Hedgehog Coral

About

Hedgehog Coral (Echinopora horrida) is a branching, stony coral native to the shallow reefs and lagoons of the Western Central Pacific, typically found in protected, low-energy environments at depths of around three to six metres. In the wild it can form genuinely massive stands, sometimes stretching more than five metres across and a metre tall, which gives you a sense of how vigorous this species can be under the right conditions. The colony structure is made up of contorted, irregular branches that sometimes emerge from a flattened base, giving the whole thing a pleasingly chaotic, three-dimensional shape. Up close, the corallites are relatively large with thick walls and prominent primary septa, and the tissue surface between corallites is covered with small raised spinules. The texture that likely inspired the common name. Coloration runs from dark brown through cream to green, often depending on the zooxanthellae density and available light. In the aquarium, Hedgehog Coral is considered an intermediate species. Not particularly demanding, but it benefits from stable water quality, moderate flow to keep detritus from settling in its crevices, and consistent moderate lighting. It is reef safe and generally not aggressive toward neighbors when given adequate space.