Hedgehog Coral

About

Hedgehog Coral (Echinopora pacifica) is a stony coral native to the Western Central Pacific, where it grows in shallow reef environments from near the surface down to around 15 meters. The common name comes from the distinctively rough, spiny texture of its corallites, which gives colonies that characteristic bristled appearance that sets the genus apart from smoother plating corals. In the wild it tends to form encrusting or plating growth forms, spreading laterally across reef structures as it matures. In the aquarium, Echinopora pacifica sits comfortably in the intermediate care category. It is not the most demanding large-polyp stony coral you could choose, but it does reward keepers who pay attention to flow and lighting consistency. Moderate, steady flow helps keep detritus from settling on the colony and supports healthy tissue. Lighting should be consistent rather than intense. This is not a coral that demands the highest output in the tank. It is generally considered reef safe and poses no particular threat to nearby corals beyond the slow physical competition for space that any encrusting stony coral will eventually exert. Hobbyists moving beyond beginner SPS and LPS species often find the Echinopora genus a reasonable next step.