Spicifera Acropora Care Guide
Spicifera Acropora (Acropora spicifera) 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
Spicifera Acropora (Acropora spicifera) is a SPS coral in the family Acroporidae. Spike-tipped Acropora with elongated terminal corallites. Often imported from Australia.
Taxonomy
- Family: Acroporidae
- Genus: Acropora
- Scientific name: Acropora spicifera
- Common synonyms: Spike Acro
Habitat
In the wild, Acropora spicifera is reported from Australia, Indo-Pacific, where it occupies shallow reef flats and upper slopes (typically 1-15 m). The species adopts a branching 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 spicifera 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 0.4-1 cm/month. Propagation by fragmentation is straightforward for branching 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 spicifera Propagation Guide
Overview
Acropora spicifera is a small-polyp stony coral of the family Acroporidae, listed by WoRMS as an accepted species (Dana, 1846). It is recognised in the aquarium trade for spike-tipped branches with elongated terminal corallites, and is often imported from Australia. Like other Acropora it is a zooxanthellate coral whose tissues host symbiotic dinoflagellates that supply energy through photosynthesis.
Reproductive Mode
Acropora reproduce asexually and sexually. In aquaria A. spicifera is propagated by fragmentation, which preserves the symbiotic zooxanthellae and coloration of the parent. Wikipedia notes that captive propagation of Acropora is widespread in the reef-keeping community.
Fragging / Asexual Propagation
Cut or snap a spike branch tip of about 2-5 cm with bone-cutters and attach it to a frag plug with cyanoacrylate gel or epoxy. The axial corallite at the branch tip drives upward growth, so leaving the tip intact speeds recovery. Wikipedia reports finger-sized Acropora fragments can grow into 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. Place spicifera frags under high light and strong flow with stable alkalinity, calcium and magnesium and low nutrients to encourage encrustation onto the plug and renewed branching.
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.