Baby Breath Favia - Favia sp.

Baby Breath Favia (Favia sp.)

Baby Breath Favia is an attractive LPS coral known for its rounded corallites, compact growth and colourful patterned tissue. It makes a strong choice for reef keepers looking to add a hardy, eye-catching brain coral style piece to the lower areas of the aquarium, where its colour and structure can be enjoyed without demanding intense lighting.

Common Name:
Baby Breath Favia, Favia Coral, Brain Coral

Scientific Name (Latin):
Favia sp.

Coral Type:
LPS Coral

Growth Form:
Mounding to encrusting growth form with individual rounded corallites and fleshy tissue over a hard skeleton.

Water Type:
Marine

Origin / Natural Habitat:
Favia corals are found across Indo-Pacific reef environments, commonly growing on reef slopes, lagoons and mixed reef rockwork where they receive moderate light, stable water quality and indirect water movement.

Water Parameters:
Temperature: 24–26°C
pH Range: 8.1–8.4
Salinity: SG 1.024–1.026
Alkalinity: 7–10 dKH
Calcium: 400–450 ppm
Magnesium: 1250–1350 ppm
Nitrate: Low but detectable
Phosphate: Low but detectable

Lighting:
LOW TO MEDIUM
Baby Breath Favia is best kept under low to medium reef lighting. It can often adapt to brighter conditions over time, but sudden exposure to high intensity may cause stress, paling or tissue recession. Gradual light acclimation is recommended when placing it in a new aquarium.

Flow:
LOW TO MEDIUM
Provide gentle to moderate indirect flow that keeps the coral surface clean without blasting the tissue. Strong direct flow should be avoided, as it can prevent natural polyp expansion and may irritate the coral.

Placement:
Place on the sandbed or lower rockwork where it has a stable base and room around it. Avoid placing it too close to neighbouring corals, as Favia can extend sweeper tentacles and sting nearby livestock, particularly at night.

Temperament / Aggression:
Semi-aggressive
Favia corals can be territorial and may produce sweeper tentacles after dark. Allow generous spacing from other corals, especially delicate SPS, soft corals and less aggressive LPS species. Contact with nearby corals can result in tissue damage.

Feeding:
Photosynthetic, but benefits from feeding
Baby Breath Favia receives much of its energy from light through its symbiotic zooxanthellae, but occasional target feeding can support colour, polyp health and growth. Suitable foods include fine meaty coral foods, small mysis, LPS pellets and powdered coral foods offered when feeding tentacles are visible.

Growth Rate:
Slow to moderate
In a stable reef aquarium, Baby Breath Favia will usually grow steadily rather than quickly, gradually expanding its skeleton and developing additional corallites over time. Consistent alkalinity, calcium and magnesium levels are important for healthy skeletal growth.

Special Requirements or Care Notes:
Keep water parameters stable and avoid sudden swings in alkalinity, salinity or lighting. Ensure detritus does not settle between the corallites, as this can irritate the tissue. Handle carefully to avoid damaging the fleshy surface, and inspect or dip before introduction where appropriate. Good spacing, moderate nutrients and a mature reef environment will help this coral settle and maintain strong colour.

Suitable for:
Beginner to Intermediate reefkeepers

Availability:
Premium coral

All images are a visual representation of the coral you will receive, made to be as accurate as possible. Please note that Mother Nature is a wonderful thing, and variation in patterns, colours and growth form will occur — that is part of the unique beauty of these animals.