Spathulata Acropora Care Guide
Spathulata Acropora (Acropora spathulata) is a SPS coral. Care covers 250-400 PAR, high flow, reef parameters and feeding; advanced level.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Spathulata Acropora (Acropora spathulata) is a SPS coral in the family Acroporidae. Plate-bottom Acropora with upward-projecting branches. Forms striking table-with-towers shape.
Taxonomy
- Family: Acroporidae
- Genus: Acropora
- Scientific name: Acropora spathulata
- Common synonyms: Spath
Habitat
In the wild, Acropora spathulata is reported from Indo-Pacific, where it occupies shallow reef flats and upper slopes (typically 1-15 m). The species adopts a plating growth form on hard substrate within zooxanthellate reef communities.
Tank requirements
- Salinity (specific gravity): 1.025-1.026
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Carbonate hardness (dKH): 7.5-9
- Calcium: 420-450 ppm
- Magnesium: 1300-1400 ppm
- Phosphate (max): 0.03 ppm
- Nitrate (max): 5 ppm
- Minimum system age: 1 year
Placement and lighting
- PAR (placement zone): 250-400 PAR
- Water flow: high
Place this SPS coral on the upper rockwork where light is bright and water movement is strong, ideally turbulent rather than laminar. Acclimate gradually to high PAR over 2-3 weeks to avoid bleaching. SPS demand a mature system: stable alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium with phosphate and nitrate kept ultra-low.
Feeding
Acropora spathulata hosts symbiotic zooxanthellae and derives most of its energy through photosynthesis. Additional feeding is generally not required when lighting is adequate.
Compatibility
This coral is passive toward neighbours. Reef-safe with most fish and invertebrates.
Care notes
Difficulty level: advanced. Reported skeletal growth in well-tuned reef tanks is approximately 0.4-0.9 cm/month. Propagation by fragmentation is straightforward for plating colonies — separate branches or polyps with a bone cutter, glue to plug, allow 1-2 weeks for healing. Maintain stable alkalinity (avoid swings above ±0.5 dKH per day) to preserve tissue health.
Acropora spathulata Propagation Guide
Overview
Acropora spathulata is a small-polyp stony coral of the family Acroporidae, listed by WoRMS as an accepted species (Brook, 1891). In the aquarium trade it is recognised for a plate-like base from which upward-projecting branches rise, producing a table-with-towers shape. Like other Acropora it is a zooxanthellate coral whose tissues host symbiotic dinoflagellates that feed it through photosynthesis.
Reproductive Mode
Acropora reproduce asexually and sexually. In aquaria A. spathulata is propagated by fragmentation, which preserves the symbiotic zooxanthellae and coloration of the parent colony. Wikipedia notes that captive propagation of Acropora is widespread in the reef-keeping community.
Fragging / Asexual Propagation
Cut or snap an upward branch tip of about 2-5 cm with bone-cutters and bond it to a frag plug using cyanoacrylate gel or epoxy. The axial corallite at the branch tip drives regrowth, so an intact tip encrusts and extends fastest. Wikipedia reports finger-sized Acropora fragments can become medicine-ball-sized colonies in one to two years under good reef conditions.
Conditions for Propagation
Wikipedia states Acropora requires bright light, stable temperatures, regular calcium and alkalinity dosing, and clean turbulent water. Mount spathulata frags under high light and strong flow with stable alkalinity, calcium and magnesium and low nutrients to encourage encrustation and new branch development.
Sexual Reproduction
In the wild Acropora reproduce by annual synchronised broadcast mass-spawning, releasing buoyant packets of eggs and sperm into the water column for external fertilisation. This is generally not reproduced in home aquaria, where fragmentation is the practical method.