False Flower Coral

About

False Flower Coral (Anacropora matthaii) is a branching coral from the Indo-West Pacific with a growth form that sets it apart from most of its neighbors on the reef. Colonies spread laterally across the substrate rather than building upward, producing thin, straight branches no more than a few millimeters across that maintain a consistent diameter from base to tip. Small tubular corallites project slightly from those branches, and one of the more unusual traits of this species is that its polyp tentacles can be out and feeding at any hour. Day or night. Coloration is understated: generally brown overall with pale brown or cream tips on the branches, so this isn't a coral you'd keep for bold pigmentation. In the wild it can blanket large sections of flat, muddy seabed in clear, shallow water across a broad stretch of tropical Indo-Pacific ocean. That sprawling, fragile growth form is the real challenge in captivity. The base of a colony tends to die back over time, which makes the structure brittle and prone to falling apart if knocked or shifted. This species demands very high light, strong flow, and a careful hand. It is genuinely best suited to experienced reef keepers who can provide a stable, high-energy system and keep physical disturbance to an absolute minimum.