Alveopora is a beautiful “flower” style LPS that brings gentle movement and soft, extended polyps to a reef tank. It’s often considered a little more forgiving than Goniopora, but it still thrives best in a mature system with stable parameters and consistent placement. When happy, Alveopora will stay open for long periods, look full and fluffy, and gradually encrust and grow over its base.
Lighting: Low to moderate light is usually ideal. Alveopora can stress under intense lighting, showing shorter extension or a “tight” look, while too little light may slow growth and reduce fullness. Start it in a lower-light area and slowly adjust upward only if it’s stretching heavily or losing colour. Slow acclimation is key—small changes over a week or two beat sudden moves.
Flow & placement: Provide low to moderate, indirect flow that keeps the polyps gently swaying. Strong direct flow can irritate the coral and prevent full extension, and dead spots can allow detritus to settle on the tissue. Place it on the sandbed or stable rockwork where it won’t topple, and give it space from aggressive LPS and sweepers. If neighbouring corals can touch it, expect stress over time.
Feeding & water quality: Alveopora benefits from regular feeding, especially in cleaner systems. Offer fine particulate foods 1–3× per week (microplankton blends, coral powders, or very finely chopped frozen foods) and allow time for capture—briefly reducing flow can help. Keep nutrients present but controlled (not ultra-sterile), and maintain steady salinity, temperature, alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium. Consistency is what keeps Alveopora looking its best long-term.
