Favia Coral Care Guide
Favia corals, commonly referred to as brain or moon corals, are a popular choice for reef tanks because they are a fairly hardy reef coral, beautiful to look at, and have simple care needs.
Favia corals are large polyp stony (LPS) corals from the Indo-Pacific region or the Red Sea, known for their circular or oblong, sometimes trumpet-shaped corallites arranged in a similar pattern to a brain. Favia corals come in various colors and intensities, which is why Favia corals are becoming more common in reef aquariums worldwide.
Whether you are a novice hobbyist looking to add your first Favia coral to your aquarium or an experienced reef keeper looking for ways to enhance the coloration and growth of your Favia, we have you covered!
What Are Favia Corals?
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Coral Type: LPS corals
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Family: Faviidae
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Growth Form: Large or encrusting colonies which can be dome or round-shaped
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Growth Rate: Colonies grow fairly slowly (1-3 inches in diameter per year)
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Polyps: Each polyp has its skeletal cup where it can extend its tentacles for feeding
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Coloration: Greens, blues, purples, reds, browns, and a combination of colors with contrasting walls, rims, and centers
Like other corals, Favia has a symbiotic relationship with the zooxanthellae (photosynthetic algae) that live in their tissues. The zooxanthellae provide the coral with the nutrients it needs to survive, and the coral provides the zooxanthellae with protection and other compounds necessary for photosynthesis.
Favia Coral Tank Guidelines
Tank Size
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Minimum: 20-30 gallons
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Recommended: 50+ gallons for long-term health
Water Parameters
It is important to keep water parameters stable. You will need to monitor the following regularly to ensure the health of your Favia coral:
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Temperature: 75-82°F (24-28°C) with 78°F (25.5°C) being optimal
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Salinity: 1.024-1.026 SG (35-36 ppt)
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pH: 8.1-8.4
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Alkalinity: 8-11 dKH
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Calcium: 420-450ppm
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Magnesium: 1250-1350 ppm
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Phosphate: <0.05 ppm
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Nitrate: <10 ppm (some nitrate can help with coloration)
Lighting
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Lighting: 100-200 PAR is preferred for most species
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Type of Light: T5 fluorescents, metal halides, or LED light for reef tanks (not planted tanks)
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Try and always acclimate new Favia specimens to your lighting appropriately
Each species and color morph of Favia not only varies from others, but also has a different lighting preference as well. Typically, green varieties of Favia are able to withstand higher amounts of light, while reds and blues lean towards moderate light.
Water Flow
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Flow: Moderate indirect flow
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Flow Type: Use a random, turbulent flow that provides enough flow around the coral and prevents detritus accumulation, but is not too strong or direct that it could hurt the coral or prevent it from expanding
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Water Movement: Use multiple powerheads for alternating currents.
Aquarium Placement
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Depth: Favia corals like to be placed around the middle of the aquascape - unsure about reef zones, check out our article on reef tank design
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Attachment: You should use reef-safe glue to attach Favia corals to the solid reef structure or rubble, not on the aquarium sand
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Space: Allow 2 - 3 inches of space between corals to allow space for their sweeper tentacles to grow and fully extend
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Neighbors: Place Favia corals away from aggressive corals to prevent chemical warfare
Feeding
While Favia corals get most of their nutrition from their symbiotic zooxanthellae, supplemental feeding helps with growth and coloration.
Feeding Frequency:
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1-3 times per week
Foods:
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Meaty (small) foods such as mysis shrimp, rotifers, and finely chopped seafood
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Coral-specific foods with amino acids
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Phytoplankton for extra nutrients
Feeding Method:
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Feed when the polyps are out (most often at night) using a pipette or turkey baster to target individual polyps
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If your Favia is showing slow growth, dull coloration, and/or feeding responses that are decreasing, then you may want to consider more frequent feedings
Common Problems and Solutions
Tissue Recession
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Symptoms: Coral tissue pulling away from the skeleton and exposing the white skeleton
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Causes: Poor water quality, sudden swings in water parameters, aggressive neighbouring coral
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Solutions: Check water parameters, improve water quality with more regular water changes, treat with iodine dips if there is a chance of a bacterial infection
Brown Jelly Disease
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Symptoms: Coral turning brown and a slimy substance covering the coral tissue and rapid tissue necrosis
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Causes: A bacterial infection (often due to injury or stress)
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Solutions: Emergency intervention! Frag (cut) the unaffected parts, dip in a coral dip solution, and put the infected coral in a quarantine tank with antibiotic treatment
Coral Bleaching
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Symptoms: The coral appears white or is turning a pale colour
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Causes: Temperature stress, too much light, sudden changes in parameters
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Solutions: Fix the stressor, maintain stable conditions, reduce aquarium lighting, and provide proper nutrition
Coral-Eating Nudibranchs
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Symptoms: Small patches of tissue damage and microscopic nudibranchs
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Solutions: Manual removal, coral dips, and predatory wrasses
Flatworms
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Symptoms: Tiny flat organisms on the surface of the coral
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Solutions: Flatworm treatments, manual siphoning, and natural treatments (predatory wrasses)
Coral Propagation
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Tools needed: Coral cutters and glue or putty to attach frags
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Cutting: Make cuts through the skeleton between polyps/corallites where possible
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Healing: Provide stable water conditions and moderate flow to minimize stress during healing
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Growth: Expect your new frags to show signs of growth in approximately 4 to 8 weeks
Conclusion
Favia corals are great additions to most reef aquariums because of their resilience, vibrant colors, and manageable care requirements.
If you are interested in learning more about Favia corals or would like to find out what unique Favia corals we have for sale, contact the Reefco Aquarium Team today. Happy reefing!
