Knob Coral
Favia gravida
A compact Atlantic coral with tidy, rounded corallites and a warm pale orange hue.
About
Knob Coral (Favia gravida) is a small, unassuming stony coral native to the Western Atlantic, with a range stretching from the waters of Canada and the United States down through Brazil. In the wild it colonizes reef habitats and rocky shorelines in subtropical conditions, forming compact hemispherical to encrusting colonies that rarely exceed about 50 mm across. Up close, the corallites are neatly rounded with evenly spaced septo-costae arranged in two orderly rows, giving the surface a tidy, geometric look. The corallite shapes can vary from simple circular forms with a single mouth to more elongated, meandering valleys with multiple mouths, though all stay quite small in diameter. The coloration is a soft, pale orange. Nothing flashy, but warm and pleasant in a reef display. For hobbyists, Favia gravida is a solid beginner-friendly choice. It tolerates moderate lighting and moderate flow without much fuss, and its small footprint makes it easy to place in a variety of tank layouts. If you are looking for an Atlantic species that is reef safe, manageable, and a little different from the usual Indo-Pacific offerings, this compact coral is worth a closer look.
Similar species
Other coral you might consider
Good tank mates
Species that tend to coexist peacefully with Knob Coral
From the same region
Share the same natural habitat. Great for a biotope-themed tank
Frequently asked questions
- What water parameters does the Knob Coral need?
- The Knob Coral does best with a temperature of 72–82°F, a pH of 8–8.4.
- Is the Knob Coral reef safe?
- The Knob Coral is generally considered reef safe.