Squarrosa Acropora Care Guide
Squarrosa Acropora (Acropora squarrosa) 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
Squarrosa Acropora (Acropora squarrosa) is a SPS coral in the family Acroporidae. Branching Acropora with stout, slightly squared corallites. Reliable colorful SPS.
Taxonomy
- Family: Acroporidae
- Genus: Acropora
- Scientific name: Acropora squarrosa
- Common synonyms: Squarrosa
Habitat
In the wild, Acropora squarrosa is reported from 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 squarrosa 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 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 squarrosa: Propagation Guide
Overview
Acropora squarrosa is a branching small-polyp stony coral of the family Acroporidae. Acropora may grow as slender or broad branches, and finger-sized fragments can reach much larger colony sizes within one to two years given proper care. It is demanding but rewards aquarists with rapid growth once stable.
Reproductive Mode
The genus reproduces sexually as a hermaphroditic broadcast spawner and asexually through fragmentation. In aquaria, fragmentation is the dependable approach because each frag is a genetic clone of the parent.
Fragging / Asexual Propagation
- Identify a healthy donor colony with multiple growing branch tips.
- Snap or cut an Acropora tip several centimetres long with bone cutters.
- Glue the frag to a plug or piece of rock with cyanoacrylate, or fix it with a peg.
- Position it under bright light and strong turbulent flow so it can encrust and form a new axial corallite.
Conditions for Propagation
Acropora requires bright light, stable temperatures, regular calcium and alkalinity supplementation, and clean, turbulent water. Vigorous flow prevents detritus from accumulating on cut surfaces and supports fast healing.
Sexual Reproduction
Acropora colonies are hermaphroditic broadcast spawners that release buoyant gamete bundles of eggs and sperm during mass synchronized spawning. These bundles float upward, break apart and fertilise externally, producing larvae that can be reared for reef restoration. Such spawning rarely occurs in home tanks, where fragmentation dominates.