Favia Brain Coral

Favia / Favites sp.

Care Level	Moderate
Lighting	Low to moderate
Water Flow	Low to moderate
Placement	Low to mid rock
Aggression	Aggressive — strong sweepers
Coloration	Green, red, orange; "war coral" rainbow morphs

Overview

Favia and Favites brain corals form encrusting or dome-shaped colonies of tightly packed polyps in bold, often rainbow coloration — vivid morphs are sold as “War Coral,” “Christmas Favia,” and similar. They are hardy and long-lived, but pack potent stinging sweeper tentacles, so they need space.

Care & Placement

Give low-to-moderate light and flow. Place low-to-mid on rock with several inches of clearance from other corals, because Favia extend long, aggressive sweeper tentacles at night. Colors deepen under blue-heavy lighting.

Feeding

Photosynthetic and responds well to feeding — target-feed meaty foods weekly in the evening when feeder tentacles are out to boost growth and color.

Propagation

Frag by cutting through the skeleton between polyp groups with a band saw or bone cutter.

Cautions

AGGRESSIVE — long sweeper tentacles can sting and kill nearby corals overnight. Give it plenty of room. Otherwise hardy and forgiving of most conditions.