthellae, but in our experience, they also benefit from direct feeding. There are many frozen fish foods available that make excellent meals for Favias. We like to feed a mix of meaty foods such as shrimp, fish, and squid, enhanced with vitamins and highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA). The food size should be small enough for the polyp to fully ingest it. Favites generally have smaller mouths than Favia.
Warning
Favites are one of the corals that extend long sweeper tentacles. In fact, Favites can behave more aggressively than larger Favia colonies. These tentacles are often used as a defense mechanism against invasive coral colonies. The white tips contain a concentration of nematocysts that can damage more delicate corals. Most of the time, this is not a major issue, but as a precaution, we recommend placing it away from other corals at first.