Favites Sp.
 
Easy
 
Semi-Aggressive to Aggressive
 

 


 
Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean (typically collected around numerous different Indo-Pacific islands, in the Red Sea, and further North off the coast of Japan)
 
Merulinidae
 
Large Polyp Stony
 
Favites corals were once known as a type of favia but were later reclassified. They are relatively easy to care for and require low to moderate lighting and moderate flow.
 
Being a somewhat aggressive coral, sending out sweeper tentacles, care should be taken when placing in your aquarium. Their growth pattern will primarily encrust and spread along the rockwork.
 
Although Favites are mainly photosynthetic, relying on the products of their zooxanthellae, they should also be fed phytoplankton and zooplankton and mysis shrimp, as well as other products like Coral Feast and Reef Energy, and LPS pellets. Of course, you should always maintain proper water parameters by maintaining good calcium, magnesium, and alkalinity levels.

Favites is the second largest genus of merulinid coral, and it is very important in the construction of coral reefs. It is very similar to Dipsastraea but does have microstructural and skeletal calcification differences.
 
Polyps are usually smaller with shorter/weaker ridges or thecal lobes. A very common aquarium trade name would be the "war coral".