Home/ Pets/ Exotic/ Favia Brain Coral

Favia Brain Coral

Favia (and its maze-patterned cousin Platygyra) are the encrusting 'brain' corals - hardy stony domes and plates with a surface of ridged, closely-packed corallites that glow under actinic light and grow slowly into boulders.

Last reviewed: July 2026

Auf Deutsch lesen

← All Exotic

AI illustration

Overview

Origin & Habitat

Indo-Pacific reefs, across a range of depths and light levels.

Appearance

An encrusting or domed stony surface patterned with round cups (Favia) or winding mazes (Platygyra), often green, red or two-tone with strong fluorescence.

Placement & Temperament

Has strong stinging sweeper tentacles at night - give it 10-15 cm of space from other corals despite its slow growth.

Tank & Water Conditions

Salinity 1.024-1.026, 24-27°C, stable alkalinity 8-11 dKH, calcium 400-450, magnesium 1300-1350.

Lighting & Flow

Low to moderate light (about 60-150 PAR) and gentle to moderate flow.

Feeding

Photosynthetic; extends feeder tentacles at night and grows faster with occasional target feeding.

Health & Growth

Very hardy and long-lived. Slow growing, so it needs space kept clear around it because it cannot outrun neighbours.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Hardy, long-lived stony coral
Strong fluorescent colours
Adapts to a range of light

Cons

Strong night sweeper tentacles
Slow growing
Needs cleared space it cannot defend by speed

Everyday gear for a reef tank

Reef salt mix Mixed fresh for every reef water change. Check price Refractometer Reads salinity, a number worth checking often. Check price Reef light Matched to the light level the care section gives. Check price Reef test kit You cannot manage what you cannot measure. Check price

Links go to Amazon or a partner brand's own store and may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. An Amazon link leads to a type of gear and you choose the exact product; a card that names a store leads to that partner's own shop.