{"id":10117,"date":"2026-02-17T19:06:39","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T19:06:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/product\/pineapple-war-hard-coral-favites-sp\/"},"modified":"2026-02-17T19:06:40","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T19:06:40","slug":"pineapple-war-hard-coral-favites-sp","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/?product=pineapple-war-hard-coral-favites-sp","title":{"rendered":"Pineapple War Hard Coral Favites Sp"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pineapple War Hard Coral (Favites sp.)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

(Also known as Pineapple Coral, War Coral, or Closed Brain Coral)<\/em><\/p>\n

Overview<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Pineapple War Hard Coral (Favites<\/em> sp.) is a bold and colourful large-polyp stony (LPS) coral<\/strong>, prized for its distinct polygonal corallite structure<\/strong> and vibrant, contrasting colours<\/strong>. Typically displaying green, red, orange, and purple hues<\/strong>, often outlined by glowing ridges, this coral forms dome-shaped or encrusting colonies with a quilted, pineapple-like texture. Its durability, slow growth rate, and striking appearance make it an ideal centrepiece coral for mixed and LPS reef systems. Although hardy, Favites<\/em> is known for its moderate aggression<\/strong> and should be given ample space to prevent stinging neighbouring corals.<\/p>\n

Origin<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Native to the Indo-Pacific region<\/strong>, including the Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea, Fiji, Tonga, Indonesia, and the Red Sea<\/strong>. Found on lagoon slopes and reef crests<\/strong>, often growing encrusted on rocks or forming small boulder-like colonies in moderate light and flow.<\/p>\n

Feeding<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Pineapple War Coral is photosynthetic<\/strong>, deriving most of its energy from zooxanthellae<\/strong>. However, feeding promotes stronger growth and brighter pigmentation. Offer 1\u20132 feedings per week<\/strong> of:<\/p>\n

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  • \n

    Mysis or brine shrimp (finely chopped)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    Coral plankton or reef roids-style powdered foods<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • \n

    Marine snow or LPS-targeted coral blends<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Target feed at night or during low flow when tentacles are extended.<\/p>\n

    Lighting<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Moderate to high lighting.<\/strong> Provide bright, diffused illumination using LED, T5, or hybrid systems<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

      \n
    • \n

      PAR range: 100\u2013250 \u00b5mol\/m\u00b2\/s<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

    • \n

      Gradually acclimate to higher light levels to prevent bleaching.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

    • \n

      Blue and actinic lighting bring out vivid fluorescence, especially along the coral\u2019s ridge lines and polyp edges.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Water Flow<\/strong><\/h3>\n

      Moderate, indirect flow.<\/strong> Gentle, alternating currents prevent detritus from collecting between corallites and promote healthy polyp extension. Avoid strong, direct jets that can stress tissue or cause retraction.<\/p>\n

      Placement<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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      • \n

        Position on lower to mid rockwork<\/strong> or a stable sandbed area<\/strong> with moderate light and gentle flow.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

      • \n

        Allow 10\u201315 cm (4\u20136 inches)<\/strong> of spacing from other corals \u2014 Favites<\/em> can extend short sweeper tentacles<\/strong> at night to defend its territory.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

      • \n

        Ensure a stable base; colonies can become heavy as they encrust and expand.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Tank Mates<\/strong><\/h3>\n

        Reef safe with caution.<\/strong> Compatible with:<\/p>\n

          \n
        • \n

          Peaceful reef fish (clownfish, tangs, gobies, wrasses, etc.)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

        • \n

          Snails, hermit crabs, and shrimp<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

        • \n

          Other non-aggressive LPS and soft corals (with spacing)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Avoid:<\/p>\n

            \n
          • \n

            Aggressive corals (e.g., Galaxea, Hydnophora, Torch corals)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

          • \n

            Large angelfish, butterflyfish, or puffers that may nip at polyps<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            Aggression<\/strong><\/h3>\n

            Moderate to high.<\/strong> Favites<\/em> species are known as \u201cWar Corals\u201d due to their potent stings and short sweeper tentacles<\/strong>. Maintain clear spacing and steady flow to minimise direct contact with other corals.<\/p>\n

            Experience Level<\/strong><\/h3>\n

            Intermediate.<\/strong> The Pineapple War Coral is robust but benefits from stable water chemistry and consistent care. It\u2019s ideal for aquarists with some LPS experience seeking a hardy coral with vivid colouration and unique structure.<\/p>\n

            Water Parameters<\/strong><\/h3>\n
              \n
            • \n

              Temperature:<\/strong> 24\u201327\u00b0C (75\u201381\u00b0F)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              pH:<\/strong> 8.1\u20138.4<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Salinity:<\/strong> 1.024\u20131.026 SG<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Alkalinity (dKH):<\/strong> 8\u201312<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Calcium:<\/strong> 400\u2013450 ppm<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Magnesium:<\/strong> 1250\u20131350 ppm<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Nitrate:<\/strong> <10 ppm<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Phosphate:<\/strong> <0.03 ppm<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

            • \n

              Tank Size:<\/strong> Minimum 100 litres (25 gallons)<\/strong>; larger tanks preferred for spacing and stability<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              Stable alkalinity and calcium levels are key to healthy skeletal growth and maintaining vibrant colours.<\/p>\n

              Reef Compatibility<\/strong><\/h3>\n

              Reef safe with caution.<\/strong> The Pineapple War Coral is an excellent choice for LPS and mixed reef systems. Its striking, glowing patterns and geometric structure make it a showpiece coral that adds depth and colour to the aquarium. Provided it has space to grow and stable conditions, it will thrive for many years.<\/p>\n

              \n

              Interesting Fact<\/strong><\/h3>\n

              Each polyp of Favites<\/em> shares part of its skeletal wall with its neighbour, unlike similar species such as Favia<\/em> \u2014 giving the colony its tightly packed, \u201cwar coral\u201d appearance and contributing to its aggressive defensive behaviour.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              Pineapple War Hard Coral (Favites sp.) (Also known as Pineapple Coral, War Coral, or Closed Brain Coral) Overview The Pineapple War Hard Coral (Favites sp.) is a bold and colourful large-polyp stony (LPS) coral, prized for its distinct polygonal corallite structure and vibrant, contrasting colours. Typically displaying green, red, orange, and purple hues, often outlined […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":10116,"template":"","meta":[],"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[74],"product_tag":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-10117","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-hard-corals","8":"first","9":"instock","10":"taxable","11":"shipping-taxable","12":"purchasable","13":"product-type-simple"},"group_of_quantity":0,"min_quantity":0,"max_quantity":"","exclude_order_quantity_value_rules":"no","exclude_category_quantity_rules":"no","combine_variations":"no","exclude_global_add_ons":[],"addons":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/product\/10117","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10116"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10117"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_brand&post=10117"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_cat&post=10117"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_tag&post=10117"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}