Strawberry Shortcake Coral Mushroom

Strawberry Shortcake Acropora are a classic SPS coral.  They are a branching SPS that will also enscrust the rock around their base and are known to grow moderately fast once they have acclimatized.  They have a lime green base with pink tips and pinkish/red polyps.  They grow in a classic branching pattern and are truly stunning once they reach colony size.

In the wild, the vast majority of Acropora are found in the Indo-Pacific, especially off the islands of Fiji, Tonga and the Great Barrier Reef.  However, many of the more popular colour morphs, such as Strawberry Shortcake, are extensively aquacultured and much of what is available for sale in the hobby are aquacultured specimens.  They are found on the upper reef slopes in areas of high light and high water flow.  In a home aquarium, all Acropora require pristine and stable water conditions and should be added to a mature tank.  Frags are generally placed on an exposed section of rockwork and it is important to ensure that they have room to grow.

All Acropora, regardless of type, require high levels of light and flow.  One way to tell if the coral is receiving enough light is to look at its colouration. A coral that is turning brown may not be receiving enough light and one that is bleaching or turning white may be receiving too much light.  If any changes to light, flow or placement are necessary they should be done slowly to ensure the coral is not shocked.  In terms of flow, they should be placed in a high flow area of the tank, although direct flow should be avoided and random flow is preferable.

Strawberry Shortcake Acropora, like all Acropora,  are photosynthetic and can meet all of their energy needs by utilizing aquarium lighting.  However, some hobbyists find that supplemental feeding can increase the growth rate and encourage polyp extension.  A good choice for feeding is Vitalis SPS Coral Food.

Acropora are generally fairly easy to frag.  All that is required is to use a pair of coral cutters to carefully cut a branch from a healthy colony and then glue the frag to a plug and allow it to heal and encurst.

For many hobbyists Acropora are the pinnacle of reef keeping and as long as its water chemistry, light and flow needs are met the Strawberry Shortcake Acropora makes a beautiful addition to a reef tank.