Yellow Anacropora

Yellow Anacropora is a quirky, fast-growing SPS that behaves like the wild cousin of Acropora. It has thin, delicate branches, bright yellow or yellow-green coloration, and a tendency to form airy, bush-like clusters. It’s gorgeous but fragile, both physically and in terms of stability.

Here’s a practical guide tailored for real-world reef systems and coral farming.

Lighting

Moderate to high light brings out the yellow. Around 150 to 250 PAR is ideal. Too little light and it browns. Too much and the thin branches can pale out, especially at the tips. Anacropora reacts quickly to lighting changes, so acclimate gently when moving it.

Flow

High, chaotic flow is the sweet spot. The branches are fine and slender, so they need strong water movement to stay clean and oxygenated. Cross-current turbulence prevents detritus from building up between branches.

Placement

Mid to high in the rockwork, with open space around it. Branches snap easily, so avoid spots where fish or snails regularly bulldoze through. Because it grows airy and thin, it doesn’t cast heavy shade, which makes placement flexible.

Water parameters

It’s not as tolerant as Montipora and not as demanding as many Acropora. Think “SPS stability” without extremes.

Calcium around 420.
Alkalinity in the 8 to 8.4 range.
Magnesium near 1350.
Nitrate around 5 to 15.
Phosphate 0.04 to 0.1.

Anacropora despises sudden alkalinity swings. Burnt tips and rapid tissue loss are common if the chemistry yo-yos.

Feeding

Light and dissolved nutrients power most of its growth. It doesn’t need target feeding. Light amino acids can help with color, but keep dosing gentle to avoid algae settling on the fragile structure.

Growth behavior

Fast and airy. It encrusts quickly and then sends up branched, tangled stems. Branches break easily, but each broken piece becomes a viable frag. It grows more like a tangled bush than a structured acro.

Temperament

Peaceful. No sweepers, no stingers. The only defensive weapon it has is fragging itself when bumped.

Sensitivities

AEFW and red bugs don’t tend to target it heavily, but Monti nudibranchs sometimes bother it. The biggest danger is instability: sudden tank swings often cause recession at the base that can spread fast.

Compatibility

Great for SPS gardens, mixed reefs, and nano collectors as long as flow is strong and chemistry is stable. Its bright yellow instantly draws the eye.