Micromussa lordhowensis

About this coral

The closely spaced polyps sit above a shared calcareous skeleton. Retraction reveals the structure more clearly; do not press the soft tissue to induce it. The move from Acanthastrea to Micromussa reflects taxonomic revision, not a new colour variant. Other species sold as acans may behave and grow differently. Do not automatically apply this guide to every old Acanthastrea sales name. A photograph helps recognition but may not reveal enough characters for certain identification.

Natural habitat

This species belongs to Indo-Pacific reef communities. Aquarium colonies may be cultured or come from different areas; a geographical label alone does not fully explain current care needs. Ask about the lighting under which a frag grew. A sheltered but well-flushed position is often practical. Sheltered means reduced direct light and pump exposure, not stagnant water or a place where debris and sand constantly settle on oral discs.

Aquarium and layout

Place the colony on a stable low holder or suitable rock. Keep its fleshy margin away from sharp parts and prevent sand moving across the polyps. The position should be accessible for small targeted feeds and inspection. A loose frag may be overturned by a tankmate. Plan future space around the expanded colony, not just the plug. A general minimum litre figure is insufficiently supported for this species and cannot replace checking placement.

Water conditions

The central guidance concerns management of a stable reef. Calcium and alkalinity support skeletal growth; measure actual consumption before choosing supplements. Record salinity, temperature and relevant nutrient trends too. A fleshy, well-fed colony is not a reason to accept accumulating food waste. Conversely, blindly removing all measurable nutrients may be undesirable. Exact species limits for nitrate and phosphate are not firmly established. Do not abruptly alter a stable situation to reach an arbitrary table value.

Lighting and acclimation

Start cautiously with light. Culture observations report success at relatively low intensity, but differences between specimens and measurement setups make a universal PAR range inappropriate. A preferred reading from one culture system is therefore not a survival boundary. Measure at polyp height and consider rockwork shade. Colour can change with lighting without proving or disproving health. Increase exposure gradually if necessary, assessing intact tissue, expansion and growth alongside colour.

Water movement

Low to moderate indirect flow helps keep the colony clean without continually pressing polyps against their skeleton. Watch the lowest edges, where debris collects readily. With strong overall circulation, a sheltered position may work better than stopping water movement throughout the tank. Briefly reduce local speed for targeted feeding if needed, then restore it. A directly aimed jet is unsuitable even when total pump power is low.

Feeding

Modest supplementary feeding with small animal-based particles can be useful when the polyps ingest them. Do not stuff mouths with large pieces; select size and portion according to visible uptake. A feeding response does not mean the colony can process unlimited food. Dry foods may be concentrated and require particular restraint. Watch fish or shrimp stealing the portion. More food also demands greater attention to waste and water quality; amino acids are not an automatically necessary purchase.

Growth and behaviour

New polyps can extend the colony's margin, at different rates in different specimens. Compare the living edge and skeleton in photographs to identify real expansion. Daily inflation is not a reliable growth measure. Do not let the colony quietly grow into another coral or the aquarium wall. Slow progress alone does not demonstrate a deficiency and should not be forced with progressively stronger lighting or larger portions.

Aggression and spacing

Broad polyps and stinging tissue may reach neighbours when fully expanded. Keep a clear zone around the living margin. No guaranteed distance in centimetres accounts for every future change in growth and water movement. Check outside usual viewing times too. For damage confined to one side, consider the closest neighbour rather than only chemistry. A suitable combination remains dependent on preventing living contact.

Keeping with fish

Fish behaviour around fleshy LPS needs specific attention. Dwarf angelfish may nip, and fish may retrieve targeted food from a polyp. Repeated closure at the same moment may reveal disturbance. A sand-sifting goby can bury a low colony without eating coral tissue. Choose combinations that allow intervention and use the specific species assessment. A generic reef-safe label should not hide these different mechanisms.

Keeping with corals

Other suitable LPS can share a gentle lower-light zone, but each colony needs its own space. Light-demanding SPS can grow above provided they do not eventually shade this colony completely. A torch with long stinging tentacles is unsuitable as an immediate neighbour. Advancing mushroom corals may also occupy the substrate. Plan the combination in three dimensions, considering present light and the future growth of overhead colonies.

Other invertebrates

A small grazing snail mainly threatens a loose holder, while food-stealing shrimp can hinder targeted feeding. Crabs vary greatly; assess the exact species and behaviour before describing one as suitable. Safety of one shrimp or snail species says nothing about the entire group. Many marine invertebrates lack sufficiently concrete relationship information in this first phase. That uncertainty remains visible and is not filled using existing freshwater animals.

Propagation and fragging

Tightly packed polyps make dividing a colony less straightforward than separating bare branches. Prefer assessment by an experienced grower. Avoid cutting inflated living tissue, and do not use a newly arrived or receding colony as propagation material. Eye and hand protection are appropriate around mucus and skeletal pieces. Attach by the holder or dead skeleton. Give a healthy frag an undisturbed recovery position without neighbour contact.

Possible problems

Watch for persistently retracted or sunken polyps, receding edges and newly exposed skeleton. Check lighting changes, direct flow, food remains, sand and nipping alongside water measurements. A striking colour change alone does not prove disease. Rapid tissue loss warrants experienced assessment; do not use an arbitrary treatment recipe for every LPS. Record developments, avoid repeated major adjustments and protect healthy parts from further mechanical injury.

Keeping with other species

Ricordea florida

Ricordea florida

Suitable with conditions

Lower placement can work, but do not put them against each other. Allow for inflated tissue and Micromussa aggression, including after lights out.

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Candy cane coral

Caulastraea furcata

Suitable with conditions

Possible with separation and monitoring. Similar lighting needs do not make contact safe; allow for Micromussa filaments and Caulastraea tentacles.

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Diamond watchman goby

Valenciennea puellaris

Suitable with conditions

Protect fleshy Micromussa tissue from sand deposited by the diamond goby. Keep together only where placement actually prevents burial.

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Care products

No sufficiently supported match to a specific existing care product has been established for this coral. Follow the feeding and care chapters; an absent product card does not mean feeding or measurements are unnecessary.