Green Slimer Care Guide
Green Slimer (Acropora yongei) is a SPS coral. Care covers 200-350 PAR, high flow, reef parameters and feeding; intermediate level.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Green Slimer (Acropora yongei) is a SPS coral in the family Acroporidae. Hardy bright green Acropora often suggested for SPS beginners. Fast growth; produces excess slime when stressed.
Taxonomy
- Family: Acroporidae
- Genus: Acropora
- Scientific name: Acropora yongei
- Common synonyms: Yongei, Slimer Acro
Habitat
In the wild, Acropora yongei 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: 6 months
Placement and lighting
- PAR (placement zone): 200-350 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 yongei 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: intermediate. Reported skeletal growth in well-tuned reef tanks is approximately 0.7-1.5 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 yongei (Green Slimer) Propagation Guide
Overview
Acropora yongei, widely known in the hobby as the "Green Slimer", is a small-polyp stony coral of the family Acroporidae and is listed by WoRMS as an accepted species (Veron & Wallace, 1984). It is a bright-green branching Acropora often suggested as an entry SPS because of its hardiness and fast growth. Like other Acropora it is a zooxanthellate coral whose tissues host symbiotic dinoflagellates that feed it through photosynthesis.
Reproductive Mode
Acropora reproduce both asexually and sexually. In the aquarium A. yongei is multiplied by fragmentation, which preserves the parent's symbiotic zooxanthellae and green coloration. Wikipedia notes that captive propagation of Acropora is widespread in the reef-keeping community.
Fragging / Asexual Propagation
Cut or snap a branch tip of about 2-5 cm with bone-cutters and bond it to a frag plug with cyanoacrylate gel or epoxy. The axial corallite at the branch tip drives regrowth, so an intact tip encrusts and elongates fastest. Wikipedia reports finger-sized Acropora fragments can grow into medicine-ball-sized colonies in one to two years; this fast-growing species responds especially quickly.
Conditions for Propagation
Wikipedia states Acropora requires bright light, stable temperatures, regular calcium and alkalinity dosing, and clean turbulent water. Place yongei frags under high light and strong flow with stable alkalinity, calcium and magnesium and low nutrients to support its rapid encrustation and 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 event is generally not reproduced in home aquaria, where propagation relies on fragmentation.