Pavona

Pavona, commonly called Cactus coral due to its thin, upright ridges, is a versatile SPS genus that thrives in conditions many other stony corals would find too dim. It grows in encrusting, plating, and ridged forms, making it useful for filling mid-level spaces in your reef. Maintain calcium at 400–440 ppm, alkalinity at 7.5–9 dKH, and temperature between 25–27°C. Pavona are tolerant of moderate nutrient levels and adapt to a range of lighting intensities.

Place Pavona in the middle sections of your tank where it receives moderate light (PAR 100–250) and moderate flow. Unlike many SPS, Pavona do not demand the intense lighting and flow of reef crest species — in the wild, they often inhabit reef slopes and sheltered areas. This makes them an excellent choice for filling gaps in your aquascape where light is too low for Acropora but you still want stony coral growth. Pavona come primarily in greens and browns, with some attractive fluorescent green varieties available from Australian coral farms.

Pavona grow at a steady rate and can encrust over surrounding rock and even neighbouring corals if left unchecked — give them room to expand. Fragging is straightforward with a bandsaw or bone cutters for the ridged growth forms. Pavona are occasionally found as hitchhikers on Australian live rock. They are relatively pest-resistant and rarely troubled by common SPS parasites, making them a low-maintenance addition to any mixed reef.