Acropora cerealis

Acropora cerealis is a corymbose to cespitose Acropora made of interlocking thin branches that form a tight, almost woven colony. In aquaculture it is usually cream or white-bodied with blue, pink, or purple tips, so colour reads mainly at the growing ends of a pale, neat colony. That contrast is its trademark.

Care

Keep this advanced Acropora only in a mature, stable SPS system. Alkalinity stability is the foundation — steady daily values matter more than hitting a perfect number — and calcium and magnesium should be kept consistent in support. It needs high, strong random flow to penetrate its interlocking branches and keep debris from settling inside the colony; never use a constant jet, which damages outer tips while the interior still stagnates. As a high-light species, aim for PAR 250–400 with gradual acclimation. Judge health by an encrusting base, extended polyps on the outer branches, and no tissue loss in the shaded interior.

Placement and growth

Place it at the top of the rockwork in direct, strong light with flow arriving from multiple directions. Maintain at least 2 in of minimum clearance so neighbours do not shade one side of the dense colony. Growth is moderate and notably compact; because branches interlock as they grow, give the colony its full footprint from the start rather than squeezing it into a gap.