Hardiest Acropora In The Hobby

JMM744 · Jun 14, 2018

I killed my green slimmer!

markalot · Jun 14, 2018

Green Slimer, a maricultured valida, and an acro some of us call #Katropora are the hardiest that keep good color for me. The ORA Miami Orchid is very rugged as well, but a little more sensitive than the slimer, for me. Next up is a green polyp purple valida of some sort followed by a blue stag that has yet to regain a good blue for over a year now but still grows.

hyprc · Jun 14, 2018

JMM744 said:
I killed my green slimmer!

I managed to almost kill it, recently cut a 1/4" off the tip that was healthy looking to see if I could save it ( was a chunky 2" frag with a nice branch on it ). Also killed a pink floyd. Meanwhile ASD Fuego Table (Looks a whole lot like a red planet...) and PC Rainbow looking good and showing growth. Acros were added about a month and a half ago so verdict's still out...

Dan Cyr · Jun 14, 2018

vetteguy53081 said:
Stag, Stylo, Birdnest and bonsai.

What is that piece? It's awesome!!! I want one, I want one! [emoji7]

Bpb · Jun 14, 2018

dragon99 said:
For me it has been my blue staghorn. I've managed to almost kill the tricolor valida and bonsai that everyone else praises, but the stag has looked great and grown throughout my tank's low points the past 2 years.

Literally scrolling threads and saw this pic and came here to say “hey that looks like a new piece I just got!” Ha ha

Bpb · Jun 14, 2018

BoomCorals said:
Looks like a green slimmer.

Here’s a top down of the same coral. This one purchased as a FHC Mega Man. I also have one called “Northern Lights Nasuta” which has been floating around the city of Austin for years and years. They’re very close together in my tank and with 100% confidence I can say they are the exact same coral and I will graft them soon to confirm that.

Same coral as pictured above in Alton’s post which he got from Ty (in Austin of course).

At any rate....it’s very pretty if you can get it in the sweet spot of lights and nutrients. A cascade of lavender and teal. It’s an Acropora Nasuta. Having owned what I believe to be 4 Acropora Nasuta of various colors, they’ve got to be the most bulletproof species out there. Can tolerate anything. Survive just about any crash. Yes they’ll go dormant if you turn your tank into toilet water but they’ll hang in there. Grows faster than a montipora cap too

vetteguy53081 · Jun 14, 2018

Dan Cyr said:
What is that piece? It's awesome!!! I want one, I want one! [emoji7]

Acquired as a rainbow goddess acro

Leadfooted · Jun 14, 2018

Not sure what type of Acro this is but if you can identify it, it's Super resilient to negative fluctuations in your tank. It's survived so many elements and I wish I knew what it was or if it's safe to frag. It's been growing for about 1 1/2 years.

Servillius · Jun 14, 2018

BoomCorals said:
Looks nice!

Yep, another old reliable for me too.

It’s also worth pointing out this isn’t always true, but to the extent there’s a difference in survivability, it’s probably that the rarer they are, the harder they are because the harder they are, the rarer they are.

reefkeeperCOL · Jun 14, 2018

Leadfooted said:
Not sure what type of Acro this is but if you can identify it, it's Super resilient to negative fluctuations in your tank. It's survived so many elements and I wish I knew what it was or if it's safe to frag. It's been growing for about 1 1/2 years.

I think this is a Frog Skin Acropora,

JeanR · Jun 15, 2018

Well, this will be repeating was has already been said in this thread. Speaking as a newbie who has had a reef tank for 1.5 years and struggling with SPS for the last year - the tricolor valida, green slimer and garf bonsai have not only survived but thrived. During this time I have finally gotten savvy to dosing and keeping on top of Alk/Ca/Mg (and I have always done 15% weekly water changes). Despite this I have still not been able to keep lots of others Acros.

The biggest surprise is a frag of Greg Hiller's Aquadelight I got from a local club member - growing and thriving just like the other 3. In the same time window a red planet frag and strawberry shortcake frag have not made it.

Leadfooted · Jun 17, 2018

reefkeeperCOL said:
I think this is a Frog Skin Acropora,

Thanks that's it!

kurtp · Jun 20, 2018

alton said:
I agree with the bonsai, mine from Farmer Ty is doing well. When I get corals from Ty he always ask "which ones do you want" and I always reply with "the ones that are guaranteed not to die". I have an excellent track record with his frags. But the most hardy I have is from someone that I probably paid $10 to $20 for and grows in a PAR level as low as 70, which is amazing.
I took this little stick that I thought wasn't going to make it in my house tank and moved it to my office. The first picture is late 2015, the second is late 2017, and I have fragged it since it took up too much space in my office tank.
If any one has the name please post it?

I haven't read subsequent posts yet to see what others have said but to answer your question, my 'Surf 'n Turf' looked just like that in color and form and is a crazy fast grower and hardy stag.

kurtp · Jun 20, 2018

Deezill said:
I love green slimer. I have a very small frag in my tank. I wish I could purchase a huge colony. I just don't know where.
Bali Slimers seem to be very resilient.

Deezill, I imagine there is a local club in Chicago and I bet you could find several members who routinely prune and throw out large chunks of the slimmer, I know I threw out literal pounds of that baby when my former tank was at its prime (same for the surf 'n turf and Lime in the Sky) before I connected with the club in Sacto and sold 6+ inch colonies for $25 - $30, or traded up for more elite acros.