Is Pavona a good beginner SPS coral?

Yes, Pavona is widely considered one of the hardiest SPS corals. It tolerates minor parameter fluctuations much better than Acropora, making it a great entry-level stony coral.

Why has my Pavona Coral turned white?

Bleaching usually occurs due to sudden environmental stress, such as a temperature spike or being moved abruptly into very high lighting. If parameters are stabilised quickly, the coral can recover its zooxanthellae.

How much space does a Cactus Coral need?

You should leave at least 2 to 3 inches of clearance around the coral. At night, it will send out sweeper tentacles that pack a potent sting to defend its growing space from neighbours.

Do I need to feed my Pavona?

While it can survive purely on light via photosynthesis, providing a fine particulate coral food or micro-plankton once a week will drastically improve its growth rate and vitality.

Where should I place Pavona in my reef tank?

Place it in the middle to upper sections of your rockwork where it will receive moderate to high light and strong, turbulent water flow.

MarineCoralsIntermediate

Cactus Coral

Pavona spp.

Pavona is a hardy, fast-growing genus of small polyp stony (SPS) coral, famous for its intricate, cactus-like plates and fuzzy appearance.

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Ideal Conditions

Temperature: 24 – 27 °C
pH range: 8.1 – 8.4
Hardness: 8 – 12 dGH
Salinity: 1.023 – 1.026 SG
Adult size: 15 – 50 cm
Standard Reef Tank: 100 litres+
Lifespan: 10 – 50 years
Diet: Photosynthetic and micro-planktivore
Water flow: Moderate to strong, chaotic or turbulent flow to keep detritus from settling on the colony.
Preferred setup: Stable reef environment with mature biological filtration and adequate calcium and alkalinity supplementation.

About the Cactus Coral

The genus Pavona includes some of the most versatile and resilient SPS corals available in the hobby. Often referred to as Cactus Coral due to the upright, leafy fronds exhibited by species like Pavona cactus, this group also includes encrusting and massive forms. The surface of the coral is densely packed with tiny corallites, which extend their polyps during the day to give the colony a distinctive, fuzzy texture. They are an excellent bridge for aquarists looking to transition from soft corals and LPS to the more demanding SPS varieties.

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Is it right for your tank?

Check Cactus Coral against a habitat you already keep. We compare water type, temperature, pH, adult size, group needs and everything living there.

Where Cactus Coral comes from

Native range

Indo-Pacific, Red Sea, Great Barrier Reef

Countries / regions

Australia, Indonesia, Fiji, Philippines, Egypt

Habitat

Found on shallow reef slopes, lagoons, and reef flats, often in areas with strong wave action or currents.

Widely distributed across tropical reefs, adapting to various light and flow conditions.

Similar species

Montipora Capricornis
Montipora capricornis
Lettuce Coral
Agaricia spp.
Birdsnest Coral
Seriatopora hystrix

We’re adding more full species guides as the catalogue grows.

Compatible tank mates

Reviewed guidance based on this species' recorded traits.

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Ocellaris Clownfish
Amphiprion ocellaris
Completely reef-safe, peaceful fish that will not disturb the coral polyps.
Great
Trochus Snails
Trochus spp.
Excellent algae grazers that keep the rockwork and coral base clean without damaging the tissue.
Great
Dwarf Angelfish
Centropyge spp.
May occasionally nip at the small polyps, causing the coral to remain retracted and stressed.
Compatible with caution
Acropora Corals
Acropora spp.
Must be placed at a distance; Pavona has potent sweeper tentacles that can sting and damage nearby corals.
Compatible with caution
Raccoon Butterflyfish
Chaetodon lunula
Corallivorous species that will actively consume the coral's polyps, leading to rapid colony death.
Not recommended

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