Bleeding Apple Scolymia Australis

The 'Bleeding Apple' is a classic colour morph of Scolymia australis, a solitary large polyp stony coral from Australia. These single-polyp corals have been a fixture in the hobby for years, known for their intense colouration and relatively simple care. This variety features a deep green base with rich red streaks, a combination that has become iconic among reef keepers.

In the aquarium, a healthy Scolymia will inflate its fleshy tissue until it completely covers the skeleton, giving it a plump, round appearance. The ridges of the underlying skeleton create a subtle striped or ridged texture on the surface. While they don't have long sweeper tentacles, their fleshy bodies can be damaged by more aggressive corals, and they can likewise harm any coral they sit directly against.

Care for Scolymia is straightforward in a mature reef tank. They do best in low to moderate light, typically in the 50-150 PAR range, so a spot on the sandbed or a shaded area on the rockwork is ideal. Water flow should be gentle and indirect, just enough to prevent detritus from settling on the coral's surface. While they are photosynthetic, they benefit greatly from target feeding once or twice a week with meaty foods like mysis shrimp or other small frozen preparations. As with all LPS, stable alkalinity (8-9 dKH), calcium (420-440 ppm), and magnesium (1300-1400) are key to long-term health. Acclimate them slowly to any new lighting conditions.

A well-placed Scolymia serves as an excellent focal point on the sandbed. Because it is a slow-growing, non-encroaching species, it's a predictable citizen that will not grow to overtake its neighbours. This makes it a great choice for adding a splash of static colour to a specific zone in the tank without worrying about future coral warfare.

This is a WYSIWYG item, so you'll receive the exact specimen pictured.

We take livestock seriously. That's why we don't sell anything we wouldn't be comfortable putting in our own tank.

As we are direct from source, we import and sell direct to the public. This means you can buy with confidence knowing EMA prides itself on excellent handling and conditioning protocols.

Fish

All our fish held in a quarantine system for a minimum of 3 weeks. During this time, regular water changes are performed, and twice daily (or sometimes more) feedings are performed.

Copper is dosed and checked twice a day for ich and velvet.

During this treatment fish are given formalin baths for brooklynella and a minimum of 3 praziquantel doses is performed for flukes.

Coral

Our coral is quarantined for a minimum of 3 weeks, just like fish. During this time, regular water changes are performed, water testing done, and once a month a Fauna Marin ICP Total is performed.

Corals are inspected for pests/general health and are provided with a pest dip once a week for at least 3 weeks.

If we see signs of pests, the quarantine period is extended and/or additional dips are performed

If coral is bleached/unhealthy, it will remain in quarantine until healthy enough to sell.