Acropora efflorescens

[Kwood]

Efflorescence, meaning "to flower out", depicts an image that just screams how this Acropora received its name. Rightfully so, it's raw beauty and extremely rare growth pattern make it a chart topping must have for die hard SPS fanatics worldwide year after year. Frags of certain colonies sold at a wallet crushing $500 at one point in time!

It inhabits reef slopes where nutrient rich waters well up from the abyss. As we take a look at the growth structure it becomes quite obvious that this coral is designed to handle some intense water movement. Growing to 2 meters across it is best placed lower in the aquarium, provided that optimal conditions can be adequately administered.

Axial and radial corallites are indistinguishable. Branches completely fuse together mere millimetres from the plate margins where corallites are horizontal while a few get left behind during growth and become upturned digitate corallites within the upper plate. These corallites brake up the monotonous growth structure of the coral and usually offer bright contrasting colours which in my opinion make this coral all the more interesting.

[LoJack]

Stunning Efflo!