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Home Small Polyp Stony Corals Gorgeous, Pest-Free Pavona Corals for Sale Online

Gorgeous, Pest-Free Pavona Corals for Sale Online

Pavona coral, occasionally called cactus coral, is an encrusting and branching SPS coral species that most coralheads find space for in their reef displays, as when conditions are good, it grows quickly, has a very unique look and texture and is often available in a few different colors. Another reason most reefers have at least one colony of Pavona in their displays is because it is an excellent beginner’s coral and tolerant of less than perfect water chemistry parameters, lighting and flow. Our Pavona coral care guide will give you a running start on success with your Pavona frag, whether it is destined for your first coral reef display or your eighth. Read on and then browse our selection of online Pavona frags for consideration in your reef display.

Pavona Coral Care Guide

Experience Level

As we mentioned, Pavona is an excellent beginner’s coral species but it is usually very aggressive, with mesentery filaments, or sweeper tentacles, that can extend well outside the colony at night. Plan accordingly and provide plenty of space around your Pavona frag and you should be good to go. One more thing; Don’t look for your Pavona frag(s) to start branching right away. In most cases, this is a coral that prefers to encrust on the surrounding rockwork before starting to branch out.

Optimal Water Quality Parameters

  • Temperature: 72-78F, 22-25C
  • pH: 8.1-8.3
  • dKH: 7-11 (125-200ppm CaCO3 equivalent)
  • Calcium: 375-450ppm
  • Magnesium: 1275-1350ppm
  • Salinity: 35ppt
  • Ammonia (NH3): less than 0.1ppm
  • Nitrite (NO2): less than 0.2ppm
  • Nitrate (NO3): less than 0.2ppm
  • Phosphates (PO4): less than 0.03ppm

Lighting Preferences:

Although Pavona is tolerant of a wide range of different lighting conditions, you’ll achieve best growth and coloration with lighting in the moderate to high range. It can tolerate and thrive in intense lighting but, as always, start your new Pavona frag in an area with moderate lighting at best. Too much light too soon can fry the photosynthetic and symbiotic zooxanthellae algae living in its tissues.

Water Flow Preferences:

Wherever you place your new Pavona frag, start it off in an area with moderate flows but plan on moving to an area or dialing up your powerheads to eventually provide strong flows. This species grows best in high current and can withstand direct current like few other species.

Placement Considerations:

Again, make sure to plan for plenty of space around your Pavona colony or the sweeper tentacles and their respectable sting will clear the area for you. Not many corals and zero clams can withstand repeated stings from this species.

Feeding Considerations:

Once or twice a week, especially at night when the mesentery filaments are on the prowl, add suitably sized coral foods like Artemia nauplii, rotifers, marine snow and other coral foods.

Online Pavona Coral Frags from CoralFrags.com

If you’re ready to add one of our cactus coral frags to your system, get ready to be happy (and successful!) Every coral frag we sell online comes from systems designed, built and proactively managed by professional coralheads who constantly monitor water chemistry and perform system maintenance so that our customers have a running start on a healthy coral display. Our Pavona coral frags are no exception. Healthy systems = healthy water = healthy corals = very happy customers. Thanks for looking!

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